no foolin' him
David Jason reveals he made huge change to iconic Only Fools and Horses scene – after sharing sadness over TV legacy
Sir David also revealed his 'upset' at only being remembered for his role in the beloved sitcom
SIR David Jason has revealed he made a huge change to an iconic Only Fools and Horses scene.
The beloved character is best known for playing the role of Del Boy Trotter in the BBC sitcom.
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Only Fools and Horses only ran for seven series but is still adored by millions of fans today.
One iconic episode from the show sees Del Boy and Rodney hired to clean the chandeliers of Lord and Lady Ridgemere.
As predicted by fans watching at the time disaster struck when one of the expensive fixtures came crashing to the floor as the bolts were unscrewed.
Decades on from the scene, Sir David has now revealed how he switched-up the plot for the hilarious moment.
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He told Absolute Radio: "When we set up the chandelier in the background of the shot was the other chandelier that was eventually going to fall.
“But what I decided to do is that as we go up the stairs, I say to Nick - which I ad-libbed - ‘Now, careful Rodders because this is going to be quite heavy.”
The 84-year-old said he wanted to "improve the joke" by bringing "the audience in to concentrate on” the other chandelier so they assumed they were in the know.
It comes after the actor - who also starred in Open All Hours - revealed his 'upset' at only being remembered by fans for his stint on Only Fools and Horses.
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Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: "That Derek Trotter thing, who's like a bit of a ghost that comes along behind me like A Christmas Carol.
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"'Haunted' is perhaps too [strong], no. He's with me all the time, meaning whether we call it haunted, I do say that he's on my back all the time, because wherever I go, people recognise me as the character and you're always getting people saying 'Lovely jubbly!' and all of that.
"Which only hangs me back, only upsets me slightly, because that seems to be the only thing that people remember me for."
He added: "I'm delighted in one way that it's reached so many people and they've enjoyed what I've done with the character, but I've done so many other things that everyone seems to have forgotten about, and it's only [as if] I've ever played Derek Trotter."
Only Fools and Horses' most memorable episodes
The beloved sitcom only aired for seven series but is still adored to this date - here are fans' most memorable scenes from the BBC hit...
- Jolly Boys' Outing - The humorous episode was filled with disaster and also romance. It saw Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad leave Peckham for a day trip to Margate. However, their coach explodes, Rodney is arrested and Del Boy reunites with Raquel.
- Time on their Hands - The episode sees the Trotters reflect on their life in South London after finally becoming millionaires. Airing in 1996, it pulled in an incredible 24million viewers.
- A Touch of Glass - This unforgettable episode sees Del Boy and his chandelier cleaning service. In hilarious scenes, he and Rodney accidentally drop a chandelier, sending it crashing to the floor.
- Stage Fright - Raquel performs with Tony Angelino while pregnant to perform a duet - but she's unaware he has a speech impediment.
- Yuppy Love - Derek attempts to transform himself into a high-flyer, wearing a stripped shirt and red braces. It also sees Del fall through the bar, while Rodney meets Cassandra for the first time.
- Mother Nature's Son - Del Boy inherits an allotment from his grandad, but it's contaminated by a yellow substance. The Peckham Spring Water business is then born - but it's actually just tap water from Nelson Mandela House.
- Heroes and Villains - Del Boy and Rodney dress up as Batman and Robin for Harry Malcolm's party. However, Boycie forgot to mention Harry died, and it had become a wake!
- To Hull and Back - Del Boy is convinced to smuggle diamonds from The Netherlands. PC Roy Slater intercepts them before he's later arrested for corruption. It ends with Del throwing his £15k over the balcony thinking it was fake - when it was in fact real!
- The Russians are Coming - The threat of nuclear war looms over Peckham so the Trotters decide to batten down the hatches. They build a DIY war shelter - on the top of Mandela House.
- The Unlucky Winner Is - Rodney wins a holiday abroad after Del Boy entered him into a painting competition. However, when he lands in Spain Rodney discovers it's a prize for children and must pretend he's a 14-year-old child.
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