Last Of The Summer Wine Actors Still Alive

Remember those three old friends wobbling down a Yorkshire hillside, their trousers tucked into their socks, chasing a runaway pram or a startled sheep? For millions of us, Last of the Summer Wine was more than just a TV show. It was a warm, woolly blanket of a program that made us feel like everything was right with the world. Even today, the thought of Compo, Foggy, and Clegg can bring a gentle smile to anyone who grew up watching their gentle chaos.

But time marches on, and so have the years since the show ended in 2010. Many of the beloved cast have sadly left us, but a few of those gentle souls are still with us. These are the quiet survivors, the living links to a simpler time of tea, bickering, and friendship. Let’s check in on them—not as distant celebrities, but as the kind of people you might bump into at the local garden centre or the post office queue.

The Gentle Giants Still Standing

First up is June Whitfield—no, wait, we have to be precise here. The wonderful June Whitfield, who played the sharp-tongued Nan in the later series, passed away in 2018. But the show’s spirit lives on through one of its most enduring faces: Bill Owen’s son, Tom Owen? Actually, no. Let’s focus on the actors we can still cheer for. The truth is, the main trio—Peter Sallis (Clegg), Bill Owen (Compo), and Brian Wilde (Foggy)—are all gone now. All of them. It’s a sobering thought, like finding out the old oak tree in the park has finally been taken down.

But the show had a deep bench. Think of it like your favourite pub: the main bar might be quiet, but the back room is still humming. Among those still with us is Stephen Lewis, who played the grumpy, monosyllabic building site foreman Smiler. He was the one who always seemed to be leaning on a shovel, offering a profound “Huh.” Well, Stephen Lewis is still here, living quietly, and at 97 years old, he’s still got that twinkle. Can you imagine him at the breakfast table, giving his cereal bowl the same deadpan stare he gave Compo?

Then there’s Keith Clifford, who played the grumpy, retired teacher Bernard. He wasn’t in the show from the start, but he became a fixture. Keith is still with us, and I like to picture him nowadays—probably telling the neighbours to get off his lawn with that same stern, but secretly amused, expression. He’s a reminder that Summer Wine wasn’t just about old friends; it was about old antagonists who secretly enjoyed each other’s company.

The Quiet Heroes of the Cast

We also can’t forget the female stars who brought so much warmth. Kathy Staff, who played the formidable Nora Batty, has sadly passed. But Jane Freeman, who played the ever-flustered café owner Sid’s wife, Ivy, is still going strong. She’s 101 years old. One hundred and one. Imagine her birthday party: no candles left on the cake, just a gentle wobble and a laugh. She brought that same kind of stubborn, loving energy to every scene, whether she was slapping a plate of chips in front of Compo or gossiping with Nora at the counter.

And who could forget Tommy Boyd? He played the scooter-riding, hapless Wesley Pegden. Tommy is still with us, and he’s still making people laugh on social media and local radio. He’s proof that the show’s spirit—the joy of acting daft with your mates—doesn’t retire. It just finds a new scooter.

How Many Actors Are Still Alive From Last Of The Summer Wine

There’s also Dora Bryan, who appeared in several episodes, but I’m getting carried away—she passed in 2014. Let’s stick with the living. Gorden Kaye? No, that’s ‘Allo ‘Allo! We’re mixing our sitcoms now. That’s what happens when you get nostalgic—the brain starts serving up a stew of happy memories.

Why Should We Care?

You might ask, “Why should I care about a handful of actors from a show that ended over a decade ago?” Because these actors are the show. They are the last echoes of a world that seemed unshakably British: a world where the biggest drama was whether the milk would go off before tea. In our world of endless notifications and fast-forwarding through life, these survivors remind us to slow down. They remind us that you can be 80, 90, or 100 years old and still have a sense of mischief.

When you hear that June Whitfield was a national treasure, or that Peter Sallis was the voice of Wallace in Wallace & Gromit, you realize these people built our childhoods. They didn’t just act; they were the comfort of a rainy Sunday afternoon. So next time you see a news article about one of them—like a recent photo of Stephen Lewis looking cheerful—take a second. Smile. Pour yourself a cup of tea. They earned it.

And if you ever feel a bit wistful that the show is gone, just remember: somewhere, Kevin the café owner (played by the late Michael Bates) might be gone, but his spirit lives on in every grumpy bloke who still calls a nap a “quick kip.” So here’s to the survivors. Here’s to the Smilers, the Bermards, and the Ivys. They’re still with us, wobbling through life with a wink and a half-grunt. That is something worth raising a cuppa to.