Sir David Jason has opened up about his cherished role as Granville in the classic British sitcom Open All Hours, reflecting on the show's 50th anniversary and why he never considered stepping away from the beloved character despite his simultaneous success as Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses.
A Dual Comedy Legacy
In the 1980s, Sir David Jason landed two of television's most iconic comedy roles. The first was as the wheeler dealer Del Boy Trotter in Only Fools and Horses. The second was as the unlucky-in-love errand boy Granville, playing second fiddle to the legendary Ronnie Barker in Open All Hours. Some actors might have chosen to focus solely on being the star of their own show, but not Sir David.
Looking back on Open All Hours' 50th anniversary, he explains: "I was never grand about it, thinking 'Oh, I'm above playing Granville because I have my own series.' No, I was just happy to be doing another character that was so different. I had this character that was the total opposite of Del Boy—the leading man, the driving force, the wheeler dealer."
The Magic of Open All Hours
Open All Hours is regarded as one of Britain's top classic sitcoms. Viewers fell in love with the penny-pinching, stuttering shopkeeper Albert Arkwright (played by the late Ronnie Barker) and his endless efforts to woo the buxom Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (the late Lynda Baron), while a string of regular customers popped in and out of the Yorkshire shop, often falling victim to his crafty tricks. Added to the mix was Arkwright's overworked, shy, and awkward nephew Granville, played by Sir David.
The show was originally created for Ronnie in 1973 as one of seven new comedy pilots by the BBC, who had lured him away from LWT. Sir David, now 86, was thrilled to be part of the cast, as it meant working with a comic genius. Their paths had first crossed when he appeared in Barker's sketch show Hark at Barker in 1969, and Sir David says he learned a great deal from him over the years.
Learning from a Master
In a new TV special, Open All Hours: Inside Out, marking the show's 50th anniversary, Sir David pays tribute to Barker: "I couldn't wait to work with him to see what I could learn. When we first started working together, he was a big star, and I was in his shadow for years. Ronnie was at the top of his trade. The rest of us crawled about underneath, desperately trying to learn how to be as clever as Ronnie B. But with that came his generosity of spirit; he was wonderful to work with, good fun, and respectful."
He adds: "It was a huge learning curve in my career to work with Ronnie B. It was a great journey to have travelled with him and learned his respect for showbiz, what it meant to be in it, and to entertain people. He was a brilliant man."
The Show's Uncertain Beginnings
Audience research for the pilot of Open All Hours was very positive, but the BBC wanted Ronnie for another show called Prisoner and Escort (which became Porridge). This meant Arkwright and Granville stayed on the shelf for three more years, as the comedy was not fully commissioned until 1976.
There was also unrest about its scheduling on BBC Two on a Friday at 9pm. Writer Roy Clarke called it "terrible," adding: "That was the equivalent of burying it." Even Sir David comments: "BBC One would have had the kudos over BBC Two, but at least it was going out, I suppose."
Ratings for the first series topped more than six million each week, but remarkably, the BBC went cold on the show. They wanted Ronnie to do more Porridge and more of The Two Ronnies with his pal Ronnie Corbett, while writer Roy Clarke busied himself with more episodes of Last of the Summer Wine.
Juggling Two Iconic Roles
Meanwhile, Sir David landed the lead role in a new ITV sitcom, A Sharp Intake of Breath, in 1977, and then in 1981, he was cast as Del Boy in the new BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses. It was an immediate hit. But at the same time, the BBC decided to revive Open All Hours for a second series, this time scheduled on BBC One. Sir David had no hesitation in juggling both roles, as he loved playing Granville and knew fans loved the character too.
He says: "Granville appealed to viewers because people saw a bit of themselves in him—a dreamer who wanted to see the world. Granville was wistful and a bit romantic. I was so happy to be working with that sort of personality."
Ratings for the sitcom soared, with an average of 13 million viewers tuning in. In addition to its main stars, the shop's badly behaved till became a character in its own right. The Carry On-style humour appealed to the masses, especially when Nurse Gladys used to comfort Granville with her ample breasts—something that always made Arkwright jealous. Sir David recalls those scenes with a chuckle: "She was so padded everywhere; you couldn't get any pleasure from being pulled into her bosoms."
The Legacy Continues
Open All Hours bowed out in 1985 after 26 episodes, even beating Coronation Street in the ratings. It remained popular whenever repeated, but fans never expected to see the corner shop again, especially after Ronnie Barker passed away in 2005 at the age of 76.
However, in 2012, Sir David went to the BBC head of comedy with an idea for a sequel. He says: "I always wondered what would have happened to Granville if Arkwright left the shop to him... and the rest is history, as they say." In 2014, Still Open All Hours was launched, with Sir David reprising the role. The new twist was that Arkwright had died and left the shop to Granville, who had turned into a miser just like his uncle, now tormenting his errand boy son Leroy, played by James Baxter.
James says: "I had the toughest role. I was nervous at the beginning, but I was in very safe hands with David. He built this world, him and Ronnie and Roy, so I never felt too scared. Arkwright and Granville are icons of British comedy. I will stand in that shadow. That is fine by me."
Some characters from the original made appearances too, including Lynda Baron, Stephanie Cole, and Maggie Ollerenshaw. The sequel was a huge hit and ran for six series. A seventh was planned but cancelled when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and the series was shelved for good.
A Final Farewell
Sir David—who has also starred in The Darling Buds of May, A Touch of Frost, and A Bit of a Do—comments: "I always felt it would be nice to see how we round it all up, so that we the audience would go, 'Oh, that's lovely, you know.'" His wish is granted in the new TV special as he gets to dust down his old shopkeeper overcoat one more time as Granville for a final sketch penned by Roy Clarke. He jokes about the script: "It might be rude. Knowing Roy Clarke, it might be very rude."
On the show's 50th anniversary, he concludes: "It's as much as that? 50 years? Doesn't time fly when you are having fun? I was so lucky to work with such lovely people who were so good at their job and had a wonderful sense of humour, because this is what it is all about."
Open All Hours: Inside Out airs on U&Originals on Thursday 7 May at 8pm.
