Only Fools and Horses
The title screen of Only Fools and Horses
Created by	John Sullivan
Starring	David Jason Nicholas Lyndhurst Lennard Pearce Buster Merryfield Roger Lloyd-Pack John Challis Paul Barber Tessa Peake-Jones Gwyneth Strong Patrick Murray
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	64
Production
Producer(s)	Ray Butt, Gareth Gwenlan
Running time	30–95 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC One
Picture format	4:3 (1981–1996) 16:9 (2001–2003)
Original run	8 September 1981 – 25 December 2003
External links
IMDb profile

Only Fools and Horses is a British television sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan, and made and broadcast by the BBC. Seven series were originally broadcast in the UK between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003. After a relatively slow start the show went on to achieve consistently high ratings, and the 1996 episode "Time On Our Hands" holds the record for the highest UK audience for a sitcom episode.^[1] Image File history File links Only_fools_logo. ... John Sullivan OBE (born December 23, 1946 in Balham, London, England) is the writer of several British sitcoms including the immensely popular Only Fools and Horses as well as Citizen Smith, Dear John, Just Good Friends, Roger Roger, and The Green Green Grass. ... Sir David Jason, OBE (born February 2, 1940) is a highly regarded English actor, admired equally for his dramatic work as for his comedy roles. ... Nicholas Lyndhurst (born April 21, 1961 in Emsworth, Hampshire) is an English actor. ... Lennard Pearce (left) as Grandad in Only Fools and Horses Lennard Pearce (born February 9, 1915 in London; died December 15, 1984 in London) was a British actor who mostly worked in theatre. ... Buster Merryfield in Only Fools and Horses Buster Merryfield (November 27, 1920 - June 23 1999) was a British actor who became a national institution after joining the hit BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses in 1984, as the sea faring Albert Trotter, affectionately known as Uncle Albert. ... Roger Lloyd Pack (born in London February 8, 1944) is a British actor. ... John Challis (born August 16, 1942 in Bristol, England) is a British actor best known for his role as Aubrey Boycie Boyce in the long-running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass. ... Paul Barber (born 1952) is a black British actor, best known for playing Denzil in Only Fools and Horses and Horse in The Full Monty. ... Tessa Peake-Jones (born 9 May 1957 in Hammersmith, London, England) is a British actress. ... Gwyneth Strong (born December 2, 1959 in London) is a British actrees. ... Pato Banton (born Patrick Murray) is a reggae singer and toaster from Birmingham, England. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The following is an episode list for the BBC television situation comedy Only Fools and Horses. ... BBC One is the primary television channel of the BBC, and the first in the United Kingdom. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about a genre of comedy. ... John Sullivan OBE (born December 23, 1946 in Balham, London, England) is the writer of several British sitcoms including the immensely popular Only Fools and Horses as well as Citizen Smith, Dear John, Just Good Friends, Roger Roger, and The Green Green Grass. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... The year 1981 in television involved some significant events. ... The year 1991 in television involved some significant events. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2003. ... Time On Our Hands is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... The following is a list of most watched television episodes, organized by country and based on various criteria. ...

Set in the inner city London district of Peckham, it starred David Jason as ambitious market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger brother Rodney, and Lennard Pearce as their ageing grandfather (later replaced by Buster Merryfield as their Uncle Albert). Backed by a strong supporting cast, it chronicled their highs and lows in life, particularly their attempts to get rich. The term inner-city is often applied to the poorer parts at the centre of a major city. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... , Peckham is an area of London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, located 3. ... Sir David Jason, OBE (born February 2, 1940) is a highly regarded English actor, admired equally for his dramatic work as for his comedy roles. ... Derek Reginald Trotter (born July 12, 1948 in Deptford),[1] more commonly known as Del Boy, is the lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Nicholas Lyndhurst (born April 21, 1961 in Emsworth, Hampshire) is an English actor. ... Information Occupation CEO of Trotters Independent Traders, former head of computer section at printing firm Spouse(s) Cassandra (wife) Children Joan Trotter Jr. ... Lennard Pearce (left) as Grandad in Only Fools and Horses Lennard Pearce (born February 9, 1915 in London; died December 15, 1984 in London) was a British actor who mostly worked in theatre. ... Buster Merryfield in Only Fools and Horses Buster Merryfield (November 27, 1920 - June 23 1999) was a British actor who became a national institution after joining the hit BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses in 1984, as the sea faring Albert Trotter, affectionately known as Uncle Albert. ... Albert Gladstone Trotter (1920-1999) was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ...

Critically and popularly acclaimed, the series received numerous awards, including recognition from the British Academy, the National Television Awards and the Royal Television Society, as well as helping both Sullivan and Jason win individual accolades.^[2] It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll.^[3] BAFTA Award The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, sponsored by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. ... The Royal Television Society is a British-based society for the discussion, analysis and preservation of television in all its forms, past, present and future. ... Britains Best Sitcom was a poll conducted in 2003 and 2004 by the BBC to identify the United Kingdoms best situation comedy. ...

It also had an impact on British culture, contributing several words to the English language and helping to popularise the Reliant Regal van. It spawned an extensive range of merchandise, including books, DVDs, toys and board games.^[4] A spin-off series, The Green Green Grass, has run for two series on BBC One in the UK. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Racing Reliant Regals and Reliant Robins. ... The cast The Green Green Grass is a British situation comedy series written by John Sullivan. ... BBC One is the primary television channel of the BBC, and the first in the United Kingdom. ...

Situation

Derek "Del Boy" Trotter (played by David Jason), a fast-talking, archetypal cockney market trader, lives in a council flat in a high-rise tower block, Nelson Mandela House, in Peckham, South London - though it was actually filmed in Harlech Tower in Acton and later Bristol - with his much younger brother, Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), and their elderly Grandad (Lennard Pearce). Their mother Joan died when Rodney was young, and their father Reg absconded shortly after his wife's death, effectively making Del Rodney's surrogate father and the family patriarch. Despite the difference in their ages, the brothers share a constant bond throughout. Derek Reginald Trotter (born July 12, 1948 in Deptford),[1] more commonly known as Del Boy, is the lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Sir David Jason, OBE (born February 2, 1940) is a highly regarded English actor, admired equally for his dramatic work as for his comedy roles. ... St Mary-le-Bow The term cockney refers to working-class inhabitants of London, particularly east London, and the slang used by these people. ... The council house is a form of public housing found in the United Kingdom. ... , Peckham is an area of London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, located 3. ... South London area South London (known colloquially as South of the River) is the area of London south of the River Thames. ... Smacton is a place in west London, situated 6. ... This article is about the English city. ... Information Occupation CEO of Trotters Independent Traders, former head of computer section at printing firm Spouse(s) Cassandra (wife) Children Joan Trotter Jr. ... Nicholas Lyndhurst (born April 21, 1961 in Emsworth, Hampshire) is an English actor. ... Information Occupation Retired, housekeeper for Del and Rodney Spouse(s) Unknown Children Reg Relatives Joan (daughter-in-law) Derek (grandson) Rodney (grandson} Albert (brother) George (brother) Portrayed by Lennard Pearce Edward Kitchener Trotter born (July 9, 1909 in Peckham Rye, London); Died - 1985, Peckham, London; known better as simply Grandad... Lennard Pearce (left) as Grandad in Only Fools and Horses Lennard Pearce (born February 9, 1915 in London; died December 15, 1984 in London) was a British actor who mostly worked in theatre. ... For other senses, see Patriarch (disambiguation). ...

The situation focuses primarily on their futile attempts to get rich - "This time next year, we'll be millionaires" is a frequent saying of Del's - through buying and selling a variety of low-quality and illegal goods, such as Russian Army camcorders, luminous yellow paint and sex dolls filled with an explosive gas. They own an unregistered company, Trotters Independent Traders, trade primarily on the black market and generally neither pay taxes nor claim money from the state; as Del says "the government don't give us nothing, so we don't give the government nothing". Most of their deals are too dodgy to succeed and usually end up backfiring, an important factor in generating sympathy for the characters. They also drive a grubby three-wheeled van, and are regulars at their local pub, The Nag's Head. In russian, word army means armed forces in general. ... Sex dolls should not be confused with anatomically precise dolls. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into underground economy. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

The original Only Fools and Horses line-up of (l-r) Grandad (Lennard Pearce), Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) lasted from 1981–1984.

Initially, Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad were the show's only regulars, but gradually the likes of dopey roadsweeper Trigger (Roger Lloyd Pack), snobbish used car salesman Boycie (John Challis) and his wife, Marlene (Sue Holderness), Nag's Head landlord Mike (Kenneth MacDonald), youthful spiv Mickey Pearce (Patrick Murray) and lorry driver Denzil (Paul Barber) were added to the cast, becoming popular in their own right and contributing to the humour and the plots, although the show always centred around the Trotters. Image File history File links Only_fools_original_cast. ... Image File history File links Only_fools_original_cast. ... Colin Ball (DOB: 22nd April 1948), better known as Trigger (because he looks like a horse), is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Roger Lloyd Pack (born February 8, 1944) is a British actor. ... Boycie, seen here on the left with Trigger and Del Boy. ... John Challis (born August 16, 1942 in Bristol, England) is a British actor best known for his role as Aubrey Boycie Boyce in the long-running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass. ... Sue Holderness (born 28 May 1949 in London, England) is a British actress. ... Kenneth MacDonald (b. ... Category: ... Pato Banton (born Patrick Murray) is a reggae singer and toaster from Birmingham, England. ... Denzil Tulser is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by Paul Barber. ... Paul Barber (born 1952) is a black British actor, best known for playing Denzil in Only Fools and Horses and Horse in The Full Monty. ...

As the series progressed, the scope of the plots expanded, leading to the larger regular cast, with writer John Sullivan unafraid to mix comedy with drama. Many early episodes were largely self-contained, with few plot-lines mentioned again, but the show developed a story arc and an ongoing episodic dimension. The character of Grandad was killed off following the death of Lennard Pearce, and the brothers' long-lost Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) emerged to restore the three generations line-up. After years of fruitless searching, both Del and Rodney found long-term love, in the form of Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones) and Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong) respectively; Del also had a son with Raquel, Damien (played by five actors, most recently Ben Smith). Rodney and Cassandra married, separated and then got back together again. Uncle Albert died. Cassandra miscarried, but then she and Rodney eventually had a baby. Rodney found out who his real father was. The Trotters finally became millionaires, before losing it again, and then gaining some of it back. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Albert Gladstone Trotter (1920-1999) was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Buster Merryfield in Only Fools and Horses Buster Merryfield (November 27, 1920 - June 23 1999) was a British actor who became a national institution after joining the hit BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses in 1984, as the sea faring Albert Trotter, affectionately known as Uncle Albert. ... Rachel Raquel Turner (born 4 June 1957)[1] is a fictional character from the BBC television sit-com Only Fools and Horses, in which she was Del Boys long-term girlfriend. ... Tessa Peake-Jones (born 9 May 1957 in Hammersmith, London, England) is a British actress. ... Cassandra Louise Trotter (nee Parry) (born 16 June 1966)[1] is a fictional character from the BBC television sit-com Only Fools and Horses. ... Gwyneth Strong (born December 2, 1959 in London) is a British actrees. ... Damien Trotter was a fictional character in the BBC series Only Fools and Horses. ...

The humour comes from several sources. The interaction between Del and Rodney is key, with each an ideal comic foil for the other in both personality and appearance. Much is made of the traits of individual characters, such as Del's lack of cultural refinement, despite his pretensions, best seen in his misuse of French phrases or his claims to be a yuppy; Rodney's gormless nature, resulting in him being labelled a "plonker" or a "dipstick" by Del; the general daftness of Grandad and Trigger, and the rampant snobbery of Boycie. There are also several running gags, including Trigger's constant reference to Rodney as "Dave", Uncle Albert's "during the war..." anecdotes, Del's supposed long-time affair with Marlene and the dilapidated Reliant Regal van. This article is about the comedy duo. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The running gag is a popular hallmark of comic and serious forms of entertainment. ... Racing Reliant Regals and Reliant Robins. ...

History

In 1980, John Sullivan, a scriptwriter under contract at the BBC, had already written the successful sit-com Citizen Smith. It had come to an end and he was searching for a new project. An initial idea for a comedy set in the world of football had already been rejected by the BBC, as had his alternative idea, a sit-com centring around a cockney market trader in working-class, modern-day London. The latter idea persisted. Through Ray Butt, a BBC producer and director whom Sullivan had met and become friends with when they were working on Citizen Smith, a draft script was shown to the Corporation's Head of Comedy, John Howard Davies. Davies commissioned Sullivan to write a full series. Sullivan believes the key factor in it being accepted was the success of ITV's new drama, Minder, a series with a similar premise and also set in modern-day London.^[5] John Sullivan OBE (born December 23, 1946 in Balham, London, England) is the writer of several British sitcoms including the immensely popular Only Fools and Horses as well as Citizen Smith, Dear John, Just Good Friends, Roger Roger, and The Green Green Grass. ... Citizen Smith is a British television sitcom. ... A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... St Mary-le-Bow The term cockney refers to working-class inhabitants of London, particularly east London, and the slang used by these people. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... John Howard Davies (born London 9 March 1939) is a British film actor, television director and producer. ... Independent Television (generally known as ITV, but also as ITV Network) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990 and the Broadcasting... Image:Arthur-Daley-book. ...

Sullivan had initially given the show the working title, Readies. For the actual title he intended to use, as a reference to the protagonist's tax and work-evading lifestyle, Only Fools and Horses. That name was based on a genuine, though very obscure saying, "why do only fools and horses work? (for a living)", which had its origins in 19th century American vaudeville.^[6] Only Fools and Horses had also been the title of an episode of Citizen Smith and Sullivan felt that a longer name would help to grab the viewers' attention. He was first overruled on the grounds that the audience would not understand the title, but he eventually got his way and, from the second series onwards, the theme music was changed to a version explaining the meaning of the saying; some first series episodes were subsequently re-edited to use the new theme. A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Filming of the first series began in May 1981, and the first episode, "Big Brother", was transmitted on BBC1 at 8.30 pm on 8 September that year. It attracted a respectable, though unspectacular (by those days' standards) 9.2 million viewers^[7] and generally received a lukewarm response from critics.^[8] The viewing figures for the whole first series, which averaged at around 7 million, were considered mediocre^[9] but owing to the BBC's policy of nurturing television shows, a second series was commissioned for 1982. The second series fared little better and the show was close to being cancelled altogether. However, both the first and second series then went out for a repeat run in a more low-key time slot but attracted respectable viewing figures in June 1983, which convinced Davies to commission a third series.^[10] From there, the show gradually built up a following, and began to top the television ratings. Series four saw viewing figures double those of the first series.^[11] Big Brother is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the oldest United Kingdom, and indeed, the world. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Mid-way through the filming of the fifth series, David Jason told John Sullivan at a dinner that he wanted to leave the show in order to further his career elsewhere. Sullivan thus wrote "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", which was intended to be the final episode and would see Del accepting a friend's offer to set up business in Australia, leaving Rodney and Albert behind. Plans were made for a spin-off entitled Hot-Rod, following Rodney's attempts to survive on his own with help from Mickey Pearce, but leaving open the prospect of Del's return. Jason ultimately changed his mind, and the ending of the episode was changed to show Del rejecting the offer.^[12] Who Wants to be a Millionaire is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ...

Sullivan had a tendency to write scripts that were too long, meaning pages of material had to be cut. Shortly before filming of the sixth series began, he requested that the show's time slot be extended and it was agreed to extend its running time to 50 minutes. This coincided with the show becoming one of the BBC's most popular programmes, according to producer Gareth Gwenlan,^[13] and allowed for more pathos in the series and an expansion of the regular cast. Look up Pathos in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The seventh series, which was to be the last, was aired in early 1991. Sullivan and the major actors were all involved with other projects, and it was confirmed that there were no plans for a new series. The show continued in Christmas specials in 1991, 1992 and 1993, followed by a three year break. Sullivan wanted a "final" episode to tie up the show and see the Trotters finally become millionaires; this was later extended to three one hour episodes, all to be broadcast over Christmas 1996. All three were well received, and given the happy ending it was widely assumed that they were to be the last.^[14] After a five year break, however, the show returned again in 2001 with another Christmas special, followed by two more in 2002 and 2003. There are currently no further plans for Only Fools and Horses to return,^[15] though a fan fiction community continues to exist.^[16] A Christmas television special is typically a one_time, 30 minute animated program aired during the Christmas season. ... A happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which most everything turns out for the best for the hero or heroine, their sidekicks, and just about everyone but the villains. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2001. ... The year 2002 in television involved some significant events. ... This is a list of television-related events in 2003. ... Fan fiction (also spelled fanfiction and commonly abbreviated to fanfic) is fiction written by people who enjoy a film, novel, television show or other media work, using the characters and situations developed in it and developing new plots in which to use these characters. ...

Regular characters

For more details, see the individual character articles and List of Only Fools and Horses characters

The more familiar line-up of Rodney, Del, and Uncle Albert lasted from 1985–1996.

Del Boy (David Jason) — A stereotypical market trader, Del would sell anything to anyone to earn money, and was the driving force behind the Trotters' attempts to become rich. Sharp-witted, image-conscious and self-confident, but lacking in the required nous to realise his high ambitions, he was invariably a failure. Del's cultural pretensions, best seen in his use of inaccurate French phrases, were equally wanting. He nonetheless had endearing features, especially his "lovable loser" qualities and his devotion and loyalty to his family, which saw him take care of Rodney and Grandad on his own from the age of 16. However, this gave him a tendency to emotionally blackmail Rodney with the memories of their mother, often trying to manipulate him with the line "Mum said to me on her death bed....." He also tried to interfere with his brother's personal life, much to the latter's annoyance. Ostensibly popular with women - his poor choice in women was another running gag - Del never settled down with one until he met Raquel, with whom he had a son, Damien. This is a list of characters from the BBC situation comedy, Only Fools and Horses // (Played by David Jason) Del Boy was born after the War and became his familys main moneymaker before he left school. ... Image File history File links Only_Fools_Rodney_Del_Albert. ... Image File history File links Only_Fools_Rodney_Del_Albert. ... Albert Gladstone Trotter (1920-1999) was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Derek Reginald Trotter (born July 12, 1948 in Deptford),[1] more commonly known as Del Boy, is the lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Sir David Jason, OBE (born February 2, 1940) is a highly regarded English actor, admired equally for his dramatic work as for his comedy roles. ...

Sullivan later said he had always been fascinated by the unlicensed traders who sold goods from suitcases, and it was them on which he based Del Boy. David Jason himself added elements of a similar man he had known when working as an electrician to the part, including Del's cheap gold jewellery and his camel-hair coat.^[9] Jason was a relatively late candidate for the part, with Jim Broadbent (who would later appear in a minor recurring role as DCI Roy Slater), Enn Reitel and Billy Murray all earlier preferences. It was only when producer Ray Butt saw a repeat of Open All Hours that Jason was considered and, despite initial concerns over his ability - at that point, Jason had not had a leading television role - and the fact that he and Lyndhurst did not look alike, he was cast.^[17] James Broadbent (born May 24, 1949) is an Academy Award-winning English theatre, film and television actor. ... DCI Roy Slater is a minor villain character in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Enn Reitel is an impressionist on Spitting Image. ... Billy Murray (born October 1941) is an English actor. ... Open All Hours was a BBC sitcom written by Roy Clarke which ran for four series (26 episodes in all) between 1976 and 1985, with a pilot episode from the Seven of One series in 1973. ...

Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) — The ideal comic foil for Del Boy in numerous ways: naive, much younger and easily-influenced, more academically gifted, although only to the extent of two GCEs, but generally gormless and lacking in common sense. Effectively orphaned when young, Rodney was raised by Del. His principal job throughout the show was as Del's lackey and sidekick, whose duties included looking out for policemen at the market and cleaning the van. Much of the conflict between the two came from Rodney's dislike of his reliance on Del, and his unsuccessful attempts to gain greater independence through girlfriends or by setting up his own businesses; he was only partially successful after marrying Cassandra and briefly going to work for her father. In contrast to Del Boy, the part of Rodney was cast early, with Lyndhurst settled on quickly. Sullivan partly based Rodney on his own experiences; he, too, had a much older sibling and, like Rodney, claims to have been a dreamer and an idealist in his youth.^[18] Information Occupation CEO of Trotters Independent Traders, former head of computer section at printing firm Spouse(s) Cassandra (wife) Children Joan Trotter Jr. ... Nicholas Lyndhurst (born April 21, 1961 in Emsworth, Hampshire) is an English actor. ... The Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) was a former English school leaving qualification which was available along with the GCE O Levels between the period from 1965 to 1987. ...

Grandad (Lennard Pearce) — Del and Rodney's elderly grandad was added to the cast to balance the three distinct generations, adding the voice of experience to the situation. Scruffy and daft, although sometimes displaying a razor sharp wit, Grandad rarely left the flat or was seen without his trilby hat and frequently managed to ruin the dinners he prepared. Pearce died in 1984 while filming the fourth series, so Sullivan wrote a new episode, "Strained Relations", which featured Grandad's funeral. Information Occupation Retired, housekeeper for Del and Rodney Spouse(s) Unknown Children Reg Relatives Joan (daughter-in-law) Derek (grandson) Rodney (grandson} Albert (brother) George (brother) Portrayed by Lennard Pearce Edward Kitchener Trotter born (July 9, 1909 in Peckham Rye, London); Died - 1985, Peckham, London; known better as simply Grandad... Lennard Pearce (left) as Grandad in Only Fools and Horses Lennard Pearce (born February 9, 1915 in London; died December 15, 1984 in London) was a British actor who mostly worked in theatre. ... Strained Relations is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ...

Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) — Shortly after the death of Lennard Pearce it was decided that a new older family member should be brought in, which eventually led to "Uncle Albert", Grandad's long-lost brother. Merryfield was an inexperienced amateur actor at the time, but was selected because he appeared to fit the description of an old sailor, especially with his distinctive white "Captain Birdseye" beard.^[19] Albert first appeared at Grandad's funeral, and eventually moved in with Del and Rodney. His long-winded anecdotes about his wartime experiences with the Royal Navy became one of the show's running gags, resulting in gentle mocking from his great-nephews. When Merryfield died in 1999, Albert's death was written into the next episode. Albert Gladstone Trotter (1920-1999) was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Buster Merryfield in Only Fools and Horses Buster Merryfield (November 27, 1920 - June 23 1999) was a British actor who became a national institution after joining the hit BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses in 1984, as the sea faring Albert Trotter, affectionately known as Uncle Albert. ... Captain Birdseye is the advertising mascot for the Birds Eye frozen food brand founded by Clarence Birdseye. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ...

Trigger (Roger Lloyd Pack) — Trigger, apparently so called because he looks like a horse, was the principal supporting character throughout the show's run; only Del Boy and Rodney appeared in more episodes. Lloyd Pack was cast by pure chance; Ray Butt, who hired him to portray Trigger after seeing him in a stage play, had only attended that play to observe potential Del Boy actor Billy Murray.^[20] Initially portrayed as a small-time thief, supplying Del with dubious goods, Trigger's place in the series changed over time. A daft road sweeper most frequently seen in the Nag's Head, he came to adopt the 'village idiot' role, drawing laughs in each of his scenes through his general stupidity, in particular his unshakable belief that Rodney's real name was actually Dave. Colin Ball (DOB: 22nd April 1948), better known as Trigger (because he looks like a horse), is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Roger Lloyd Pack (born February 8, 1944) is a British actor. ... Trigger (1932- 3 July 1965) was a 15. ...

Del Boy (right) with friends Boycie (left) and Trigger.

Boycie (John Challis) — A shady used car salesman and a frightful snob with a machine gun laugh who "thinks anyone with a pound less than him is a peasant", according to Rodney in "Fatal Extraction". Boycie made sporadic appearances in earlier series before becoming a regular cast member from series 5 onwards. Boycie, a Freemason, was very self-centred and prone to boasting about his high social status and mocking those less fortunate than himself, particularly Del Boy, though he did mellow as the series progressed. Del in turn teased him for being a "jaffa" (seedless) when it emerged that he had a low sperm count. Challis had played a similar character in an episode of Citizen Smith. Sullivan liked him, and promised to put him a future series, which led to Boycie.^[21] Boycie later featured in a spin-off series, The Green Green Grass, starting in 2005, in which he and his wife Marlene fled to the countryside from a criminal gang. [1] {fair use} File links The following pages link to this file: Only Fools and Horses Boycie ... [1] {fair use} File links The following pages link to this file: Only Fools and Horses Boycie ... Derek Reginald Trotter (born July 12, 1948 in Deptford),[1] more commonly known as Del Boy, is the lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Boycie, seen here on the left with Trigger and Del Boy. ... Colin Ball (DOB: 22nd April 1948), better known as Trigger (because he looks like a horse), is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... Boycie, seen here on the left with Trigger and Del Boy. ... John Challis (born August 16, 1942 in Bristol, England) is a British actor best known for his role as Aubrey Boycie Boyce in the long-running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass. ... “GBP” redirects here. ... Fatal Extraction is the twelfth Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1993. ... Citizen Smith is a British television sitcom. ... The cast The Green Green Grass is a British situation comedy series written by John Sullivan. ...

Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones) — Raquel was introduced because Sullivan wanted more female characters and for Del to start meeting more mature women.^[22] Her first appearance, in "Dates", was intended to be a one-off, but she was written in again a year later and thereafter became a regular. An ambitious trained singer and actress whose career never took off, she met Del through a dating agency, but they fell out over her part-time job as a stripper, before getting together again. This time she moved in with Del, helping to mellow him, and they had a son together, named Damien. As the character unfolded, it was revealed that she was previously married to Del's nemesis, DCI Roy Slater. Rachel Raquel Turner (born 4 June 1957)[1] is a fictional character from the BBC television sit-com Only Fools and Horses, in which she was Del Boys long-term girlfriend. ... Tessa Peake-Jones (born 9 May 1957 in Hammersmith, London, England) is a British actress. ... Dates is the seventh Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1988. ... It has been suggested that Marriage agency be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Striptease (disambiguation). ... DCI Roy Slater is a minor villain character in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ...

Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong) — The intelligent daughter of a successful middle-class businessman, Cassandra first met Rodney in "Yuppy Love". Their relationship blossomed, and by the end of series six the two had married. But her high career ambitions brought her into conflict with Rodney, and their troubled marriage was one of the main storylines of the seventh series. They were eventually reconciled and in later episodes she was markedly less ambitious. The relationship with Rodney ultimately grew stronger after Cassandra suffered a miscarriage and later gave birth to a daughter. Cassandra Louise Trotter (nee Parry) (born 16 June 1966)[1] is a fictional character from the BBC television sit-com Only Fools and Horses. ... Gwyneth Strong (born December 2, 1959 in London) is a British actrees. ... Yuppy Love is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ...

Marlene (Sue Holderness) — Marlene was initially just an unseen character, occasionally mentioned by her husband, Boycie. She was a cheerful, slightly daffy woman whose burning, and seemingly unattainable, desire to have a child provided one of the show's earlier "soap opera" sub-plots. Details were occasionally revealed about Marlene's prior reputation as being popular with the local men; there was a consistent undercurrent of an affair between her and Del. She did finally have a son, Tyler. Questions over the latter's paternity, owing to Marlene's reputation and Boycie's impotence, were a recurring gag. Sue Holderness (born 28 May 1949 in London, England) is a British actress. ... Television shows and stage plays sometimes include continuing characters — characters who are currently in frequent interaction with the other characters and who influence current story events — who are never seen or heard by the audience and only described by other characters. ...

Denzil (Paul Barber) — Originally cast because Sullivan wanted Del to have had a black friend from his school days, easy-going Liverpudlian Denzil was often on the receiving end of Del's scams. His inability to say no to Del's business deals frequently led to conflict with his domineering wife, Corrine (Eva Mottley), who was only sighted once. At one point he was driven to paranoia when he kept seeing Del everywhere. Denzil Tulser is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by Paul Barber. ... Paul Barber (born 1952) is a black British actor, best known for playing Denzil in Only Fools and Horses and Horse in The Full Monty. ... For other uses, see Liverpool (disambiguation). ... Eva Mottley 1953-1985 was a British actress, best known for her role as Bella OReilly in the acclaimed television drama Widows. ...

Mickey Pearce (Patrick Murray) — Pearce was a young, obnoxious spiv and friend of Rodney's, known for his ludicrous boasts about his success in business or with women, and for frequently taking advantage of Rodney's gullibility. Other jokes around Mickey were his rapid of turnover of jobs, and the fact that he sported the pork-pie hat and suit of the 2 tone/ska scene, which was popular during the 1980s, well into the 2000s. Pato Banton (born Patrick Murray) is a reggae singer and toaster from Birmingham, England. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Ska (pron. ...

Mike (Kenneth MacDonald) — The landlord of the Nag's Head, although not from the very beginning; his predecessor was never seen, with just a succession of barmaids providing service. Good natured and somewhat gullible, he was often targeted by Del as a potential customer for any goods he was selling. Del's unpaid bar tab was the cause of conflict between the two, but Mike rarely succeeded in getting him to pay up. When Kenneth MacDonald died in 2001, a storyline involving Mike's imprisonment for attempting to embezzle the brewery was written, and cafe owner Sid took over as pub landlord. Mike Fisher was a fictional character in the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses. ... Kenneth MacDonald (b. ... A landlord, is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called the tenant. ...

Damien (various) — Damien was Del and Raquel's son. It was Rodney's mocking suggestion that he be named after the Devil's child in The Omen; the couple took the suggestion seriously. The Omen joke and Rodney's apparent fear of Damien became a running gag (accompanied, not, in fact, by Jerry Goldsmith's original music from the film in question, but by its invariable stand-in, the "O Fortuna" from Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana".) Six actors played Damien: Patrick McManus (1991), Grant Stevens (1991), Robert Liddement (1992), Jamie Smith (1993–96), Douglas Hodge (1996, as adult), and Ben Smith (2001–03). Damien Trotter was a fictional character in the BBC series Only Fools and Horses. ... Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick as Damien in The Omen remake Damien Thorn is the main fictional character in The Omen series (The Omen, Omen II, Omen III, The Omen 2006 remake). ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Carl Orff Carl Orff (July 10, 1895 – March 29, 1982) was a 20th-century German composer, most famous for Carmina Burana (1937). ... The cover of the score to Carmina Burana showing the Wheel of Fortuna Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff between 1935 and 1936. ... Douglas Hodge (born 1960 in Plymouth, Devon, England, UK) is a British television actor. ...

Sid (Roy Heather) — Sid made sporadic appearances throughout the show's run, mainly as the proprietor of the run-down and unhygienic local cafe, which was shot in different locations, depending on the episode. After Nag's Head landlord Mike was imprisoned for embezzlement in the episode "If They Could See Us Now", Sid took over and kept that role for the remainder of the series. Roy Heather is an English actor. ... If They Could See Us Now is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2001 as the first part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy. ...

Other characters

The most frequent roles for guest actors in Only Fools and Horses were as Del or Rodney's once-seen girlfriends of the week, barmaids at the Nag's Head, or individuals the Trotters were doing business with. Del and Rodney's deceased mother, Joan, though never seen, cropped up in Del's embellished accounts of her, or in his attempts to emotionally blackmail Rodney, while her grave (a flamboyant monument) was seen occasionally. Their absent father, Reg, appeared once in "Thicker Than Water" (played by Peter Woodthorpe), before leaving under a cloud, never to be seen again. Other members of the Trotter family were rarely sighted, the exceptions being the woman they believe to be Auntie Rose (Beryl Cooke) in "The Second Time Around", and cousins Stan and Jean (Mike Kemp and Maureen Sweeney), who attended Grandad's funeral. When Rodney met Cassandra, her parents Alan and Pamela (Denis Lill and Wanda Ventham) became casually recurring characters. Thicker Than Water is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Peter Woodthorpe (September 25, 1931-August 12, 2004) was an English movie, television and voice actor who is best known for supplying the voice of Gollum in the 1978 Bakshi version of The Lord of the Rings and BBCs 1981 radio serial. ... The Second Time Around is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Denis Lill (born 22 April 1942 in Hamilton, New Zealand) is a British actor. ... Wanda Ventham (born 1939) is a British actress, whose face may be known though she had never achieved star status. ...

In some episodes a guest character would be essential to the plot. Del's old fiancee (Jill Baker) dominated Del's libido in "The Second Time Around", prompting Rodney and Grandad to leave. In "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", Del's old business partner and friend Jumbo Mills (Nick Stringer) wanted Del to return to Australia with him and restore their partnership, forcing Del to make a decision. An attempt by Lennox Gilbey (Vas Blackwood) to rob a local supermarket set-up the "hostage" situation in "The Longest Night". Del and Rodney spent the whole of "Tea for Three" battling each other for the affections of Trigger's niece Lisa (Gerry Cowper). Abdul (Tony Anholt) in "To Hull and Back" and Arnie (Philip McGough) in "Chain Gang" were responsible for setting up dubious enterprises involving the Trotters in their respective episodes. Tony Angelino (Philip Pope), the singing dustman with a speech impediment, was the key to the humour and the storyline of "Stage Fright". The Second Time Around is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Who Wants to be a Millionaire is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Nick Stringer (born 10 August 1948 in Torquay, Devon) is an English actor. ... Vas Blackwood (born 17 January 1969) is a British television and film actor. ... The Longest Night is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Tea For Three is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi ... Tony Anholt (January 19, 1941 - July 26, 2002) was a British actor best known for his role as Security Chief Tony Verdeschi in the second season of the 1970s television series Space: 1999. ... To Hull and Back is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1985. ... Phillip McGough is an English television actor. ... Chain Gang is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Philip Pope is a British composer and actor. ... Rhotacism may refer to several phenomena related to the usage of the consonant r (whether as an alveolar tap, alveolar trill, or the rarer uvular trill). ... Stage Fright is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ...

Del's nemesis from his school days, corrupt policeman DCI Roy Slater (Jim Broadbent), made three appearances, in "May The Force Be With You", "To Hull and Back" and "Class of '62". The much-feared local villains, the Driscoll Brothers (Roy Marsden and Christopher Ryan) featured once, in "Little Problems". In a play on Rodney's light-hearted perception of him being the spawn of the devil, a grown-up Damien (Douglas Hodge) appeared in Rodney's futuristic dream in "Heroes and Villains", as the all-powerful, war-mongering head of the now multi-national Trotters Independent Traders. Rodney and Mickey's friends, the smooth-talking Jevon (Steven Woodcock) and then, briefly, Chris (Tony Marshall), a ladies' hairdresser, featured sporadically during the sixth and seventh series. Walter Sparrow appeared as Dirty Barry in Danger UXD. The two-part 1991 Christmas special, "Miami Twice", saw Richard Branson and Barry Gibb make brief cameo appearances. Mike Read appeared as himself, hosting an episode of "Top Of The Pops", in "It's Only Rock and Roll" and Jonathan Ross appeared as himself in "If They Could See Us Now". DCI Roy Slater is a minor villain character in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. ... James Broadbent (born May 24, 1949) is an Academy Award-winning English theatre, film and television actor. ... May The Force Be With You is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... To Hull and Back is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1985. ... The Class of 62 is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Roy Marsden as Neil Burnside in The Sandbaggers Roy Marsden (born on June 25, 1941 in Stepney, London) is a British actor. ... Christopher Ryan is an English actor who trained at East 15 Acting School in London. ... Little Problems is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Douglas Hodge (born 1960 in Plymouth, Devon, England, UK) is a British television actor. ... Heroes and Villains is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1996 as the first part of the 1996 Christmas trilogy. ... Steven Woodcock (born 1964) is a British actor, most famous for his role as Clyde Tavernier in the BBC soap opera EastEnders; a role that he played from July 1990 to July 1993. ... Tony Marshall is a British television actor. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Barry Alan Crompton Gibb CBE (born on 1 September 1946) is a singer, songwriter and producer. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup because: A trick photograph of Mike Read Mike Read (1 March 1951 is a British disc jockey, writer and former television presenter. ... Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, was a long-running British music chart television programme, made and broadcast by the BBC. It was originally shown each week, mostly on BBC One, from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. ... Its Only Rock and Roll is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... If They Could See Us Now is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2001 as the first part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy. ...

While their characters were less significant, well-known actors who played cameos in the programme included Joan Sims, best known for her numerous roles in the Carry On films, who guest-starred in the feature-length episode "The Frog's Legacy" as an aunt of Trigger and old friend of Del's late mother; future Hollywood star David Thewlis, who played a young wannabe musician in "It's Only Rock and Roll"; and John Bardon, who now plays the role of Jim Branning in "EastEnders", as the supermarket security officer in "The Longest Night". Irene Joan Marian Sims (May 9, 1930, Laindon, Essex - June 28, 2001) was a British actress. ... The Carry On films were a long-running series of British low-budget comedy films, directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers. ... The Frogs Legacy is the sixth Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... ... David Thewlis in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. ... Its Only Rock and Roll is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... John Bardon, (born John Michael Jones, August 25, 1939 in Brentford, Middlesex) is an English stage and television actor. ... Jim Branning is a fictional character on the soap opera EastEnders. ... EastEnders is a popular BBC television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC1 on 19 February 1985[4] and continuing to date. ... The Longest Night is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ...

Episodes

For more details on this topic, see List of Only Fools and Horses episodes.

Sixty-four episodes of Only Fools and Horses, all written by John Sullivan, were broadcast on BBC1 between 8 September 1981 and 25 December 2003.^[23][24] The show was aired in seven series (1981–83, 1985–86, 1989 and 1990/91), and thereafter in sporadic Christmas special editions (1991–93, 1996, 2001–03). All of the earlier episodes had a running time of 30 minutes, but this was extended after series five (1986), and all subsequent episodes had a running time ranging from 50 to 95 minutes. Most episodes were shot in front of a live audience or had a laugh track recorded from a live audience viewing; the only exceptions being "To Hull and Back", "A Royal Flush", and the second part of "Miami Twice". The following is an episode list for the BBC television situation comedy Only Fools and Horses. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... To Hull and Back is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1985. ... A Royal Flush is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1986. ... Miami Twice was a two-part Christmas special addition of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ...

Five special editions were produced, some of which have only recently been rediscovered.^[25][26] An eight-minute episode aired in 1982 as part of a show hosted by Frank Muir, The Funny Side of Christmas, in which mini-episodes of Yes Minister, Open All Hours, Butterflies and Last of the Summer Wine also featured. A 5 minute spoof BBC documentary was shown on Breakfast Time in 1985, with Del being investigated by consumer expert Lynn Faulds Wood. Frank Muir (5 February 1920 - 2 January 1998) was an English comedy writer, radio and television personality, and raconteur. ... Yes Minister is a satirical British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn that was first transmitted by BBC television and radio between 1980 and 1984, split over three seven-episode series. ... Open All Hours was a BBC sitcom written by Roy Clarke which ran for four series (26 episodes in all) between 1976 and 1985, with a pilot episode from the Seven of One series in 1973. ... Butterflies was a situation comedy written by Carla Lane and shown on BBC 2 between 1978 and 1983. ... Last of the Summer Wine, written by Roy Clarke, is a British television sitcom. ... This article is about the Only Fools and Horses episode. ... Breakfast Time was British televisions first national breakfast show, beating ITVs Good Morning Britain to the air by two weeks. ... Lynn Faulds Wood (born 1950 in Loch Lomond, Arrochar, Strathclyde, Scotland, is a British television presenter. ...

An educational episode named "Licensed to Drill", in which Del, Rodney and Grandad discuss oil drilling, was recorded in 1984 but only shown in schools.^[27] A 15 minute 1990–91 Gulf War special was shown to British troops serving in the conflict. It has never been broadcast commercially, but a copy exists at the Imperial War Museum, London.^[28] A Comic Relief special showing Del, Rodney and Albert making an appeal for donations was shown in 1997. Licensed to Drill was an educational episode of the of the sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... The Robin Flies at Dawn is a special edition of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, filmed specifically for the British troops serving in the 1990-91 Gulf War. ... The Imperial War Museum is a museum in London featuring military vehicles, weapons, war memorabilia, a library, a photographic archive, and an art collection of 20th century and later conflicts, especially those involving Britain, and the British Empire. ...

Only Fools and Horses had two producers: Ray Butt from 1981 to 1987, and Gareth Gwenlan thereafter. Five directors were used: Martin Shardlow directed all episodes in series one, Susan Belbin series four and Mandie Fletcher series five. Butt directed series two and three, as well as the 1985, 1986 and 1987 Christmas specials. Tony Dow became the established director after 1988, directing all subsequent episodes.^[29] John Sullivan was executive producer on seven of the final eight episodes.^[30] A Television producer oversees the making of television penis programs. ... A television director is usually responsible for directing the actors and other taped aspects of a television production. ...

Reception

Del Boy's fall through an open bar-flap in "Yuppy Love" became one of the show's iconic moments.

Only Fools and Horses won the BAFTA award for best comedy series in 1986, 1989 and 1997, was nominated in 1984, 1987, 1990, 1991 and 1992, and won the audience award in 2004. David Jason received individual BAFTAs for his portrayal of Del Boy in 1991 and 1997. The series won a National Television Award in 1997 for most popular comedy series; Jason won two individual awards, in 1997 and 2002. It won the RTS best comedy award in 1997, best BBC sit-com at the 1990 British Comedy Awards, and two Television and Radio Industries Club awards for comedy programme of the year in 1984 and 1997. John Sullivan won the Writers' Guild of Great Britain comedy award for the 1996 Christmas trilogy and another from the Heritage Foundation in 2001.^[2] Image File history File links Onlyfools_del_fall. ... Image File history File links Onlyfools_del_fall. ... Yuppy Love is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, sponsored by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. ... The Royal Television Society is a British-based society for the discussion, analysis and preservation of television in all its forms, past, present and future. ... The British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year. ... The Writers Guild of Great Britain, established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers, affiliated with the Trades Union Congress (TUC). ... The Heritage Foundation is a public policy research institute based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. ...

The show regularly features in polls to find the most popular comedy series, moments and characters. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC viewer's poll,^[3] and came 45th in the British Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes.^[31] It was 3rd on a subsequent viewers' poll on the BFI website.^[32] It was also named the funniest British sit-com of all time through a scientific formula, in a study by UKTV Gold.^[33] Scenes such as Del Boy's fall through a bar flap in "Yuppy Love" and the Trotters accidentally smashing a priceless chandelier in "A Touch of Glass" have become iconic British comedy moments, invariably topping polls of comedy viewers.^{[34][35][36][37]} Del Boy was voted the most popular British television character of all time in a survey by Open....^[38] and came 4th in a Channel 4 list of Britain's best-loved television characters.^[39] Britains Best Sitcom was a poll conducted in 2003 and 2004 by the BBC to identify the United Kingdoms best situation comedy. ... The British Film Institute (BFI) is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to encourage the development of the arts of film, television and the moving image throughout the United Kingdom, to promote their use as a record of contemporary life and manners, to promote education about film, television and... 100 Greatest British Television Programmes was a list compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI) chosen by a poll of industry professionals, to determine what were the greatest British television programmes of any genre ever to have been screened. ... UKTV Gold, (previously known as UK Gold until March 8, 2004), is a British television channel that shows mainly classic BBC entertainment programmes. ... Yuppy Love is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... A Touch of Glass is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 2 December 1982 as the final episode of series 2. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the British television station. ...

Theme music, logo and titles

John Sullivan wrote the theme music for Only Fools and Horses when he wrote the first series, but the producers opted instead for an instrumental, saxophone-led tune composed by Ronnie Hazlehurst, who had also arranged the themes for other BBC sit-coms, such as Yes Minister and Last of the Summer Wine. However, Sullivan was unhappy with this, so for the second series he persuaded the BBC to use his own compositions instead, partly because the new lyrics would explain the obscure title, which had been the subject of viewers' questions to the BBC during the first series.^[6] Ronnie Hazlehurst (GR) (born Dukinfield, Cheshire, in ?1931) is a composer and jazz musician, and after joining the BBC in 1961, was BBC Light Entertainment Musical Director. ... Yes Minister is a satirical British sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn that was first transmitted by BBC television and radio between 1980 and 1984, split over three seven-episode series. ... Last of the Summer Wine, written by Roy Clarke, is a British television sitcom. ...

The title sequence of Only Fools and Horses, which introduces the main characters

The first series was subsequently re-edited to use the new theme songs, though the first episode, "Big Brother", is still sometimes repeated with the original Hazlehurst music intact,^[40] as is the 1981 Christmas special. The current DVD release of Series One, however, replaces the theme music on all seven episodes. The original theme music is still used in the first episode during a montage in which Del unsuccessfully conducts business throughout Peckham while trying to find Rodney. Image File history File links Only_Fools_Titles. ... Image File history File links Only_Fools_Titles. ... Big Brother is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. ... Christmas Crackers is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 28 December 1981. ...

The lyrics to the established themes contain both slang and references to British culture, and describe elements of the show. The opening lyrics include "stick a pony in my pocket", pony being London slang for 25 pounds sterling;^[41] "fetch the suitcase from the van" and "where it all comes from is a mystery", all references to the Trotters' shady, cash-only business. It ends with the title lyric, "why do only fools and horses work?" London slang is a mixture of words and phrases from many sources, reflecting the diverse ethnic and cultural makeup of the citys population. ...

The closing theme follows suit, describing the dubious goods that the Trotters specialise in, from "miles and miles of carpet tiles" to "Trevor Francis tracksuits"; Francis was an English football player during the 1970s and 1980s. These are "from a mush in Shepherd's Bush"; mush is slang for a man whose name is unknown and Shepherd's Bush is a West London district.^[41] The line "no income tax, no VAT" summarises their outlook, before closing with the refrain "God bless Hooky Street". Hooky is British slang for som