Last of the Summer Wine criticised the BBC for not permitting a special final episode. Roy Clarke, however, stated that he was fully aware this was the last series, and preferred the show to have a quiet ending. The final episode of the show, "How Not to Cry at Weddings", was subsequently broadcast on 29 August 2010. The final line was said by Peter Sallis, the longest-serving actor. Initially, the only certain cast member for the show was Peter Sallis. Clarke had already collaborated on a few scripts with him and knew he wanted Sallis on the show. The character of Norman Clegg was created
Last of the Summer Wine regular character starting in "Uncle of the Bride". The increasingly large cast ensured a sense of continuity with the changing configuration of the trio, especially following the death of Bill Owen. When Alan J. W. Bell took over as producer, the plots of "Last of the Summer Wine" moved away from the original dialogue-packed scenes in the pub and the library; guest actors were brought in to interact with the trio in new situations. Although many of these guest appearances lasted for only one episode, some led to a permanent role on the show, as in the cases of Gordon