Last of the Summer Wine is a British sitcom written by Roy Clarke that airs on BBC One. Since 1983, Alan J. W. Bell has prouced and directed all episodes of the show. Last of the Summer Wine premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse on 4 January 1973, with the first series of episodes following on 12 November 1973. The 28th series aired on Sunday nights at 6:20 p.m. and concluded on 23 September 2007. As of June 2008, a 29th series is in production, set to premiere later in the year.Reruns of the show air in the UK on satellite stations UKTV Gold and UKTV Drama, and it is also seen in more than twenty-five countries, including various PBS stations in the United States. Last of the Summer Wine is the longest-running comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running sitcom in the world.