Sallis' tribute to sitcom co-star

Sallis (left) and Wilde (right) acted together for many years

Peter Sallis has paid tribute to his Last of the Summer Wine co-star Brian Wilde, who has died at the age of 80.

Sallis played Norman Clegg in the long-running sitcom, while Wilde was the ex-Army corporal Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst.

We were both at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) at the same time.

I had just been demobbed from the Royal Air Force just after the war and I have a feeling that Brian had just left school. He was about 16, I think, when first I met him. It was at Rada and we were both students together.

We went our own ways after that and I didn't work with him as far as I can remember until it came to a play called The Pay Off, which could have been in the '70s or the '80s. It was some time ago. Anyway, that was the only time we really shared the stage together as professionals.

He was a laconic chap, he kept himself rather to himself, but he was great fun to be with and to work with so I'm very, very sorry to hear the news.

When Bill Owen, Brian and I were together, I'm not afraid of saying I think that was the best trio that we had. Of course [Last of the Summer Wine creator] Roy Clarke wrote these marvellous passages for Brian, which he did superbly.

One that sticks in my mind is when he envisages that he's going to be in charge of the Queen's corgis. It was a lovely bit of writing and he played it absolutely beautifully, his eyes set on the distance as he dreamt of the corgis. He was clever, he was just sort of Brian Wilde really.

Peter Sallis was talking to BBC News 24.