| Last Post and Pigeon | |
|---|---|
| Season -, Episode - | |
| Air date | 2 January 2000 |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous Ironing Day |
Next Lipstick and Other Problems |
Compo is selected to travel to France with a group of local WWII veterans, only to have the offer withdrawn when the organisers realize how scruffy he looks. The local ladies take pity on him and collect enough money for him to go, and Truly and Clegg join him for the trip.
Meanwhile, Edie's long-estranged sister Ros shows up in town, ready to make amends with Edie and possibly settle down again. Edie, angry at her for leaving her husband and devastating their mother, isn't interested in reconnecting. In France, the trio has two goals: to release Billy Hardcastle's homing pigeon and to revisit a spot Compo and some of his fellow soldiers camped overnight after a grueling escape from the Germans. There's just one snag: Compo doesn't remember where it is.
- This special is 60 Minutes long.
- First appearance of Dora Bryan as Ros Utterthwaite
- This was the last ever episode to be filmed with Bill Owen as Compo and finished filming days before he died. The BBC & crew agreed not to be credited at the closing credits and be moved to the opening credits instead, allowing for the moving final image of Compo. However, the first three episodes of Series 21 had already been filmed, thus Compo appears in them (albeit very brief).
- Second guest appearance of Billy Hardcastle
- Audience of 9.16m - 22nd most watched programme of the week.