Editing Last of the Summer Wine (section)

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Last of the Summer Wine episodes}}
{{:List of Last of the Summer Wine episodes}}
[[File:Trio-collage.jpg|thumb|right|A collage illustrating the different compositions of the main characters during ''Last of the Summer Wine'''s 37 year run. From left to right: Series 1–2, Series 3–8 & 12–18, Series 9–11, Series 19–21, Series 21, Series 22–25, Series 26–27, Series 28–29, Series 30–31.]]
''Last of the Summer Wine'' is the [[List of longest-running UK television series|longest-running comedy programme in Britain]], and the longest running situation comedy in the world. Each series has between six and twelve episodes; most were thirty minutes in length, with some specials running longer. There were 295 episodes and 31 series between 1973 and 2010, counting the pilot, all episodes of the series, specials, and two films.

===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" />

===Films===
In 1983, Bill Owen suggested to a newly returned producer Alan J. W. Bell that Roy Clarke's novelisation of the show should be made into a feature-length special. Other [[British sitcom]]s such as ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'' and ''[[Dad's Army]]'' had previously produced films made for the cinema, but the BBC were initially sceptical as they had never before commissioned a film based on a comedy programme for original broadcast on television. They nevertheless commissioned a ninety-minute film named ''Getting Sam Home'', which was broadcast on 27 December 1983, and started a trend which would continue with other British sitcoms, including ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]''.<ref name="Bright and Ross 24"/>

Following the success of ''Getting Sam Home'', a second film was made during 1985, and broadcast on 1 January 1986. Titled ''Uncle of the Bride'', the film featured the introduction of Michael Aldridge as Seymour Utterthwaite, the new third man of the trio. The plot centred on the marriage of Seymour's niece, Glenda ([[Sarah Thomas (actress)|Sarah Thomas]]), to Barry ([[Mike Grady (actor)|Mike Grady]]). Also making her first appearance in the film was [[Thora Hird]] as Seymour's sister and Glenda's mother, Edie, as well as re-introducing Gordon Wharmby as Edie's husband Wesley, previously seen in three popular one-off appearances. The second film proved a success and all four new characters were carried over to the show beginning with the ninth series in 1986.<ref>Bright and Ross (2000), pp.&nbsp;30–31</ref>

===Documentaries===
A documentary film was commissioned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Last of the Summer Wine''. Produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell, it featured interviews with the majority of cast and crew members, outtakes from the show, and a behind-the-scenes look at production. Segments with [[Duncan Wood]] and [[Barry Took]] explained the origins of the show and how it came to be filmed in Holmfirth. The documentary was broadcast on 30 March 1997.<ref name="Bright and Ross 16–17" />

An updated version of the documentary was commissioned for the 30th anniversary of the series. Broadcast on 13 April 2003, this version featured an expanded interview with [[Brian Wilde]] and new interviews with [[Brian Murphy (actor)|Brian Murphy]] and [[Burt Kwouk]].<ref name="30 Years LOTSW" />

In March 2022, [[Channel 5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]] aired a 67-minute special retrospective for their series "30 Years Of Laughs". Cast, crew and celebrities paid tribute to the show.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.channel5.com/show/last-of-the-summer-wine-30-years-of-laughs | title=My5 }}</ref>

===DVD releases===

In September 2002, Universal Playback (licensed by the BBC) began releasing boxed sets of episodes on DVD for [[DVD region code|region two]]. Each set contains two consecutive full series of episodes. The entire series is now available on home video, both in box sets with two series of episodes each, and in a complete collection which features every episode of ''Last of the Summer Wine'' plus the pilot, all films, and specials.<ref name="DVD"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Summer-Wine-31-DVD/dp/B01BTV8KU0/|title=Last of the Summer Wine 31 & 32 [DVD]|date=16 August 2016|publisher=Amazon.co.uk|access-date=21 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=June |last=Toy |title=Summer Wine DVD – Fan's Review |publisher=Summer Wine Appreciation Society |url=http://www.summer-wine.com:80/bbc/dvd.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617163436/http://www.summer-wine.com/bbc/dvd.htm |work=Summer Wine Online |archive-date=17 June 2012 |access-date=2 April 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The entire series is also available for [[DVD region code|region four]] from [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]. Like the region two releases, each box set contains two series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com.au/Last-Summer-Wine-31-32/dp/B075K5XH1M/|publisher=Amazon.com.au|access-date=29 September 2018|title="Last of the Summer Wine: Series 31 - 32"|date=19 July 2017}}</ref>

Three "best of" collections as well as sets devoted to individual series have been released for [[DVD region code|region one]]. The first, simply titled ''Last of the Summer Wine'',<ref>{{cite news | title =Last of the Summer Wine on DVD | url =http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/shows/Summer-Wine/5394 | work =TVShowsOnDVD.com | publisher =[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] | access-date =22 May 2008 | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080415112151/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/shows/Summer-Wine/5394 | archive-date =15 April 2008 | df =dmy-all }}</ref> was released in 2003 and includes early episodes from the 1970s and 1980s. The second collection, titled ''Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1995'', followed in 2004 and includes episodes from series seventeen and the 30th anniversary documentary.<ref name="LOTSW TVShowsonDVD.com">{{cite news | first=David | last=Lambert | title=Summer Wine on DVD this summer | date=12 February 2004 | url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Summer-Wine/1104 | work=TVShowsOnDVD.com | publisher=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] | access-date=22 May 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619194119/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Summer-Wine/1104 | archive-date=19 June 2008 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> A 2008 release named ''Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1976'' focuses on the third series of the show and includes bonus interviews with Peter Sallis, Brian Wilde, and Frank Thornton.<ref>{{cite news | first=David | last=Lambert | title=Ah, That 1976 Vintage of the BBC Program Comes to DVD Next Month! | date=10 February 2008 | url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Summer-Wine-Vintage-1976/8962 | work=TVShowsOnDVD.com | publisher=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] | access-date=22 May 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530190206/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Summer-Wine-Vintage-1976/8962 | archive-date=30 May 2008 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Subsequently, every episode from the third to the twenty-seventh series has been released on DVD in ''Vintage'' collections, many including special features and interviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Last-Summer-Wine-Vintage-2007/dp/B01BX2B9VW/|title=Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 2007|website=Amazon|date=6 June 2017|access-date=29 September 2018}}</ref>