First of the Summer Wine original series making an appearance in the prequel. With the success of "Last of the Summer Wine", the BBC approved a new series which Roy Clarke would carry over characters of the original show. With the new series, Clarke hoped to show the lives of his characters as they were in the "first summer" of their lives, as opposed to the last summer depicted in "Last of the Summer Wine". While there would still be the "shadow of the Grim Reaper" hanging over them, this time it would be because of World War II, not due to their old age.
Last of the Summer Wine (series 31) having a loyal fan base. To commemorate the show's final appearance, the BBC broadcast "Songs of Praise" from Holmfirth, and a special of "Countryfile" about Holmfirth and the surrounding area (where the series was primarily filmed). The "Countryfile" special aired on 25 July straight after the first episode of the final series. "Songs of Praise" from Holmfirth aired on 29 August, the day the last ever episode was broadcast. That final episode, "How Not to Cry at Weddings" was dubbed "The Very Last of the Summer Wine" in the "Radio Times" edition dated 28 August - 3 September 2010. That