Still the finest of vintage comedy

Oct 22 2001 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THINK of British comedy classics and the memories unfurl.

Fawlty Towers. Dad's Army. Till Death Us Do Part. Only Fools And Horses.

Or how about Last Of The Summer Wine?

It is a programme that has earned itself a permanent niche in TV history - the world's longest-running comedy series and still a jewel in the BBC comedy crown.

Millions of viewers cannot be wrong - and they are the reason why next year will see Summer Wine reach its 30th anniversary.

The new series, scheduled for the spring, is now being completed.

The production crew is hard at work on the editing at Teddington Studios, with previews scheduled for November.

And after many weeks of filming on location in and around Holmfirth and Huddersfield, and at Shepperton Studios, the 10 new episodes - plus a Christmas special - are set to continue the comic tradition.

It is a tradition which this week will be recognised at the highest level.

Summer Wine has been nominated in the National Television Awards, a glittering showcase which will pack the Royal Albert Hall tomorrow night.

And it is up against some heavyweights in the form of The Royle Family, Friends and One Foot In The Grave.

But, win or lose, the show has made household names of many of its stars.

Nora Batty has, of course, gone, as has her erstwhile beau Compo.

But the likes of Clegg, Howard, Marina, Smiler and Wesley will still dominate Sunday evenings in the spring.

A special selection of repeated episodes from the last series began last night on BBC1.

They were chosen by Alan J W Bell, the man who has directed Summer Wine for 20 of its 30 years.

And he believes the appeal is still as strong now as it was way back in 1972, when the one-off pilot show first focused national attention on the quiet streets and alleyways of Holmfirth.

Since then, tens of thousands of tourists have descended on the Holme Valley to see the cottages and country lanes they have enjoyed on their TV screens.

No-one could have predicted the enormous success that followed that first show.

"I think I'll go get a bit of sausage for my tea" was the line that ended that initial show.

It was a line that spawned a television record-breaker.

* Tomorrow: The Summer Wine Tyrant with a teapot.

Go to our Last of the Summer Wine section for more on your favourite comedy!