Last of the Summer Wine series 24

Last of the Summer Wine
Series 24
No. of episodes11
Release
Original networkBBC One
Original release29 December 2002 (2002-12-29) –
16 March 2003 (2003-03-16)
Additional information
Filming dates
  • Christmas Special: 2002
  • Series 24: 2002
Series chronology
← Previous
23
Next →
25
List of episodes

Last of the Summer Wine's twenty-fourth series aired on BBC One. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

Outline

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The trio in this series consisted of:

Actor Role
Keith Clifford Billy
Peter Sallis Clegg
Frank Thornton Truly

First appearances

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Returning this series

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Last appearances

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List of episodes

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Christmas Special (2002)

Title Airdate Description Notes
A Musical Passing for a Miserable Muscroft 29 December Billy Ingleton has acquired a mobile pipe organ, the use of which the ladies feel appropriate for a charity pageant. Meanwhile, isn't anyone going to nasty old Muscroft's funeral?
  • Nora Batty returns having been absent since the series 22 episode "The Coming of the Beast".
  • Norman Wisdom makes his fifth guest appearance as Billy Ingleton.
  • First small appearance of Entwistle (Burt Kwouk), (although his introduction to the other characters occurs in the next series).
  • The closing theme is played on organ by Phil Kelsall recorded at Tower Ballroom.
  • Audience of 6.27m – 44th most watched programme of the week.

Regular series

Title Airdate Description Notes
The Lair of the Cat Creature 5 January A new adventurer lands in town, eager to make a name for himself; luckily for him, the trio has in mind a heroic test of mettle.
  • First appearance of Brian Murphy as Alvin Smedley (then a guest star).
  • Audience of 6.67m – 33rd most watched programme of the week.
Ancient Eastern Wisdom-An Introduction 12 January Enthralled by a book of fiction, Howard begins emulating its hero; meanwhile, Truly and Clegg meet an inscrutable bearer of ancient Eastern wisdom whom they recruit to help Tom deal with the repo man.
  • This episode introduces Entwistle (Burt Kwouk), despite him previously appearing in the 2002 Christmas special.
  • Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald in Coronation Street) appears as Sharlene, a shop assistant with Marina.
  • Audience of 5.76m – 53rd most watched programme of the week.
A Pick-Up of the Later Ming Dynasty 19 January After helping Entwistle fix his truck, the trio are recruited to lay hands on Smiler's cart.
  • Audience of 6.17m – 50th most watched programme of the week.
The Secret Birthday of Norman Clegg 26 January Clegg wants to celebrate his birthday as quietly as possible, so he goes to pieces when everybody in the village is dressed for a celebration.
  • Audience of 6.26m – 33rd most watched programme of the week.
In Which Gavin Hinchcliffe Loses the Gulf Stream 2 February An old schoolmate's preparations for global warming are hampered by a drunk girlfriend and one very nervous driver.
  • Guest appearance of Josephine Tewson (Keeping Up Appearances) as Miss Davenport before becoming a regular cast member in the 2003 Christmas special "A Short Blast of Fred Astaire".
  • Guest appearance of Bernard Cribbins as Gavin Hinchcliffe.
  • Audience of 6.38m – 44th most watched programme of the week.
The Miraculous Curing of Old Goff Helliwell 9 February Clegg, Truly and Billy need to put a spark back in the life of an old chum.
The Frenchies are Coming 23 February Billy assembles a band of archers to defend against French invaders, and Pearl finds a way to keep tabs on Howard's comings and goings.
  • Audience of 5.89m – 43rd most watched programme of the week.
The Man Who Invented Yorkshire Funny Stuff 2 March The trio are on the hunt for a green-fingered man whose reputation as a ladies' man has bred contempt among his old flames.
  • Audience of 6.76m – 32nd most watched programme of the week.
The Second Husband and the Showgirls 9 March Curiosity abounds when the new husband of the former Mrs. Truelove arrives in town.
  • Guest appearance of William Lucas as Norris Leland.
  • Audience of 6.07m – 42nd most watched programme of the week.
  • Tony Melody, who plays a landlord, had previously dubbed the voice of Sid in the 90 minute Christmas special, Getting Sam Home, after John Comer's voice was badly affected by cancer twenty years earlier.
All of a Florrie 16 March Everyone lends a hand in helping Truly rid himself of an old next-door neighbour with misguided affections.
  • Final appearance of Edie. Thora Hird died the day before the broadcast of this episode.
  • Alvin Smedley (Brian Murphy) becomes a regular character. He would later join the trio in Series 26 in 2005, thus making it a quartet and remain until the show's end in 2010.
  • Guest appearance of Jeanne Mockford as Florrie.

DVD release

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The box set for series twenty four was released by Universal Playback in September 2014, mislabelled as a box set for series 25 & 26.

The Complete Series 25 & 26
Set Details[1]
  • 22 episodes
  • 4-disc set
  • Language: English
Release Date
Region 2
29 September 2014

References

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  1. ^ "Last of the Summer Wine Series 25 & 26 [DVD]". Amazon. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
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