Sir David Jason has lauded the hysterical and moving performance of Only Fools and Horses: The Musical following its gala event.
The 84-year-old actor, renowned for his portrayal of Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter in the beloved BBC sitcom, revealed that the stage adaptation “brought a tear to my eye,” as it evoked vivid memories of his time on the series.
The production features Sam Lupton in the role of the iconic Del Boy, Vinny Jones as Danny Driscoll, and Paul Whitehouse reprising his role as Grandad, delivering a performance that has resonated deeply with fans and cast alike.
Speaking to The Sun at London’s Eventim Apollo, Sir David Jason described Only Fools and Horses: The Musical as “hysterical” and praised its faithful adaptation of the original series. “What I did like about it was that so much of the original script was used, and they did it so well that sometimes it even took me by surprise, and I was laughing,” he remarked.
Reflecting on the performance, he added, “The whole show was a memory for me of the whole thing: the script, the characters—it was lovely to see them all. Some of the good characters and actors that are no longer with us as well, so it nearly brought a tear to my eye.”
Only Fools and Horses: The Musical is set for a limited 28-show run at London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo from December 17. This follows its record-breaking, four-year sold-out run in the West End. The production is currently on a nationwide tour, scheduled to conclude on July 5 next year.
The original BBC sitcom, beloved by fans, aired from 1981 to 1991, followed by several Christmas specials that wrapped up in 2003. In January 2022, the show topped a BBC poll as the greatest TV programme the corporation has ever produced.
Interestingly, Sir David Jason reportedly came close to leaving Only Fools and Horses during its peak in 1986, which prompted head writer John Sullivan to draft a potential ending for Del Boy’s character. According to The Sun, the episode, titled Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, aired that year and introduced the character Jumbo Mills, a supposed millionaire returning to Peckham after a successful stint in Australia. The original idea had Jumbo attempting to convince Del to join him in Australia to seek his fortune, which could have led to a drastically different trajectory for the series.
