Although a Londoner, his last wish was to be buried in the graveyard of St John's Church, Holmfirth, Yorkshire - filming location for the long-running sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine (1973), in which he played "Compo". His friend and fellow Last of the Summer Wine (1973) actor, Peter Sallis, chose to be buried in the adjacent grave following his death in 2017.
[on his role in Last of the Summer Wine (1973)] I became a professional entertainer 63 years ago, but the past 26 have been occupied by a little man in a woolly hat.
