Nicholas Lyndhurst has opened up about his early childhood in Hampshire, revealing that his father, Joe Lyndhurst, began an affair when Nicholas was just eight years old. The Only Fools and Horses star, who was raised as an only child, said his parents separated permanently when he was a bit older after initially getting back together.
Father's affair and separation
In a 2015 interview with The Guardian, Lyndhurst discussed his relationship with his father, saying: "I don't know if I'm like my father, but there are qualities I hope I have and others I hope I haven't got. I inherited his manners. He was charming – a chivalrous, well-mannered man… considering he buggered off and started another family."
He added: "By the time I was eight, he'd begun an affair and had children with another woman. I didn't apportion blame to anyone. My mother found out dribs and drabs and finally confronted him. I remember thinking, when he went, I'm glad the fighting's stopped."
Lyndhurst said he did not feel bitter or sad about the situation, explaining: "If you want to be with that family, you must be with that family. You can't dribble in and out of ours as well. It's too upsetting – certainly for my mother."
Becoming a father himself
Despite not being close to his own father, Lyndhurst embraced fatherhood after welcoming his son, Archie, in 2000 with his wife, Lucy. Speaking to The Guardian, he said he became a "different person overnight" when Archie was born.
The 65-year-old added: "I knew how to make a television programme, but didn't know about fatherhood, so I took three years off. When I went back to work, I thought: it's not fatherhood, is it?"
Archie followed in his father's footsteps, establishing an acting career after portraying Oliver 'Ollie' Coulton in the CBBC sitcom So Awkward. While Nicholas was hesitant about Archie entering the industry, he and Lucy were supportive.
Tragic loss of Archie
Tragically, in 2020, Archie died unexpectedly at the age of 19. A post-mortem exam later confirmed that he had died from an intracerebral haemorrhage caused by acute lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukaemia.
In a statement, Nicholas said that he and Lucy were "utterly grief-stricken" before asking for privacy.
Paying tribute to their son in 2021, Lucy wrote: "As his parents we couldn't be prouder of him for all he achieved in the short time he was given, and especially for the beautiful human being he was. We are so grateful and privileged to have been chosen to be his parents. The journey and adventure has been the best anyone could ever have wished for. A truly magical time in every way possible."
