Foggy's Final Departure

[codfanglers]

Earlier this week I watched Destiny and Six Bananas and Side Car Named Desire. Today my wife made an error in taping Beware of Oglethorpe (but I still love her).

Anyway, I know Brian Wilde left the show due to poor health, but my question is did they know Sidecar was going to be his last episode? My guess is it wasn't know at the time because his role is quite insignificant. He actually doesn't make an appearance until 9-10 minutes in.

On the other hand, "Destiny and Six Bananas would have been a great swan song for Foggy. Foggy in the safari outfit standing on the Ultra terrain vehicle was great. He was so proud of himself.the irony in the end is he actually succeeding is something; hitting the "ape" with the dart! Also, I don't want to forget that he was actually brave in that episode, going into the woods (then again maybe not as he sent others in to flush the apes out).

 

[manfromoswestry]

As I understand correctly, wasn't he asked to return to LOTSW on several occasions after his 2nd departure? I believe he turned it down because he felt as though he exhausted the potential of the Foggy Dewhurst character and had done all he could do with it. If that was the case, then at the time, I'm assuming Roy Clarke didn't expect Sidecar to be Brian's last episode.

 

[Pearl]

Its my understanding that Brian was supposed to take a break and then come back but due to ill health he decided not too, so Street car was not meant to be his last but I do agree 6 Banana would have been a great swan song for him.

 

[barmpot]

As Susan has said I think it was health that finally got to him. The early Truly episodes were written for Foggy then altered, but I believe that his manner of departure - taken to Blackpool by some amorous lady - gave the possibility of a return.

However, unless Roy Clarke wishes to divulge I guess we shall never truly know.

 

[Eli Thingy]

how i understand it, brian was due to film series 19 (filmed in 1997, shown in 1998) however he had an illness (i think 1 of the obituritys 4 him said shingles) which stopped him filming and he himself suggested frank thornton as a replacement (brians own words in 30 years documentary), so he was due 2 b in the series so when they filmed 18 they wudnt kno he werent coming back, if they did im sure they wud have done summat very special 2 see foggy finish, even if it wud have been swapping sidecar and destiny around, if you look at series 19 carefully theres a lot of plots tht seem wud suit foggy very well, the wanting 2 get in the papers, the audrey nash plot, the plotting of making the ladies believe compo was jumping out of an aeroplane, the bossing compo about in the towpath story, all these imo were 4 foggy at first but were re-written when frank thornton was cast, the others from the series cud work with both imo, the 1997 xmas special was written after frank had started when it was clear brian cudnt make it back tht series, which is why foggy left how he did, which is a shame he didnt go out with a bang but sometimes things happen in life tht stop perfect things happening.
so as i understand it no the crew didnt know brian wasnt coming back for the next series after his final 1 altho in the bright and ross book there is talk of foggys role in tht series being cut down a lot, but thats another story 4 another time probly.