Series 3
Last of the Summer Wine's third series originally aired on BBC1 between 27 October 1976 and 8 December 1976. None of the episodes made it into the Top 10 Programmes Of The Week on their first airing, but a repeat of "Isometrics and After" attracted 15 million viewers during the spring 1977. Also notable was the first ever two-part episode, "The Great Boarding House Bathroom Caper" and "Cheering Up Gordon", both featuring guest appearances by Philip Jackson as Compo's nephew, Gordon. Blake Butler reprises his role from the first series as the librarian, Mr. Wainwright, before departing the show again at the end of the year. The most notable change this season, however, was the addition of Brian Wilde as the new third-man of the trio, Foggy Dewhurst, an ex-military sign painter. Wilde would play this role twice: between 1976 and 1985 and then again from 1990 until 1997, when he was forced to leave due to health problems.
All Episodes
Episode 1
The Man From Oswestry
October 27, 1976
Compo is bored. Since Cyril Blamire left for Oswestry, to live with a woman, things have been a bit too calm for him in town. But soon, Clegg brings the solution to all their boredom. A letter from Blamire asking them to welcome home an old fried of his, called Foggy Dewhurst, and help him cope with the sudden changes in his life, after he was more or less forced to retire. Compo and Clegg meet with the new "third man", the war hero Foggy Dewhurst, who because of his peculiar life and his endless wartime stories soon makes his presence noted around town. His military posture, and his "murderous" impulses only get him in a fight with Big Malcolm, and his military precision doesn't seem to be a great help, when the trio tries to carry Foggy's heavy wartime luggage up a hill.
Episode 2
Mending Stuart's Leg
November 6, 1976
Mr Wainwright is back in town, and quickly throws the trio out of the library. The trio goes back to the cafe, where Ivy is having the usual battle of wits with Sid. There they meet with Stuart, and old man who's having a strange click in his leg. Later the trio helps Sid to mend a whole in the roof of the cafe with the usual disastrous results. Meanwhile Wainwright dates the new female librarian.
Episode 3
The Great Boarding House Bathroom Caper
November 10, 1976
The trio takes takes a little holiday in Scarborough, but what's the deal with Compo's cardboard box?
Episode 4
Cheering Up Gordon
November 17, 1976
When the trio notices Compo's nephew Gordon is depressed, they come up with various ways of cheering him up.
Episode 5
The Kink In Foggy's Niblick
November 24, 1976
When Foggy discovers his old golf clubs in the attic of his home, he takes Compo, Clegg and Sid for a little practice of "the noble sport".
Episode 6
Going To Gordon's Wedding
December 1, 1976
It's Gordon's wedding day and, as always, problems are near. this time they appear with a face and a name: Big Malcolm. As always it's up to the trio to see that the wedding ends properly, but not without some incidents in between.
Episode 7
Isometrics And After
December 8, 1976
Foggy decides Compo and Clegg are not as fit as they should be. The path back to physical fitness is isometrics-or is it? Maybe... not.