{"id":319167,"date":"2025-12-16T14:15:18","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T14:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/319167\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T14:15:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T14:15:18","slug":"sir-david-jason-speaks-out-as-he-confirms-only-fools-and-horses-reunion-to-mark-major-milestone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/319167\/","title":{"rendered":"Sir David Jason speaks out as he confirms Only Fools and Horses reunion to mark major milestone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sir David Jason is reuniting with former Only Fools and Horses castmates for a special documentary marking 45 years since the beloved sitcom first appeared on television.<\/p>\n

The 85-year-old actor, famed for his portrayal of wheeler-dealer Derek \u2018Del Boy\u2019 Trotter, will feature in Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive, a two-part programme set to air on U&GOLD next year.<\/p>\n

Production on the documentary is already underway, with the series promising a mix of behind-the-scenes footage and scenes filmed during production that never made it to air.<\/p>\n

The BBC comedy, which first aired on September 8, 1981, became a defining role for Sir David and co-star Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played Del Boy\u2019s younger brother Rodney.<\/p>\n

\"Sir<\/p>\n

Sir David Jason appeared in Only Fools and Horses as Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter for a total of 22 years<\/p>\n

| PA<\/p>\n

Sir David said he was delighted to be involved in the project, reflecting on the show\u2019s enduring popularity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe love for Only Fools has never faded. It\u2019s incredible to see how many people still hold it close to their hearts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He also spoke warmly about revisiting long-forgotten material that had been rediscovered after decades in storage.<\/p>\n

\u201cRevisiting these rediscovered moments reminded me just how special the show was \u2013 and still is. It\u2019s incredible to be able to share them now,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\"Only<\/p>\n

Production on the documentary is already underway<\/p>\n

| Getty<\/p>\n

Only Fools and Horses followed the misadventures of market trader Del Boy and his less worldly-wise brother as they chased dreams of wealth in Peckham, becoming a ratings phenomenon that drew 24 million viewers for its 1996 Christmas special.<\/p>\n

In addition to the wealth of previously unseen footage, with archivists uncovering 66 clips and scenes that were filmed but never broadcast, nearly 100 assets from rushes and location filming have been recovered.<\/p>\n

All footage has been digitally scanned and restored from 16mm negatives, allowing the cast to appear in high definition for the first time.<\/p>\n

\"TheOnly Fools and Horses is one of the UK’s most beloved sitcoms | PA<\/p>\n

Viewers will see material from more than 10 classic episodes, including fan favourites The Jolly Boys\u2019 Outing, Mother Nature\u2019s Son and Time On Our Hands.<\/p>\n

One highlight includes a long-lost opening scene from The Class of \u201962, showing Del Boy and Rodney in a nightclub.<\/p>\n

Footage featuring Bee Gees star Barry Gibb will also appear, with multiple retakes reportedly required as Sir David and Mr Lyndhurst repeatedly travelled along the river to capture the shot.<\/p>\n

Several cast members have taken part in newly recorded interviews for the documentary, including Tessa Peake-Jones, who played Raquel, Gwyneth Strong as Cassandra, Sue Holderness as Marlene Boyce, Steve Woodcock as Jevon, and Denis Lill, who portrayed Alan Parry.<\/p>\n

\"Only<\/p>\n

Sir David Jason acted in the show from its first episode in 1981 until the final Christmas special in 2003<\/p>\n

| <\/p>\n

GETTY<\/p>\n

Behind-the-scenes contributors have also been interviewed, with director Tony Dow and editor Chris Wadsworth sharing their recollections.<\/p>\n

The programme includes contributions from Lovely Jubbly co-author Mike Jones and Perry Aghajanoff, chairman of the Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society.<\/p>\n

Cast members will also pay tribute to the sitcom\u2019s creator, John Sullivan, who died in 2011 aged 64.<\/p>\n

The original ensemble featured Leonard Pearce as Grandad, Roger Lloyd Pack as Trigger, and John Challis as car dealer Boycie.<\/p>\n

\"Only<\/p>\n

Sir David said he was delighted to be involved in the project<\/p>\n

| <\/p>\n

BBC<\/p>\n

Reaction to the announcement has been rather mixed online, with some suggesting the beloved sitcom is best left alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cImpossible without John Sullivan\u2019s writing,\u201d one commentator wrote on X, while another penned: \u201cMost of the cast are dead now!\u201d<\/p>\n

Others, however, welcomed the news. \u201cThat should be a delight to see,\u201d one fan posted, while another added: \u201cYes please! Christmas Day isn\u2019t the same without a new episode to look forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Director and series producer Sean Doherty said the archive had yielded remarkable material. \u201cFew shows have the kind of enduring popularity that Only Fools enjoys,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe archive has uncovered some extraordinary material \u2013 66 unseen clips and scenes so far that were filmed but never broadcast because they didn\u2019t fit the timing or structure of the original episodes, plus nearly 100 assets from rushes and location filming. We\u2019ve truly been spoilt for choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helen Nightingale, UKTV\u2019s head of factual and factual entertainment commissioning, described the sitcom as part of British culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly Fools and Horses is part of the national DNA,\u201d she said. \u201cWith its humour, heart and unforgettable characters, it\u2019s British comedy at its very best.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sir David Jason is reuniting with former Only Fools and Horses castmates for a special documentary marking 45…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":319168,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[243,6491,830,96,391,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-319167","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"tag-bbc","9":"tag-celebrities","10":"tag-celebrity","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-tv","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=319167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319167\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/319168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=319167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=319167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=319167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}