Fans of the classic BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses have been left devastated after the grave of actor Buster Merryfield, who played Uncle Albert, was vandalised in his hometown of Dorset. The incident has sparked outrage among admirers of the beloved character, with many expressing disbelief that anyone would target the final resting place of the much-loved star.
Merryfield, who died in 1999 at the age of 78, is buried alongside his late wife Iris, who passed away three years later in 2002. According to a source quoted in The Sun, fans are 'devastated' and baffled by the act. The source even joked that 'the Germans wouldn’t have touched it, given the only ships Uncle Albert sunk were his own' – a nod to the character's war veteran past.
An online crowdfunding campaign has been launched by The Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society to address the damage. Fans have taken to social media to condemn the vandalism, with one calling the perpetrators 'little s***s' and another stating, 'There are some strange people in the world who need to get a life.'
In related news, two of Merryfield's former co-stars, Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra) and Tessa Peake-Jones (Raquel), are collaborating on a new television project. Strong revealed to The Telegraph that she is writing a proposal for a show featuring elements of their long friendship. Peake-Jones recently appeared in the documentary Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive, which showcases previously unseen footage from the series.
