How did John Sullivan first dream up Del Boy and Rodney Trotter ? Actors David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst team up with the writer to reveal how the enduring sitcom was created. Featuring celebrity fans, the stories behind the storylines and memorable scenes from the comedy.

The Story of Only Fools and Horses

Patrick Murray

Roger Lloyd Pack

Susan Belbin

John Sullivan

Extended Interview with David Jason

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It's anthracite roast potatoes and green stuff all round - Grandad's cooking Christmas dinner! Trouble is, Rodney's in danger of dying of boredom. Then the glittering attractions of the Monte Carlo Club beckon...

Christmas Crackers

This was a comedy sketch produced for the 1982 Christmas show The Funny Side of Christmas, presented by Frank Muir, which also featured sketches from other comedies.

Christmas Trees

When Del meets a new woman he begins to envisage Christmas with a larger family.

Diamonds Are for Heather

A Christmas visitor throws the Trotter household into confusion.

Thicker Than Water

Just a simple courier job says Boycie but the Trotter's life on the ocean wave doesn't go completely to plan. They run into their old friend Slater 'The Slag' but it isn't all plain sailing for him either.

To Hull and Back

When Rodney meets a pretty girl in the market, he fails to realise her connections. But when he is invited to her family home, Del sees his chance of making a buck.

A Royal Flush

Educational episode made in 1984 and only shown in schools/colleges. Del, Rodney and Grandad discuss oil drilling and fossil fuels. Notable as the last appearance of Lennard Pearce as Grandad.

Licensed to Drill

Del, Rodney and Uncle Albert are at the wedding of Trigger's niece Lisa. There's a spirit of goodwill, that is until Del hears of their mother's buried treasure.

The Frog's Legacy

Del and Rodney both go on dates, but with very different results. Albert's strip-o-gram seems oddly familliar.

Dates

Del is organising the annual Jolly Boys' Outing to Margate, but Cassandra is not completely at ease with this boys' trip as she and Rodney have just celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

The Jolly Boys' Outing

Del's love life picks up when Raquel moves in. However, Rodney finds marriage is not a bed of roses and Del decides to give him a helping hand whether he likes it or not.

Rodney Come Home

Del and Rodney get the chance to join the glitterati and become 'transatlantic people'. It is time to leave baby Damien Trotter behind and bravely explore the New World. But could the American dream turn into a nightmare?

Miami Twice: The American Dream

With Del handling the accommodation and transport for their week's holiday in America, it's not surprising that he and Rodney end up in a dodgy camper-van. But things get even worse when the van disappears while they are in a swish nightclub.

Miami Twice: Oh to Be in England

The Trotter family becomes environmentally aware and uses an unexpected inheritance to enhance its fortunes.

Mother Nature's Son

While Peckham is in the midst of rioting, Del Boy is having trouble with his teeth and with Raquel. She objects to him spending all night at the One Eleven Club. It is no surprise when she leaves him but Del goes straight back into dating. When he changes his mind he wants to forget about it, but will the scorned woman let him?

Fatal Extraction

Del's application for a home-improvement grant has been turned down by the local council. He's had better starts to the week, but there is some sunshine on the horizon: Mike at the Nag's Head is organising a party on Saturday night, and Del is eager to get tickets.

Heroes and Villains

Del buys a self-help book in an effort to improve his relationship with Raquel. Meanwhile, the Trotters' finances are in trouble.

Modern Men

Raquel, recently reconciled with her parents, is worried about inviting them to dinner chez Trotter. What will they make of Nelson Mandela House and a flat full of patio furniture and AquaNibbo underwater pens? More importantly, what will they make of the man in her life, one Derek Trotter?

Time on Our Hands

The Trotters have lost all their money due to investment in the Central American Markets. Del decides to take part in a game show to try and win some money.

If They Could See Us Now

Del Boy and Rodney go on a nostalgic trip to France where they end up bringing back more than the booze they bargained for in the shape of an unwilling illegal immigrant.

Strangers on the Shore

With the bankruptcy court ordering the family home in Nelson Mandela house to be auctioned, the Trotters' financial nightmare is fast approaching meltdown.

Sleepless in Peckham

One of the "Lost Episodes".  Filmed and broadcast in 1985, the scene is set in an upper class restaurant and has a rather funny ending!

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A special edition sketch of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first broadcast on 24 December 1985 on BBC Breakfast Time.

White Mice

Del and Rodney along with Albert arrive at Drury Lane London thinking they are delivering dodgy goods to Chunky Lewis a nightclub owner in the West End. Unfortunately they take a wrong turn and end up walking into the middle of the Royal Variety performance. They mistake the Duchess of York (Fergie) for Chunky Lewis...bear in mind she wasn't too slim in those days.

Royal Variety Show

Del, Rodney and Uncle Albert send a message to the troops.

The Robin Flies At Dawn

A short scene, based entirely in the flat, featuring a young Damien. The first half features Del and Rodney slipping in references to other TV shows featuring David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst (e.g. A Touch of Frost, Goodnight Sweetheart) before the duo come out of character and make an appeal to camera for donations for Comic Relief.

Comic Relief Special

"'Only Fools' proved that you can set a show in a scruffy, violent working class Peckham Council Estate without getting all Ken Loach about it. It made cockneys out of everyone born within earshot of BBC1. And put Peckham on the map".

"'Only Fools' gave the world Derek Edward Trotter, the fast-talking, quick thinking whirlwind at the centre of the show who stirs up clouds of cash, sambuca, dodgy Russian video cameras and affection wherever he turns. A fool worthy of Dickens or Shakespeare".

"And it gave us Rodney Charlton Trotter, the ultimate sidekick, straight man and annoying kid brother. The voice of reason, yin to Del's yang. Two GCE's and not an ounce of sense".

"The show is chock full of family values, practical morality and workaday virtues. Family and friends, loyalty and decency, curry and chips. It handles the heavy stuff - thwarted dreams, miscarriage and even death. But can still turn this unpromising material into comedy gold sometimes in a single sentence".

"The show and the characters have grown with the audience in real time. Del's got older, milder, then richer. Rodders has grown some sense and jowls. And it's all 'real', not padding"!

"It has the single best sight gag on telly - Del falling through the bar, and the second best - the chandelier falling down".

"'Only Fools' even had the perfect ending. The boys started off on their usual journey but this time came away with their dream of becoming rich realised, but only once Sullivan had realised all the dreams they didn't know they had by having them grow up, become kind to each other and everyone else and turn into fully rounded human beings".

"It's cheap as chips, but worth its weight in gold"!

Britain's Best Sitcom - Only Fools and Horses

Filmed in 1985 and reportedly shown in New Zealand and Australia it features Boycie showing Del the latest available model.

Extended interview with David Jason who plays the part of Delboy in the BBC Comedy.

Extended interview with Nicholas Lyndhurst who plays the part of Rodney in the BBC Comedy.

Extended Interview with Nicholas Lyndhurst

Who knew that David Beckham was a personal friend of Delboy?

All was revealed when Beckham dropped into Peckham to star in a very special Only Fools and Horses sketch in aid of Sport Relief 2014. What a plonker!

Beckham in Peckham - Sport Relief 2014

A celebration of the iconic sitcom featuring classic archive material. We meet the insiders to find out exactly why this sitcom is one of the most successful TV shows of all time.

We Love Only Fools and Horses

From 1998 onwards, the two "Miami Twice" episodes we re-edited into one episode and retitled "Miami Twice: The Movie" for home media releases.

Del and Rodney get the chance to join the glitterati and become 'transatlantic people'. It is time to leave baby Damien Trotter behind and bravely explore the New World. But could the American dream turn into a nightmare?

With Del handling the accommodation and transport for their week's holiday in America, it's not surprising that he and Rodney end up in a dodgy camper-van. But things get even worse when the van disappears while they are in a swish nightclub.

Miami Twice: The Movie

Revealing the behind-the-scenes stories of how the show was made and became Britain's favourite sitcom, as well as uncovering the secrets behind the hilarious visual gags, lost episodes of the show and how the cast could have looked very different.

Secrets & Scandals of Only Fools and Horses

The original episode of "A Royal Flush" was re-cut and a laughter track added. 18 minutes of material was removed and the new edit was overlooked by creater John Sullivan. This cut of the episode was used on home media released from 2004 onwards.

A Royal Flush (Writer's Cut)

A combination of script and ad-lib form a short sketch on the 1983 Christmas Special of Russell Harty's show, Harty. At one point David Jason indirectly involves a member of the audience, and even after the sketch is thought to have ended and Russell Harty thanks the actors, they remain in character, talking to Harty like so, who in turn speaks to them as their characters.

Russell Harty Sketch

In a new and exclusive interview with acting royalty Sir David Jason, the great Del Boy himself, the actor shares his secrets from the Christmas sets. We learn about the special that ran into overtime and cost the BBC big bucks because Sir David kept corpsing.  Featuring classic clips alongside Sir David's interview, we are also joined by cast and crew including Tessa Peake-Jones as well as celebrity fans such as John Sergeant, Theo Paphitis, Sherrie Hewson, Krishnan Guru Murthy.

Greatest Christmas Moments

A special performance from Only Fools and Horses the Musical.

The biggest night of live comedy and entertainment kicks off in spectacular style as a host of famous faces bring you exclusive sketches, live performances, music and stunning surprises, all in aid of Comic Relief.

Red Nose Day 2019 | BBC

Only Fools and Horses The Musical - Comic Relief 2019

Del-Boy, Rodney and Uncle Albert are discussing what's on telly at Christmas as they look at the special edition of the Radio Times, of which they don the cover, before addressing the viewers.

Radio Times advert (1985)

With his usual patter, Del-Boy offers words of wisdom and best wishes to the England squad for the UEFA EURO 2020 Championship, while still trying to make a bit of bunce on the side!

Only Fools and Footballs

Only Fools and Horses.... Is a British sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally transmitted on BBC One from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until 2003.

In working-class Peckham in south-east London, ambitious market trader Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter and his younger half-brother Rodney, explore their highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich.

Initially not an immediate hit and receiving little promotion early on, it later achieved consistently high ratings, and the 1996 episode "Time on Our Hands" (originally billed as the series finale) holds the record for the biggest UK audience for a sitcom episode, attracting 24.3 million viewers. The series bears a significant influence on British culture, contributing several words and phrases to the English language.

The Story of Only Fools and Horses

Seasons7

Season 0 Episodes41

Cast2

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Episode Summary