Sir Roy Clarke, the creator of the beloved BBC sitcom The Last of the Summer Wine, has suggested the show would not be commissioned in today's television landscape. The 96-year-old writer made the comments after receiving his knighthood from the Prince of Wales during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
Speaking to the Press Association, Sir Roy said: "It’s a different world now, and I’m very glad my time was in the world I knew. I don’t know how far I would get now, the show probably wouldn’t be made these days." He reflected on his writing process, citing the episodes surrounding Compo’s funeral as his favourites due to the intense time pressure. "I had to do the three episodes in not much more than a weekend and I’ve never worked at that pace before, and in a funny way, I think that gave them more strength."
Sir Roy, who wrote 295 episodes of the sitcom, revealed that the character Clegg served as his personal "mouthpiece". "He used to get all the best lines and he was my mouthpiece in many ways. He used to say the things I would say and the things that I believed." The veteran writer also shared his philosophy on maintaining a healthy work-life balance: "I think leisure is an important element of anybody’s career. If you work like a dog all the time, especially if you’re writing, the results are going to be dismal."
Also honoured at the investiture was Welsh rugby star Jonathan Davies, who was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to people with cancer and broadcasting. Davies, who earned 37 caps for Wales, spoke with Prince William about the team’s recent Six Nations victory against Italy. He acknowledged the challenges facing Welsh rugby, saying: "It has been tough for Wales on and off the field, with uncertainty around regions and finances. Hopefully, things can be resolved." The pundit now dedicates his efforts to fundraising for cancer charities in Wales, following the deaths of his wife and father from different cancers.
Another recipient was Jonathan Piers Linney, who received a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to small business, entrepreneurs, investors, banking, diversity, and social mobility. The former Dragons' Den star, now an artificial intelligence start-up boss, discussed the pros and cons of AI with the Prince of Wales. He issued a stark warning: "AI is an arms race. With super intelligence, we’re not going to understand how it works and we won’t be able to keep it in a box. It will be as if an alien species lands on this planet in 10 years, maximum." He ruled out a return to Dragons' Den in the near future.
