Sir David Jason has said he is “very proud” as unseen moments from the BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses were released.
Sir David played Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter on the programme, which originally premiered in 1981. Joined by Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger half-brother Rodney Trotter, the series followed their get rich quick schemes.
Unseen footage from classic episodes
On Tuesday (September 8) a preview of the never-before-seen footage from the show was shown. The clips are from an upcoming documentary series, titled Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive.
With the series marking its 45th anniversary this year, the two-part anniversary documentary includes archive material from more than 10 classic episodes. Among these episodes is The Jolly Boys’ Outing, which follows Del Boy and Rodney on a chaotic seaside trip to Margate.
Footage from the legendary Christmas episode has been unearthed and shared by U&GOLD ahead of the documentary, which is due to air in October. The material was never used in original transmission because of timing or structural constraints.
Cast reaction to the new material
New sequences include Rodney playing football, Del Boy and Marlene, who was married to Boycie on the series and spin-off, chatting in the market and Boycie’s crude banter.
Having his say on the new footage, Sir David said: “I think the audience will find this very exciting and very interesting. I certainly did.
“A lot of bits of film that have never been seen before by anyone, except those who recorded it, so it’s coming out fresh. I’ve really enjoyed seeing it all.”
He added: “I am very proud of the fact that we made such good, clean, honest fun.”
More surprises in the anniversary documentary
The anniversary documentary will also feature newly discovered outtakes, location recordings and interviews with cast members. Among those who took part in interviews was Sir David and Tessa Peake-Jones, who played Del Boy’s wife Raquel.
“The public are going to be fascinated by this new material. To still feel part of a programme that provides that sort of pleasure is the greatest honour and privilege,” Tessa said.
Also interviewed in the documentary is Gwyneth Strong, who played Rodney’s wife Cassandra, and Sue Holderness, who played Marlene.
Sue stated: “An awful lot of times in situation comedies, you see stuff that is clearly padding because they’re three minutes under. You never saw that with Only Fools And Horses.
“The bits that went were blissful, and it’s a pity that they went but it tightened everything up, so it makes every episode a little masterpiece.”
There’s also new material from episodes such as He Ain’t Heavy and Time On Our Hands, as well as one of Uncle Albert’s ‘during the war’ stories which was cut from A Royal Flush, and an unseen opening scene of Del and Rodney in a nightclub from The Class Of ’62.
