Sir David Jason admits he “really enjoyed” previously unseen moments from beloved sitcom Only Fools And Horses, which will be revealed in a new documentary series.
A sneak preview of the never-before-seen footage from the show was released on Tuesday ahead of a programme celebrating the show’s 45th anniversary titled Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive.
The sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan and which proved a ratings powerhouse for the BBC, first aired on September 8 1981 and proved to be a career-defining role for Sir Jason, who played Del Boy, and Nicholas Lyndhurst, as his hapless half-brother Rodney.
The show featured the colourful escapades of wheeler dealer market trader Del Boy and his less streetwise younger half-brother Rodney as their failed dodgy deals put paid to their dreams of making a million.
The characters initially shared their Peckham flat with Grandad, played by Leonard Pearce, and their escapades often included pals Trigger, played by Roger Lloyd Pack, and Boycie, played by John Challis.
The two-part anniversary documentary includes archive material from more than 10 classic episodes such as The Jolly Boys’ Outing, which follows Del Boy and Rodney on a chaotic seaside trip to Margate.
A first glimpse of long-lost footage from the beloved Christmas episode showing which moments missed the final cut has been released by U&GOLD ahead of the documentary, which is due to air in October.
The unearthed material, which was never used in original transmission because of timing or structural constraints, includes new sequences including Rodney playing football, Del Boy and Marlene chatting in the market and Boycie’s crude banter.
“I think the audience will find this very exciting and very interesting. I certainly did,” Sir David said.
“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.”
The anniversary documentary will also feature newly discovered outtakes, location recordings and interviews with cast members including Sir David, Tessa Peake-Jones and Sue Holderness.
Gwyneth Strong, who played Rodney’s wife Cassandra, also features.
There is 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.
Peake-Jones, who played Del Boy’s love interest Raquel, said: “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.”
Holderness, who starred in the show as Marlene Boyce, said: “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.”
The documentary will air on U&GOLD in October.