Tom enjoys taking over from dad!

Oct 22 2001 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TALK about following in father's footsteps.

Actor Tom Owen was called on to step into dad's wellingtons!

But he believes it is a move he had to make, and he hopes he is doing justice to his father's memory.

Dad, of course, was the late Bill Owen, the star of Last Of The Summer Wine for more than 25 years and the man who created a comic masterpiece - the lovable, scruffy rogue called Compo.

He and Peter Sallis linked up with the likes of Michael Aldridge and Michael Bates to weave hilarious tales out of doing nothing.

They were helped, of course, by the brilliant writing of Roy Clarke and the stunning locations in and around Holmfirth.

Now, Tom is a regular in the series - playing Compo's son - and relishes his involvement.

"Thirty years for any show is brilliant. My dad was in it for 27 years, and I like to think I am carrying on the family legacy.

"He is going to be remembered with a statue in Holmfirth and hopefully Summer Wine will always be another memorial."

Tom added: "It is one big, happy family, on and off set. Its success comes from that, from Roy Clarke's pen and Alan J W Bell's directing.

"I feel proud to have been part of it over the past two years.

"Filming this feels like coming home. I'm proud to be carrying dad's banner."