Last of the Summer Wine (series 31) Last of the Summer Wine (series 31) Last of the Summer Wine's 31st and final series was aired in 2010, beginning on 25 July. All six episodes in series 31 were 30 minutes in length. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and directed by Alan J. W. Bell. The series was the first in 19 years to be only six episodes long, due in part to the BBC axing the show and then recommissioning it. Actress Juliette Kaplan (Pearl) wrote on her website that the series was a result of fan response to rumours of the show's
First of the Summer Wine For the new series, Clarke used mostly young, inexperienced actors to fill the roles of the characters carried over from the original series. The actors were required to mimic the vocal characteristics and mannerisms already established in "Last of the Summer Wine" to create a continuity between the two series. The show features much 1920s and 1930s music, which adds to the nostalgic feel of the show. The theme tune is "Sweet and Lovely", sung by Al Bowlly, accompanied by Roy Fox and his Band. The recording was made in London on 18 September 1931. "First of the Summer Wine"