Editing Last of the Summer Wine (section)

===Specials===
In 1978, the BBC commissioned a ''Last of the Summer Wine'' [[Christmas in the media|Christmas special]] instead of a new series. Titled "Small Tune on a Penny Wassail", it was broadcast on 26 December 1978. Other Christmas programmes followed in 1979 and 1981. The 1981 special, "Whoops", gained 17&nbsp;million viewers and was beaten only by ''[[Coronation Street]]'' for the number one spot. Christmas shows were produced infrequently thereafter and sometimes were the only new episodes in years without an order for a new series.<ref>Bright and Ross (2000), pp.&nbsp;20–22</ref> This happened often during the 1980s when Roy Clarke's commitment to ''[[Open All Hours]]'' prevented the production of a full series every year.<ref>Bright and Ross (2000), pp.&nbsp;23–24</ref> The specials often included well-known guest stars such as [[John Cleese]]<ref>Bright and Ross (2000), p.&nbsp;139</ref> and [[June Whitfield]].<ref name="Potts in Pole Position ep" />

The first New Year special, "The Man who Nearly Knew Pavarotti", was commissioned in 1994. The hour-long show was broadcast on 1 January 1995 and featured [[Norman Wisdom]] as a piano player who had lost the confidence to play.<ref name="Bright and Ross 30" /> A second New Year programme was produced and broadcast in 2000 to celebrate the new millennium. It featured the second guest appearance by [[Keith Clifford]] and a guest appearance by [[Dora Bryan]]. Titled "Last Post and Pigeon", the show ran for sixty minutes and dealt with the trio's [[pilgrimage]] to visit World War II graves in France. Part of this special was shot on location in France.<ref name="Bright and Ross 35–36">Bright and Ross (2000), pp.&nbsp;35–36</ref> A third New Year show, titled "I Was a Hitman for Primrose Dairies", was broadcast on 31 December 2008<ref name="Daily Telegraph 10-12-08">{{cite news | first=Sarah | last=Knapton| title=Last of The Summer Wine to be cancelled after 35 years, producer claims | date=10 December 2008 | url =https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3815671/Last-of-The-Summer-Wine-to-be-cancelled-after-35-years-producer-claims.html | work =The Daily Telegraph | access-date = 22 December 2008 }}</ref> and introduced Hobbo and the new trio he formed with Entwistle and Alvin.<ref name="I Was A Hitman for Primrose Dairies ep" />