Last of the Summer Wine (series 30) Last of the Summer Wine (series 30) Last of the Summer Wine's 30th series originally aired 19 April 2009. All eleven episodes in series 30 were 30 minutes in length. A New Years Special aired on 31 December 2008. All of the episodes were written by Roy Clarke and directed by Alan J. W. Bell. This series is notable for forming a new trio composed of Alvin, Entwistle and Hobbo, who was introduced in the New Years Special. Peter Sallis (Clegg) and Frank Thornton (Truly) are now demoted to secondary characters, filmed only in studio scenes due to the cost
Last of the Summer Wine England, and centred on a trio of old men and their youthful misadventures; the membership of the trio changed several times over the years. The original trio consisted of Bill Owen as the mischievous and impulsive Compo Simmonite, Peter Sallis as easy-going everyman Norman Clegg, and Michael Bates as uptight and arrogant Cyril Blamire. When Bates dropped out due to illness in 1976 after two series, the role of the third man of the trio was filled in various years up to the 30th series by the quirky war veteran Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst (Brian Wilde), who had two lengthy stints