Last Of The Summer Wine actor Tom Owen dies aged 73

Last Of The Summer Wine star Tom Owen has died at the age of 73.

His character, Tom Simmonite, was the long-lost son of Compo, played by his real life father Bill Owen.

Owen’s other credits included The Bill, The Onedin Line, Upstairs Downstairs and the 2018 film The Bromley Boys.

“He passed away peacefully and is survived by his two children, James and William, and ex-wife, Mary,” his family said in a statement.

He started his career as an assistant stage manager at Leatherhead Theatre in Surrey, and later moved on to Westminster Theatre. Working in television for a while, he then moved to Sidmouth where he worked as a theatre director.

He was cast as Compo’s son just days after his father died of cancer in 1999.

He noted of landing the role:

“At first when I arrived on set it was very odd. It was emotional, but very early on I decided the only way I could tackle it was by being a professional.”

Airing between 1973-2010, Last of The Summer Wine followed young-at-heart pensioners on their weekly jaunts around the village of Holmfirth and its surrounding countryside in Yorkshire.

The comedy ran for over thirty series as well as several Christmas specials, making it the longest-running sitcom in the world.