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I'll fetch the suitcase from the bank.
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Cause if you want the best ones, but you
don't ask questions, then brother, I'm
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your man.
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Cause where it all comes from is a
mystery.
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It's like the changing of the seasons
and the tides of the sea. But here's the
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one who's driving me berserk.
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Why do...
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Yeah, I was watching that.
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Only Fools and Horses is one of
Britain's most loved shows on TV.
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Lovely jubbly. 64 episodes were made
between 1981 and 2003, and it's
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still watched and laughed at by millions
of us every week.
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00:00:59,990 --> 00:01:06,210
With every line written by just one man.
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The success of Fools and Horses can be
summed up with two words, and it's John
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Sullivan. The story of Derek Trotter's
life is the story of John Sullivan's
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creative genius.
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00:01:17,500 --> 00:01:22,020
I don't think anybody really touches
John for being able to make you laugh.
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And being able to make you cry.
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It's time next year.
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We'll be millionaires.
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Celebrating the wonderful comedy world
of John Sullivan.
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we'll be getting the inside story on the
Trotters from the horse's mouth.
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I was nearly fired because of that
scene.
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Oi! I said to John, you can't use this.
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Come on, get him off!
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We've also recreated some of the sets,
reunited cast members, and have talked
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some of the show's most famous fans.
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One of the incredible things about Fools
and Horses is that you could grow up
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watching it. I can't remember a time
before I watched any Fools and Horses.
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really, really, really the best.
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Over the next hour, we'll be focusing on
family matters.
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What is it, Del?
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Your little baby.
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00:02:13,850 --> 00:02:18,390
And, as a rare treat, we can reveal a
lost episode which has never been
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broadcast on TV ever before.
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I've just made the deal that he's going
to make us millionaires.
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And in another first... We also have a
deleted theme, saved from the cutting
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room floor.
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So sit back and enjoy the definitive
story of Only
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Fools and Horses, the show which has
given us some of the most memorable
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in British comedy.
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Of course, that's just comedy. I mean,
it doesn't really happen in real life.
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It's not supposed to happen in real
life.
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Grandad?
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Still hasn't got it right.
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What's that dirty looking thing?
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That is your uncle, Rodney.
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Family. It's a bond, it's a tie, it's an
anchor.
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00:03:32,430 --> 00:03:35,990
Call it what you will, but blood is
thicker than water.
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A sense of family is what holds the
whole show together.
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I love you, Trotter.
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Yes!
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It may well be one of the reasons why it
holds such an important place in so
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many people's hearts. The audience looks
at it and goes, that's us, that's my
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00:03:52,530 --> 00:03:53,530
family.
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That's always good when your audience
can put on your characters like a pair
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shoes and think these fit, these are
comfortable.
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You've seen my teeth.
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00:04:04,310 --> 00:04:05,510
You trod your mouth.
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00:04:08,730 --> 00:04:13,730
Edward Kitchener Trotter, known to us
all as Grandad, was the head of the
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tree. What are you doing?
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I'm trying to get the Dukes of Hazzard.
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A Wilkshire tele -addict. who lounged
around Nelson Mandela House in old
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and a Panama hat.
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He just sat there for three series, just
sat in the same chair and got all the
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big laughs.
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Have a good day, Bill.
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He had that voice which is absolutely
authentic.
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So many people had a voice that was just
out here and said art and a part, never
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mind about all that.
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That showed a vulnerability.
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That was clever, because that always put
him in a situation where it got Del's
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sympathy. Del, boy, I burnt your pizza.
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00:05:01,860 --> 00:05:08,180
The role of the whiny and wily old goat
came towards the end of Leonard Pierce's
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illustrious career after a lifetime on
stage.
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Leonard Pierce had been a jobbing actor
for sort of 50 years.
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00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:16,640
He'd trained at RADA.
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He'd worked with the Royal Shakespeare
Company, he'd worked with the National
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Theatre. He'd been touring the country,
going into different reps, being in
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different small parts in different
plays.
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00:05:27,100 --> 00:05:28,600
Did you know Leonard Pierce met Hitler?
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No, you didn't know that, did you?
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When he was a young actor, he did a tour
around Europe and they were playing
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00:05:36,700 --> 00:05:41,540
some small German city somewhere and the
Nazis walked in.
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The top honchos of the Nazi party had
seen the play.
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and came to congratulate, and Leonard
shook hands with Adolf Hitler, and
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he only ever told me once, and he said,
had I known then what I know now, I
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00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:03,120
would have drawn the pistol from one of
the bodyguards that was next to him, and
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I would have done my best to kill him.
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00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:10,300
While Leonard Pierce didn't single
-handedly defeat the Nazis, he did
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national treasure status.
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albeit nearly 50 years later.
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That fame that I guess most actors kind
of crave to a degree and that success
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and that recognisation by the general
public had eluded him. You're like me,
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Rodney. I never ever found it easy to
get girlfriends.
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I wonder why.
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For someone of his age, he'd been even
thinking about retiring. And then
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suddenly, with only fools and horses,
you know, he'd go out shopping and he'd
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recognised and they'd call him Grandad.
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And then suddenly... He was hugely
famous, and not only that, loved by the
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nation. Del's gone out.
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I'm not sure.
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Where are you going to, Del?
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Series 3 was our most successful to
date, and Leonard fell ill during
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00:06:58,450 --> 00:07:01,710
for Series 4, and it was a bitter blow.
105
00:07:02,270 --> 00:07:06,690
We knew that Leonard had been in
hospital for a couple of days, and he'd
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asking for the scripts, and we were
saying, forget the scripts, just get
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We'll wait for you until you're good to
come back.
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00:07:14,260 --> 00:07:18,620
Sadly, just as his health appeared to be
returning, Leonard Pierce suffered a
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heart attack and passed away.
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A terrible shock, because you've got to
remember that we were all very, very
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close. We all liked each other very,
very much, and we worked very closely
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together.
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Well, it was, it was, like losing a
member of your own family.
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The BBC, because the series had been
commissioned, obviously they wanted to
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00:07:43,740 --> 00:07:48,680
us a certain time to grieve, if you
like, but at the same time they were
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00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:54,400
going, when do we expect the shooting to
start again?
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00:07:54,680 --> 00:08:01,400
So the discussion went of how we were
going to replace Leonard,
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00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,860
and there were a number of thoughts, and
one was...
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that will carry on with a lookalike
granddad.
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00:08:09,670 --> 00:08:16,410
Both John and I were very against that
because,
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00:08:16,690 --> 00:08:20,710
as John Sullivan put it, he said, no,
no, I'm not going to do that. That's
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00:08:20,710 --> 00:08:25,310
disrespectful for Leonard, who was a
member of the family.
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00:08:27,090 --> 00:08:31,810
Unprecedented in TV comedy, John
Sullivan decided to write the death of
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Pierce into the show to give granddad a
send -off.
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fitting for one so loved by the cast,
crew and viewers.
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I remember that day very well.
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It was snowing.
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00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,500
And it was also doubly poignant because
we'd just done it for real.
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00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:58,780
And here we are, filming a pretend one,
which I didn't really get my head round
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00:08:58,780 --> 00:09:00,760
for a good few days.
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00:09:01,900 --> 00:09:05,140
It was a lovely service, Vicar. Thank
you very much.
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00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:15,860
Has anyone seen my hat? It was... And
even in
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a really sad day for us as a cast and
crew.
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00:09:21,260 --> 00:09:22,380
Yeah, that was funny.
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00:09:23,100 --> 00:09:24,640
It's just us two now, bruv.
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Me and you against the rest.
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Don't stand a bloody chance today, eh?
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00:09:32,950 --> 00:09:38,550
As the old adage goes, the show must go
on. And wanting to keep three family
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00:09:38,550 --> 00:09:42,650
members living under one roof, John
Sullivan introduced a long -lost
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00:09:44,790 --> 00:09:51,350
Oh, my bloody head! John had to
frantically write a character
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that perhaps it would have taken him
months, I don't know, but it would have
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00:09:56,270 --> 00:09:59,610
taken me years to work out that sort of
character that...
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00:10:00,140 --> 00:10:01,200
Uncle Albert had.
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00:10:02,580 --> 00:10:07,820
Under pressure to write quickly, John
Sullivan's inspiration for The Eccentric
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00:10:07,820 --> 00:10:10,480
Old Uncle came from an unlikely source.
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00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:12,880
Mustard Merrifield was a bank manager.
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00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,360
He'd always wanted to be in the theatre,
and he said, I don't care if I just
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00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,100
sweep stages, I'm going to give up the
bank and get into Sobis.
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00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:25,740
And he sent his photograph in to the
production office.
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00:10:26,700 --> 00:10:30,220
And it happened to land on the deck at
the right time.
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00:10:30,460 --> 00:10:33,320
And John said, let me have a look at
that photo.
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00:10:33,580 --> 00:10:37,800
He said, he looks as though he could be
a Navy man.
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00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,720
During the war, I was on this hospital
ship.
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One night it was so cold, the flame on
my lighter froze.
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00:10:45,380 --> 00:10:48,880
As soon as he starts, during the war.
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00:10:49,290 --> 00:10:54,930
During the war... Oh, God, look at the
time. No, it's another exaggerated
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00:10:54,930 --> 00:10:57,210
fairy story.
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00:10:57,590 --> 00:11:01,930
Well, during... If you say during the
war once more, I'm going to pour this
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00:11:01,930 --> 00:11:05,510
of tea right over your head. I wasn't
going to say during the war. Well,
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all right, then.
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Bloody little no.
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All right.
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I'm sorry.
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00:11:09,790 --> 00:11:10,790
Thank you.
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00:11:11,810 --> 00:11:16,210
During the 1939 -1945 conflict in
Germany...
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One more story, which was thought to
have sunk without praise, we have found
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among the archive.
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00:11:24,470 --> 00:11:29,170
Cut from the final version of the show,
as it was overrunning, Uncle Albert's
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00:11:29,170 --> 00:11:34,170
tale of visiting America has never been
shown since it was recorded in 1991.
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00:11:35,090 --> 00:11:36,029
War the war.
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00:11:36,030 --> 00:11:37,630
Last soldiers there, everybody.
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00:11:40,830 --> 00:11:45,930
1930 it was. We sent a fleet over to
North America on a friendly visit to a
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Canadian and US cities.
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00:11:47,630 --> 00:11:48,630
I'm away.
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00:11:48,930 --> 00:11:50,850
Our last port of call was Chicago.
176
00:11:51,550 --> 00:11:55,550
One night I went out for a quiet drink
and Al Capone and his mob come in.
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00:11:55,810 --> 00:11:57,950
Of course I didn't know anything about
them.
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00:11:58,190 --> 00:12:00,690
Well, the barman told me he was a
racketeer.
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00:12:00,970 --> 00:12:03,430
But I thought he said he was a
raconteur.
180
00:12:05,030 --> 00:12:07,630
So I said, oh, yeah, tell us the story.
181
00:12:08,850 --> 00:12:11,990
Oh, dear me, old Scarface got the right
needle.
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00:12:12,490 --> 00:12:15,810
Yeah, he told one of his blokes to take
me outside and shoot me.
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00:12:16,350 --> 00:12:17,350
So why didn't he?
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00:12:18,170 --> 00:12:21,310
Oh, he discovered I was a British sailor
and changed his mind.
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I hate people who dither.
186
00:12:27,710 --> 00:12:30,250
It's just a lovely non -story, isn't it?
187
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And it's lovely to be able to see
perhaps bits that no -one else has seen
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have always been there.
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are valuable.
190
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They're very fools and horses, but
sadly, they've had to go.
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And I think that one is a good case in
point.
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00:12:50,110 --> 00:12:53,510
Coming up, the Trotter wives take centre
stage.
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00:12:55,090 --> 00:12:57,850
And we have a very special treat.
194
00:12:58,070 --> 00:12:58,729
What are you, Bo?
195
00:12:58,730 --> 00:13:02,690
As we reveal an episode which has never
been seen on television before.
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00:13:03,010 --> 00:13:04,210
An oil rig. Classic.
197
00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:17,900
Welcome back to the story of Only Fools
and Horses as we climb up the Trotter
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00:13:17,900 --> 00:13:18,900
family tree.
199
00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:24,580
As the series went on, it branched out
from being three men in a tower block...
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00:13:24,580 --> 00:13:27,560
Yeah, we're all on our own, we don't
need no birds.
201
00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:28,659
No, no.
202
00:13:28,660 --> 00:13:32,660
..to an extended family with partners,
kids and in -laws.
203
00:13:33,020 --> 00:13:39,780
I think the most important injection
204
00:13:39,780 --> 00:13:42,100
is when the women start coming into it.
205
00:13:42,990 --> 00:13:43,990
Is it Derek?
206
00:13:44,950 --> 00:13:47,790
Raquel? My name's Rodney. Oh, Cassandra.
207
00:13:48,070 --> 00:13:53,170
We've reunited actors Tessa Peake -Jones
and Gwyneth Strong to discuss what it
208
00:13:53,170 --> 00:13:56,030
was like to play the partners of Del and
Rodney Trotter.
209
00:13:56,790 --> 00:14:00,130
I'm glad we bumped into each other
because I was trying to find a way of
210
00:14:00,130 --> 00:14:03,730
hello to you and I think it's really,
you know, sort of liberated of you to
211
00:14:03,730 --> 00:14:04,669
the first move.
212
00:14:04,670 --> 00:14:05,670
Move?
213
00:14:06,230 --> 00:14:08,950
No, you don't understand. You've taken
my coat.
214
00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:17,180
When you went into it with Cassandra
meeting Rodney, did they tell you that
215
00:14:17,180 --> 00:14:21,240
were going to be in it like a regular
from then on and marry him and do all
216
00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:24,220
stuff? Did you know all that before you
got the job? No, not at all. What did
217
00:14:24,220 --> 00:14:27,540
they tell you? They just told me I was
coming to do one episode, then there was
218
00:14:27,540 --> 00:14:31,020
another episode, then another episode,
and sort of got to the end and thought,
219
00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:32,260
oh, I've done a whole series.
220
00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:33,740
Oh, and that's how it was?
221
00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:38,130
Yeah, and then after that... So it
wasn't like you will be playing the new
222
00:14:38,130 --> 00:14:41,610
partner of Rodney? No, that's why it's
quite funny because people say to you,
223
00:14:41,630 --> 00:14:46,270
don't they, oh, you know, how did you
feel about coming into this huge series
224
00:14:46,270 --> 00:14:49,930
and the success of it and everything?
And the truth was we didn't really think
225
00:14:49,930 --> 00:14:50,709
like that.
226
00:14:50,710 --> 00:14:54,810
If I was to meet a handsome, wealthy
young man and he asked me to marry him,
227
00:14:54,810 --> 00:14:55,810
you know what I'd say?
228
00:14:55,830 --> 00:15:00,230
What? I'd say, ciao, Rodney, and you
wouldn't see me for the tinted windows
229
00:15:00,230 --> 00:15:01,230
his Porsche.
230
00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,920
But until that time, I'm happy to drag
along with you.
231
00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:13,040
I think a lot of Cassandra's
contribution as a character
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00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:14,300
was about class.
233
00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:20,680
Her mother was quite... I think she's a
bit snobby. I think she had
234
00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:26,140
invested Cassandra with, you know, get
on in life. Coffee, everyone?
235
00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,300
Mummy, I was about to do that. That's
all right, darling.
236
00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,920
You were talking with Stephen. I thought
I might as well make myself useful.
237
00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:34,440
She was a spoiled little girl.
238
00:15:34,940 --> 00:15:38,780
Well, she was. She was Daddy's darling.
She was Daddy's darling, and Daddy
239
00:15:38,780 --> 00:15:39,840
wanted the best for her.
240
00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:41,700
How Rodney got Rodney.
241
00:15:42,900 --> 00:15:44,980
I won't always be doing this.
242
00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:46,299
Doing what?
243
00:15:46,300 --> 00:15:47,900
Well, selling crap down markets.
244
00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,600
I'll get my diploma in computer science
soon, then things will change.
245
00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,380
You don't have to prove anything to me,
you know, Rodney.
246
00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,220
Well, you've got a good job in a bank,
haven't you? And your dad's a successful
247
00:15:59,220 --> 00:16:02,540
businessman, and me, well, I'm an
apprentice fly pitcher.
248
00:16:03,900 --> 00:16:08,100
It was never that Cassandra's character
would ever sort of criticise him for who
249
00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:09,680
he was or where he'd come from, ever.
250
00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:15,560
It was like that was just a sort of
unspoken rule that John wouldn't go
251
00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:17,160
because he knew that whatever...
252
00:16:17,979 --> 00:16:22,260
Class or area you were from in life you
everyone had a right and you you
253
00:16:22,260 --> 00:16:24,200
everyone wanted to be better wherever
you were
254
00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:30,200
I'm just
255
00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:37,160
going to the ladies And what about you
was yours well known because mine
256
00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:41,280
was a one -off and it was then later on
that they I think Probably because by
257
00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:46,380
then your theories had gone out and
they'd seen the impact that having
258
00:16:46,380 --> 00:16:51,820
longer term with one of the characters
was working, and maybe then John
259
00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,280
oh, well, maybe Del Boy should have
someone too.
260
00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,960
Oh, sorry, these are for you.
261
00:16:59,380 --> 00:17:03,660
But when Raquel and Del first began
their relationship, it wasn't long
262
00:17:03,660 --> 00:17:06,359
John Sullivan steers them into choppy
waters.
263
00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,700
Able seaman Albert Trotter, you are
hereby ordered by Her Majesty the
264
00:17:10,990 --> 00:17:15,010
by the High Lords of the Admiralty, and
by all your friends and relatives, to
265
00:17:15,010 --> 00:17:17,470
have a very happy birthday!
266
00:17:23,250 --> 00:17:26,810
Just when you take it that it's going to
be hilarious that there's a girl, you
267
00:17:26,810 --> 00:17:29,190
know, stripping off and everyone's sort
of having a laugh at the pub.
268
00:17:30,110 --> 00:17:33,530
You know, the core of that scene is that
Del Boy is going to be really
269
00:17:33,530 --> 00:17:35,050
humiliated in front of all his friends.
270
00:17:53,770 --> 00:17:56,130
actress you've been telling us so much
about.
271
00:17:59,170 --> 00:18:04,990
Even Del, the depth of his emotion was
beginning to show that he was really
272
00:18:04,990 --> 00:18:09,110
feeling for this girl. He was falling
for her, you know, in a way he'd never
273
00:18:09,110 --> 00:18:10,530
fallen for anybody before.
274
00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:16,240
I seem to remember also that is the
Christmas special that won the BAFTA,
275
00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:20,380
wonder why, because, you know, John had
incorporated such feelings of sort of
276
00:18:20,380 --> 00:18:23,900
passion and heartache, and, you know,
and I thought that scene outside the
277
00:18:23,900 --> 00:18:28,840
strippergram scene was a joy to play and
proper, you know, proper drama.
278
00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:34,460
This is probably a daft question, but do
you want to see me any more?
279
00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,600
Yes, of course I want to see you again,
sweetheart.
280
00:18:41,390 --> 00:18:43,970
The next time I'll pay at the door like
all the other punters.
281
00:18:49,010 --> 00:18:53,370
I don't think anyone had any intention
of her coming back, and I think it was
282
00:18:53,370 --> 00:18:57,190
only when they'd sort of played it
through and it had been shown, and I
283
00:18:57,190 --> 00:19:01,630
John then thought, oh, I wonder if
there'd be more mileage to see Del Boy
284
00:19:01,630 --> 00:19:05,950
settling down, perhaps, or at least
having a more serious relationship with
285
00:19:05,950 --> 00:19:06,950
woman.
286
00:19:09,070 --> 00:19:13,490
Once Raquel was established as Del's
partner, it wasn't long before the
287
00:19:13,490 --> 00:19:14,490
became a family.
288
00:19:16,510 --> 00:19:18,090
Who is it, friend or enema?
289
00:19:19,830 --> 00:19:20,930
Friend or enema?
290
00:19:21,990 --> 00:19:23,030
Shut up, Del.
291
00:19:23,250 --> 00:19:27,890
Back in the trotter bed together again,
Sir David Jason and Tessa Peake -Jones
292
00:19:27,890 --> 00:19:31,510
talk about the finer points of playing
pregnant parents.
293
00:19:32,030 --> 00:19:36,610
You know when you were, I was going to
say, using Del Boy's vernacular, up the
294
00:19:36,610 --> 00:19:38,190
duff with Damien?
295
00:19:38,590 --> 00:19:42,070
Did you have a cushion stuffed up your
shirt? I must have had a padding because
296
00:19:42,070 --> 00:19:44,890
I'd never had a child myself. Do you
remember when we were shown that birth
297
00:19:44,890 --> 00:19:48,510
video by the midwife who thought it
would help us in the scene and we all
298
00:19:48,510 --> 00:19:49,510
sick after breakfast?
299
00:19:49,790 --> 00:19:50,870
That was hilarious.
300
00:19:51,210 --> 00:19:53,030
And Buster said, I think I'm going to be
sick.
301
00:19:53,590 --> 00:19:57,270
We all sat there watching, you know, the
afterbirth and all the things of that.
302
00:19:57,270 --> 00:19:58,790
Oh, God, did we? That was hilarious.
303
00:19:59,610 --> 00:20:00,990
Steady on, Raquel, steady on.
304
00:20:25,130 --> 00:20:28,290
Yes, you did eventually, huh? Now you
know what it's bloody well like!
305
00:20:29,550 --> 00:20:33,110
That was a great scene that you played.
306
00:20:33,370 --> 00:20:37,670
And it really made me laugh because it
was so real.
307
00:20:38,410 --> 00:20:42,770
And wasn't that scene written around
John having his baby with his wife?
308
00:20:42,770 --> 00:20:46,550
she hurt him? I think she actually hurt
him during the birth and said, this is
309
00:20:46,550 --> 00:20:49,210
what it's like, this is a tiny bit of
what I'm feeling.
310
00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,760
That's why it was so real. That's why it
was such a joy to act. Absolutely.
311
00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,740
Because it was all based on real stuff,
wasn't it? And real people.
312
00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,080
We've got ourselves a lovely little
baby.
313
00:20:58,900 --> 00:20:59,900
Oh, no.
314
00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:02,520
I love you.
315
00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:04,580
I love you too, sweetheart.
316
00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:11,800
We've done it.
317
00:21:13,220 --> 00:21:14,820
You bloody dummy.
318
00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:17,660
Congratulations, son.
319
00:21:18,100 --> 00:21:19,100
What is it, though?
320
00:21:20,110 --> 00:21:21,150
It's a little baby.
321
00:21:22,710 --> 00:21:28,570
Coming up, who does Rodney think he is?
As we trace the Trotter family line.
322
00:21:28,830 --> 00:21:29,830
Lovely jubbly.
323
00:21:29,970 --> 00:21:34,730
And also, a lost episode which has never
been seen before on British television.
324
00:21:35,230 --> 00:21:36,450
He who dares wins.
325
00:21:46,930 --> 00:21:48,570
We're off and running.
326
00:21:51,310 --> 00:21:54,210
Only Fools and Horses is John Sullivan's
masterpiece.
327
00:21:54,670 --> 00:21:55,609
That's a wrap.
328
00:21:55,610 --> 00:21:59,970
Which gave us the Trotters, possibly the
most loved TV family of all time.
329
00:22:00,510 --> 00:22:05,370
Yet these wonderful characters weren't
his only comedy creations in a prolific
330
00:22:05,370 --> 00:22:07,470
career which spanned over 30 years.
331
00:22:07,770 --> 00:22:08,770
Oh, yeah!
332
00:22:08,950 --> 00:22:12,330
He was a genius, right? I mean, he was
an absolute kind of genius.
333
00:22:12,590 --> 00:22:18,050
This guy was just a powerhouse of TV
sitcoms. He was a TV sitcom factory.
334
00:22:18,570 --> 00:22:20,030
Enormous amount of work he's done.
335
00:22:20,460 --> 00:22:26,240
I mean, the sheer body of work is... No
-one can compete with that, I don't
336
00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:27,400
think. It's astonishing.
337
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:32,400
John Sullivan may just have been the
last hurrah of the great working -class
338
00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:33,400
comedy writers.
339
00:22:33,580 --> 00:22:38,000
His first job in television was shifting
scenery on comedies such as Porridge
340
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:43,580
and It Ain't Half Hot Mum, but his
burning ambition to be a writer drove
341
00:22:43,580 --> 00:22:48,620
make a bold approach to comedy producer
Dennis Mayne Wilson at the BBC Bar.
342
00:22:49,070 --> 00:22:51,610
I just said to him, I thought I'd
introduce myself, my name's John
343
00:22:51,790 --> 00:22:53,910
because we're going to be working
together soon.
344
00:22:54,550 --> 00:22:57,630
And he said, well, what on, what's that?
I said, it's a new thing that I've
345
00:22:57,630 --> 00:22:58,630
written. Well, I hadn't written it.
346
00:22:59,450 --> 00:23:04,150
And I thought, well, fire me or, you
know, and he just laughed and just said,
347
00:23:04,210 --> 00:23:08,370
let's have a drink, you know, and great,
great guy. And he said, well, go off
348
00:23:08,370 --> 00:23:10,410
and write some bits for the two Ronnies.
349
00:23:10,730 --> 00:23:16,230
So John did that, and then he came back
with his script idea for Citizen Smith,
350
00:23:16,290 --> 00:23:18,530
which he thought, John thought, was his
best.
351
00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:24,500
best idea so far and he showed it to
Dennis and then went away to do some
352
00:23:24,500 --> 00:23:28,200
writing and then they came back and they
said we love it and within eight weeks
353
00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:35,080
it was in production and on TV Citizen
Smith is a comedy
354
00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:39,520
about the misadventures of a hapless
South London revolutionary I adored that
355
00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,860
show And I look back at it now and I'm
not quite sure why I loved it as much as
356
00:23:42,860 --> 00:23:44,460
I did. But I loved the character.
357
00:23:44,780 --> 00:23:48,360
All those in favour of a revolution
tomorrow afternoon, say Fulham. Fulham.
358
00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:49,299
Thank you, brothers.
359
00:23:49,300 --> 00:23:53,760
It was one of the funniest comedies I'd
seen at the time.
360
00:23:54,020 --> 00:23:56,940
There was just something unusual about
it.
361
00:23:58,300 --> 00:24:01,180
Yes, Citizen Smith certainly caught our
attention as writers.
362
00:24:01,500 --> 00:24:05,440
It just seemed to be out of the mould of
the sitcoms we'd been used to seeing.
363
00:24:05,660 --> 00:24:07,800
The success of tonight's mission...
364
00:24:08,300 --> 00:24:12,840
depends entirely on precision and split
-second timing, right?
365
00:24:13,260 --> 00:24:14,500
What time are we meeting?
366
00:24:15,180 --> 00:24:16,180
Eight -ish.
367
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:23,160
I don't think John Sullivan would have
written Only Fools and Horses if he
368
00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,180
hadn't written Citizen Smith first. That
was a big learning curve.
369
00:24:26,420 --> 00:24:30,680
It also alerted the BBC to here's a
writer...
370
00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:35,120
Not quite there yet, hasn't quite found
the thing that will capture the public,
371
00:24:35,220 --> 00:24:41,460
but he's capable of it, and he put his
flag down with Citizen Smith.
372
00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:47,340
In 1981, John Sullivan was writing the
first series of Only Fools and Horses,
373
00:24:47,360 --> 00:24:51,820
and at the same time, writing sketches
for The Two Ronnies, which at times
374
00:24:51,820 --> 00:24:54,700
presented challenges for the up -and
-coming comedy writer.
375
00:24:55,530 --> 00:24:59,630
There's a great story that he had a gag
that was going to be in the two Ronnies
376
00:24:59,630 --> 00:25:00,630
about antibiotics.
377
00:25:01,050 --> 00:25:04,870
Then he heard that it was going to be
cut from the two Ronnies, so John, being
378
00:25:04,870 --> 00:25:07,390
ever resourceful, thought, I know, I can
use that in any falls.
379
00:25:07,750 --> 00:25:11,330
Do you remember when Grandad was in
hospital about 18 months back, they gave
380
00:25:11,330 --> 00:25:15,190
so many of these antibiotics that one
day he sneezed and two other blokes got
381
00:25:15,190 --> 00:25:16,190
better.
382
00:25:17,070 --> 00:25:20,970
But then I think he found out at a late
stage that it was such a good gag that
383
00:25:20,970 --> 00:25:22,510
the two Ronnies wanted to use it as
well.
384
00:25:22,770 --> 00:25:26,550
Take last year when I was in hospital
having that British Rail donut removed.
385
00:25:28,750 --> 00:25:32,650
They stuffed me full of antibiotics
then, didn't they?
386
00:25:33,590 --> 00:25:37,690
I had so many pills I sneezed one
morning and the bloke in the next bed
387
00:25:37,690 --> 00:25:38,690
better.
388
00:25:39,570 --> 00:25:42,990
Both of them now are such great gags in
the folklore of both shows.
389
00:25:44,490 --> 00:25:49,270
During the early 80s, as Fools and
Horses established itself as a regular
390
00:25:49,270 --> 00:25:53,110
BBC's schedules, John Sullivan didn't
rest on his laurels.
391
00:25:54,230 --> 00:25:57,850
John was beavering away on another show
called Just Good Friends, which was a
392
00:25:57,850 --> 00:25:58,850
massive hit.
393
00:25:59,310 --> 00:26:00,910
What would you say?
394
00:26:02,090 --> 00:26:05,090
Beautiful, gentle, funny, romantic
comedy.
395
00:26:05,390 --> 00:26:07,430
Just Good Friends is based on a...
396
00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:12,600
a young couple, one called Vince that I
played and a character called Penny that
397
00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:13,680
Jan Francis played.
398
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:19,260
And it's about how they meet again after
five years.
399
00:26:19,700 --> 00:26:21,020
I'm surprised you remember me.
400
00:26:21,340 --> 00:26:25,060
Oh, I can never forget you, Vincent.
You've always been unique.
401
00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:29,600
You're the only bastard who ever jilted
me.
402
00:26:31,500 --> 00:26:34,720
The core of it was, will they, won't
they get together again?
403
00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:37,260
I'm sorry, I'm a little overwrought at
the moment.
404
00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,500
I'm trying to give up smoking and it
makes me edgy.
405
00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:41,440
How long have you been trying to give it
up?
406
00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:42,640
Since I've died.
407
00:26:43,300 --> 00:26:44,300
I've tried everything.
408
00:26:44,700 --> 00:26:47,940
Chewing gum, pills, even acupuncture.
409
00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:50,980
I can't stand anything like that.
Needles and injections.
410
00:26:51,420 --> 00:26:52,420
There was no discomfort.
411
00:26:52,460 --> 00:26:53,460
Didn't you feel a prick?
412
00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:59,480
Well, I felt a bit... He had a gift,
obviously.
413
00:27:00,090 --> 00:27:03,590
And it was evident from the first day I
picked up that script that this was
414
00:27:03,590 --> 00:27:04,509
something special.
415
00:27:04,510 --> 00:27:09,050
This was a special writer, which, of
course, has proved to be the case.
416
00:27:10,010 --> 00:27:16,050
Extraordinary that he would write two
huge hit comedy series a year. I mean,
417
00:27:16,070 --> 00:27:17,430
that was... God bless him.
418
00:27:17,790 --> 00:27:23,470
Dear John... Hit followed hit. Dear John
was the tale of a middle -aged man
419
00:27:23,470 --> 00:27:28,130
played by Ralph Bates, seeking solace in
the singles club after his wife had
420
00:27:28,130 --> 00:27:29,130
left him.
421
00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:33,240
the man who called himself my friend,
who ate at my table and then bedded my
422
00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:34,240
wife.
423
00:27:34,940 --> 00:27:36,160
And he was Welsh.
424
00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:42,240
In the 1990s, John Sullivan added to his
impressive CV with three series of the
425
00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:46,380
cab driver comedy -drama Roger, Roger.
Rain, this is Dan.
426
00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:47,559
What's occurring?
427
00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:52,440
The range of his work is quite
startlingly huge.
428
00:27:54,340 --> 00:27:56,200
Every subject he did...
429
00:27:56,910 --> 00:27:59,510
he brought to life.
430
00:28:02,170 --> 00:28:09,090
If you asked him whether he thought he
was a great talent, he would
431
00:28:09,090 --> 00:28:14,330
dismiss you out of hand, and that would
be a genuine response from him.
432
00:28:14,590 --> 00:28:19,170
But he would always say, I'm the
luckiest writer alive.
433
00:28:19,810 --> 00:28:24,730
As the other shows came and went, only
Fools and Horses outlasted them all.
434
00:28:25,260 --> 00:28:27,100
Running for 22 years.
435
00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:35,920
It's always hard to predict whether
something will continue to be popular
436
00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:36,399
the years.
437
00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:40,120
Fools and Horses has managed that. I
think it probably survives because it
438
00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:44,400
touches a nerve and at the heart of it,
it isn't a high premise.
439
00:28:45,100 --> 00:28:52,080
It isn't a situation which is of its
time. It's a very universal set -up.
440
00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:53,080
a family.
441
00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:58,580
The series concluded in 2003 with the
revelation that Rodney's father wasn't
442
00:28:58,580 --> 00:29:02,220
Trotter, but a renowned Peckham villain
called Freddie Robdahl.
443
00:29:02,460 --> 00:29:08,500
He was a womaniser, a homebreaker, a
conman, a thief, a liar and a cheat.
444
00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:11,600
So no, Rodney.
445
00:29:12,860 --> 00:29:14,540
You're nothing like him.
446
00:29:16,460 --> 00:29:19,680
Only Fools and Horses had officially
finished.
447
00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:24,460
But it didn't stop John Sullivan's
imagination exploring the family history
448
00:29:24,460 --> 00:29:28,080
the Trotters, which was to become his
final TV project.
449
00:29:28,980 --> 00:29:33,700
Rock and Chips was written very much
from John Sullivan's heart.
450
00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,580
It was a story that he wanted to tell.
451
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:38,100
He said, I've got this idea.
452
00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,380
He said, I know it's dangerous doing a
prequel. He said, but I've got this
453
00:29:42,380 --> 00:29:47,660
story. Where did Del come from? Where
did, you know, that life, that world
454
00:29:47,660 --> 00:29:49,000
from? What was their history?
455
00:29:49,340 --> 00:29:52,060
And he said, and it centred around the
mum.
456
00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:54,720
Here I am again, like a bad penny.
457
00:29:55,180 --> 00:29:59,100
Mrs Trotter, how lovely to see you.
458
00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:04,040
Kelly Bright came into the office and
that was it. We were set. We were good
459
00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:08,180
go. She brought Joan to life. She had
this wonderful charm.
460
00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:10,820
I like this.
461
00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:12,760
This opera.
462
00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,120
Classical. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto.
463
00:30:17,980 --> 00:30:19,740
Brandenburg Concerto.
464
00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:26,600
My character, Freddie Robdall, was this
really nasty piece of work who just
465
00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:27,720
turns up.
466
00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:29,520
He breaks into places.
467
00:30:29,820 --> 00:30:32,580
He knows how to get in and threaten
people.
468
00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:34,080
What do you think you're doing?
469
00:30:35,459 --> 00:30:36,459
What's your name?
470
00:30:37,060 --> 00:30:38,400
How do you know my name?
471
00:30:39,900 --> 00:30:41,220
Oh, I know a lot about you.
472
00:30:42,380 --> 00:30:44,620
Like how you like to play games with
girls.
473
00:30:45,460 --> 00:30:48,400
A bit sissy, but each to their own.
474
00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:53,000
Well, there are no girls around at the
moment, but I'm here.
475
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:55,320
I'm always up for a lark.
476
00:30:56,620 --> 00:30:57,620
Who are you?
477
00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:00,280
I'm the last bloke in the world you want
to meet.
478
00:31:01,710 --> 00:31:07,550
Nick played that part so wonderfully
well, you know, full of nuance and
479
00:31:07,550 --> 00:31:14,430
and at times very sinister and a big
heart
480
00:31:14,430 --> 00:31:20,770
underneath it. The thing that struck me
about Rock and Chips was how we'd just
481
00:31:20,770 --> 00:31:23,570
gone round in this full circle,
backwards.
482
00:31:24,190 --> 00:31:28,910
Freddie Robdell could speak French and
he spent a lot of time with Del's
483
00:31:29,370 --> 00:31:31,170
So there was just that little...
484
00:31:31,420 --> 00:31:37,400
that perhaps it was Freddie Robdell that
started the French in Dell.
485
00:31:37,660 --> 00:31:41,000
J 'adore un soixante -neuf.
486
00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:44,780
I feel all right.
487
00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:45,919
What's that?
488
00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:46,920
It's French.
489
00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:48,520
Where did you learn that?
490
00:31:48,820 --> 00:31:51,120
At the Flicks, a Brigitte Bardot film.
491
00:31:51,380 --> 00:31:52,299
What's it mean?
492
00:31:52,300 --> 00:31:55,460
I was told it meant, I am enjoying this
dinner.
493
00:31:56,020 --> 00:32:00,240
J 'adore un soixante -neuf.
494
00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:02,480
That's brilliant.
495
00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:03,680
God, you're really clever.
496
00:32:03,980 --> 00:32:04,980
Thank you, darling.
497
00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:06,820
Oh, my mum speaks French.
498
00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:12,680
I tried to make a point of trying not to
do Del Boy as a way I would have done
499
00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:14,800
him down the pub to impress my friends.
500
00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:18,880
Oh, look at this impression of Del Boy I
can do. I tried to make it a lot
501
00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:24,840
subtler and also to give the impression
that who I'm playing will eventually
502
00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,140
turn into David Jason's Del Boy.
503
00:32:27,470 --> 00:32:32,610
Au revoir, mon matre. May I speak, oh,
at Sacra Cura to Mademoiselle Barbara
504
00:32:32,610 --> 00:32:33,650
Birdo, gracias.
505
00:32:34,730 --> 00:32:35,730
French.
506
00:32:35,950 --> 00:32:37,730
It's a piece of... Hello?
507
00:32:38,030 --> 00:32:41,690
You know, Del Boy means just as much to
me as all those other people that would
508
00:32:41,690 --> 00:32:44,110
have tuned in to watch Rock and Chips.
509
00:32:44,370 --> 00:32:45,370
Lovely jubbly.
510
00:32:49,490 --> 00:32:54,730
Three episodes of Rock and Chips were
made, but while John Sullivan was
511
00:32:54,730 --> 00:32:56,960
on developing more... Tragedy struck.
512
00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:04,240
We knew John had been ill for a while
and he'd been in hospital with viral
513
00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,640
pneumonia and he was feeling better.
514
00:33:06,860 --> 00:33:13,780
He was up and we'd been exchanging texts
because although
515
00:33:13,780 --> 00:33:20,680
the BBC hadn't given a green light to
the next Rock and Chips, they'd hired
516
00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:22,240
and reserved all the props.
517
00:33:22,780 --> 00:33:26,560
And the furniture and the set, which is
kind of BBC speak for, yeah, well, we're
518
00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:28,880
not going to tell you, but yeah, we've
got it all ready to go.
519
00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:36,600
Yeah, and then the phone rang a couple
of days later and it was Gareth, our
520
00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:37,600
producer.
521
00:33:38,300 --> 00:33:42,540
And he said something along the lines
of, he's lost the battle.
522
00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:48,340
And that's, I just went to bits.
523
00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:51,940
It was...
524
00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,380
an incredible shock to the system.
525
00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:03,860
We were desperately sad, and it was one
of those
526
00:34:03,860 --> 00:34:10,800
times where, as it happens to so many
people, you
527
00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:11,940
just can't believe it.
528
00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:19,380
John's passing left a big gap in my life
and many others, but a huge gap in
529
00:34:19,380 --> 00:34:21,080
what he...
530
00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:23,620
would be writing to this very day.
531
00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:28,780
His work was incredibly important, but
his family were the most important
532
00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:32,960
and that was the sadness, of course,
that he's now gone and left a huge hole.
533
00:34:33,780 --> 00:34:40,520
My favourite memory of John Sullivan is
John laughing and seeing him
534
00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:44,639
as the family man and where he loved to
spend all his time.
535
00:34:45,139 --> 00:34:51,480
The only thing is that when I popped...
this mortal coil, at least I'll know
536
00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:56,400
he's up there and I'll have a bloody
good laugh because he'll be there.
537
00:34:56,820 --> 00:34:59,940
But yes, incredibly missed.
538
00:35:09,180 --> 00:35:13,840
The success of Only Fools and Horses is
unlike any other British comedy.
539
00:35:14,380 --> 00:35:19,080
Four episodes rank among the 20 most
watched TV shows of all time.
540
00:35:20,020 --> 00:35:24,760
And new generations continuously join
the legions of loyal fans.
541
00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:31,840
It still has this sort of snowball
effect. You get letters from people
542
00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:34,960
just wanted you to know that there are
three generations of the same family
543
00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,120
laughing their heads off at this
episode.
544
00:35:37,460 --> 00:35:40,220
And that's astounding.
545
00:35:40,650 --> 00:35:43,950
I wish I could put my finger on it and
say this is why it's so popular today.
546
00:35:44,150 --> 00:35:48,450
The way people still talk about it and
fans gather and they share memorabilia
547
00:35:48,450 --> 00:35:50,030
and they love re -watching episodes.
548
00:35:50,550 --> 00:35:54,630
In some cases, the series have literally
marked fans for life.
549
00:35:54,970 --> 00:35:59,230
I was at one of these signing
conventions, a chap turned up and rolled
550
00:35:59,230 --> 00:36:01,130
trouser leg and plonked that on the
desk.
551
00:36:01,740 --> 00:36:04,540
And it was covered in Fools and Horses
memorabilia.
552
00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,120
Pictures of everybody, signatures of
everybody.
553
00:36:07,420 --> 00:36:10,660
And he said, if you can find a space, he
said, you sign it, I'll get it inked in
554
00:36:10,660 --> 00:36:16,120
later. There's a chap out in Bristol
that had the entire cast tattooed onto
555
00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:17,120
back.
556
00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:20,060
This is my body, so I do what I want to
do with my body.
557
00:36:21,060 --> 00:36:22,660
It's quite expensive and it's painful.
558
00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:26,760
After two or three hours it's OK, but
after four hours it starts stinging.
559
00:36:27,420 --> 00:36:28,420
There was one...
560
00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:33,100
A little glitch on the tattoo, though,
that I spotted. He's got the wrong
561
00:36:33,100 --> 00:36:34,100
plate on the van.
562
00:36:34,140 --> 00:36:37,820
But he'll never see it, so I'm sure it's
not a problem.
563
00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:41,840
Brothers, look!
564
00:36:41,860 --> 00:36:42,859
Look there, look!
565
00:36:42,860 --> 00:36:44,560
It's a real -life BG!
566
00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:46,180
All right, pass up!
567
00:36:46,980 --> 00:36:51,980
Over the years, several famous fans have
been lucky enough to have brief cameos.
568
00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:57,780
But only one, and perhaps the show's
most famous fan of all... has managed to
569
00:36:57,780 --> 00:37:01,700
land a full acting role, albeit in a
sports relief sketch.
570
00:37:01,980 --> 00:37:07,640
We are currently lumbered with 200 pairs
of men's pants that some git has
571
00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:08,640
scribbled over.
572
00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:18,180
What are you looking at me for? You
asked me to find them.
573
00:37:18,980 --> 00:37:21,760
David Beckham, bless his heart, he was
so frightened.
574
00:37:22,380 --> 00:37:23,880
He was so frightened.
575
00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:29,560
Let's say his ability to act is not
quite as good as his ability to kick a
576
00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:34,300
football, but then I'm not very good at
kicking a football, so be fair.
577
00:37:34,700 --> 00:37:36,900
It was your idea to have Rodney model
him.
578
00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:38,680
Oh, so it's my fault now, is it?
579
00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:41,980
Look, I didn't want to wear the stupid
bloody things in the first place.
580
00:37:42,460 --> 00:37:43,940
Oh, shut up, you tart.
581
00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:52,020
He did ask me my advice about that
falling through the hatch business. At
582
00:37:52,020 --> 00:37:52,759
he was...
583
00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:58,240
very nervous about doing it, but I had a
little chat with him and he ended up
584
00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:01,700
doing it extremely well. Are you David
Beckham?
585
00:38:02,900 --> 00:38:07,940
I am, but don't tell anyone. I don't
want to draw any attention to myself,
586
00:38:07,940 --> 00:38:09,260
right? OK. Good boy.
587
00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,240
So hats off to him because he took it
seriously.
588
00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:20,980
That's how he was a...
589
00:38:22,060 --> 00:38:23,360
Good laddies, Dave.
590
00:38:23,900 --> 00:38:29,320
And now something for all fans.
591
00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:34,700
No matter how big a star you are, unseen
even by the cast and crew, we have
592
00:38:34,700 --> 00:38:39,300
uncovered a missing episode which has
been lying on a shelf for decades and
593
00:38:39,300 --> 00:38:41,880
never been broadcast on television ever
before.
594
00:38:42,340 --> 00:38:44,060
Wake up, this is exciting.
595
00:38:44,540 --> 00:38:48,000
Oh, no, I'm getting excited with my eyes
shut.
596
00:38:54,650 --> 00:39:00,210
Licence to drill was made in 1984 after
John Sullivan was approached by a
597
00:39:00,210 --> 00:39:04,810
petroleum company to make a one -off
educational special to be shown in
598
00:39:04,810 --> 00:39:09,730
and was the last time Leonard Pierce
played the character of Grandad. Oh,
599
00:39:09,730 --> 00:39:11,810
brings back some memories, Rodney.
600
00:39:12,070 --> 00:39:15,630
A young -looking Nick, but lovely to see
Leonard.
601
00:39:16,250 --> 00:39:17,250
In all his glory.
602
00:39:17,430 --> 00:39:22,250
Up till now, I always thought that oil
was simply something you forgot to put
603
00:39:22,250 --> 00:39:23,169
the front of the van.
604
00:39:23,170 --> 00:39:24,170
But I know.
605
00:39:24,410 --> 00:39:26,230
There's a hell of a lot more to it than
that, Rodney.
606
00:39:27,050 --> 00:39:31,530
I'm talking about North Sea Oil and its
by -products.
607
00:39:32,030 --> 00:39:36,710
Or hydrocarbons, as we like to call
them.
608
00:39:37,050 --> 00:39:41,390
North Sea Oil and their by -products has
come straight out of the management.
609
00:39:41,750 --> 00:39:44,410
I'm not going to have John Sullivan and
David Jast there. He wouldn't have
610
00:39:44,410 --> 00:39:46,550
said... Could you? Just for us?
611
00:39:46,770 --> 00:39:49,550
But he really wouldn't. Can't we just...
No, honestly, it's got to be North Sea
612
00:39:49,550 --> 00:39:51,250
Oil and their by -products.
613
00:39:52,470 --> 00:39:54,670
No -one's going to see this, are they?
No, all right, I'll say it.
614
00:39:56,350 --> 00:39:58,730
Now, what have all these things got in
common?
615
00:40:00,270 --> 00:40:01,270
They're all nicked.
616
00:40:01,350 --> 00:40:02,350
No.
617
00:40:04,410 --> 00:40:06,150
All right, well, what else have they all
got in common?
618
00:40:07,110 --> 00:40:08,110
I'll tell you, shall I?
619
00:40:08,230 --> 00:40:09,570
They're all made with oil.
620
00:40:09,900 --> 00:40:13,260
Not a single item on this table could
have been made without the aid of oil
621
00:40:13,260 --> 00:40:17,740
its by -products, methane, propane,
butane, and, of course, something else.
622
00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:20,460
Where does he get all this from?
623
00:40:21,300 --> 00:40:22,340
It's very educational.
624
00:40:23,500 --> 00:40:27,380
It's almost like you could take any
subject, or John could take any subject
625
00:40:27,380 --> 00:40:29,640
throw it at them and make it funny. Yes.
626
00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:33,180
Well, that bloke we just met there is a
deep -sea diver, right? And up till
627
00:40:33,180 --> 00:40:34,980
recently was working in the North Sea.
628
00:40:35,240 --> 00:40:38,120
A couple of weeks ago, he decided to
jack it in and come down here.
629
00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:39,360
What are you, Bo?
630
00:40:44,110 --> 00:40:45,110
An oil rig.
631
00:40:47,250 --> 00:40:48,350
An oil rig?
632
00:40:48,730 --> 00:40:51,070
An oil rig.
633
00:40:51,870 --> 00:40:53,290
What colour is he?
634
00:40:54,050 --> 00:40:55,570
What colour is it?
635
00:40:56,050 --> 00:40:58,910
I don't know what colour it is.
636
00:40:59,590 --> 00:41:00,930
I haven't seen it yet.
637
00:41:01,610 --> 00:41:03,030
We pick it up tomorrow morning.
638
00:41:03,410 --> 00:41:04,630
Pick it up tomorrow.
639
00:41:05,470 --> 00:41:09,630
You can tell when you've got moments
like that. That's John.
640
00:41:09,970 --> 00:41:11,470
And where is this oil rig?
641
00:41:12,030 --> 00:41:13,730
It's in a lock -up garage in Catford.
642
00:41:14,060 --> 00:41:17,660
A lock -up in... I don't think you read
that magazine very well, did you?
643
00:41:18,340 --> 00:41:21,760
Don't you figure we're going to do any
exploration or drilling?
644
00:41:22,220 --> 00:41:24,420
That's the beauty of it, Rodney. We
don't have to.
645
00:41:24,900 --> 00:41:28,600
We just lay low in our boat for a while
and we wait for one of the big oil
646
00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:32,560
companies to move off the oil field.
Then we whip in a bit lively and use
647
00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:33,560
oil.
648
00:41:34,420 --> 00:41:39,140
Use their oil? I mean, you can just whip
down there with your pipe and connect
649
00:41:39,140 --> 00:41:41,360
up and then we'll be pumping up crude.
650
00:41:42,340 --> 00:41:43,840
Black. Gold.
651
00:41:45,300 --> 00:41:47,260
Whereabouts are these oil fields then?
652
00:41:49,700 --> 00:41:55,960
They're offshore, aren't they? That is
why they're called offshore oil fields.
653
00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:03,480
When they say they're offshore, right,
they mean hundreds and hundreds of miles
654
00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:06,440
offshore. Some of them are near Norway.
655
00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:09,440
Norway?
656
00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:12,400
That's in Sweden, isn't it?
657
00:42:12,940 --> 00:42:15,360
You thought they were just a few hundred
yards out, didn't you?
658
00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:17,440
Well, he's congenital, isn't he?
659
00:42:17,700 --> 00:42:20,420
I mean, he has done you up like a
kipper, hasn't he?
660
00:42:22,220 --> 00:42:27,660
He wasn't a sort of commie, was he,
Grandad? Of course not. He had an honest
661
00:42:27,660 --> 00:42:28,920
face. Exactly.
662
00:42:30,140 --> 00:42:33,660
In fact, he reminded me very much of
you, Del Boy.
663
00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:41,100
Don't just sit there, Rodney. Go and get
the van started.
664
00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:44,380
Go on, we've got to go and get after
him. He hides the keys.
665
00:42:44,720 --> 00:42:45,940
Right. Go on, hurry up.
666
00:42:46,440 --> 00:42:47,440
Stone me.
667
00:42:47,740 --> 00:42:48,940
What a wally.
668
00:42:49,620 --> 00:42:52,200
Classic. That was the van I just
remembered.
669
00:42:52,480 --> 00:42:53,480
What about the man?
670
00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:54,920
He's out of petrol.
671
00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:01,380
I feel like I've died and gone to
heaven.
672
00:43:01,940 --> 00:43:04,960
It's one thing that I think the world is
robbed of.
673
00:43:05,260 --> 00:43:07,560
New Only Fools and Horses, particularly
with Granddad.
674
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:09,320
That's lovely to see.
675
00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:10,760
There you go.
676
00:43:11,060 --> 00:43:15,000
John is just the genius that we will all
miss.
677
00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:24,440
He'd be so chuffed to know that people
are still watching it and still enjoying
678
00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:28,240
it and new generations are getting
pleasure out of it.
679
00:43:28,660 --> 00:43:30,280
Morning, love.
680
00:43:30,700 --> 00:43:32,520
Nice to see you back on your feet.
681
00:43:34,240 --> 00:43:37,720
It's because it has a wonderful feel
-good factor, doesn't it?
682
00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:40,260
And I'm sure that's because John himself
was.
683
00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:44,620
a family man, and he wanted the show to
be a family show.
684
00:43:44,940 --> 00:43:46,800
Wave goodbye to your daddy!
685
00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:55,460
And with each generation, it's still
going to be there, isn't it? So
686
00:43:55,460 --> 00:43:59,820
people will still in 20th time be
getting as much pleasure as they have in
687
00:43:59,820 --> 00:44:00,840
past and they are at the moment.
688
00:44:01,100 --> 00:44:02,120
It was Leonard Pierce.
689
00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:07,140
He came into work one day and he said,
do you know we're going to live forever?
690
00:44:07,980 --> 00:44:14,680
What do you mean? He said, have you seen
them? They're VHS cassettes,
691
00:44:14,680 --> 00:44:17,680
and you can record programmes on them.
692
00:44:18,140 --> 00:44:21,520
He said, so that way, in a way, we'll
live forever, won't we?
693
00:44:22,600 --> 00:44:27,140
And I always remember him saying that,
and I take comfort in knowing that
694
00:44:27,140 --> 00:44:29,920
work will also live forever.
695
00:44:30,700 --> 00:44:32,480
It's amazing, isn't it?
696
00:44:40,430 --> 00:44:45,890
No income tax, no VAT, no money back, no
guarantee.
697
00:44:46,230 --> 00:44:52,270
Black or white, rich or broke, we'll cut
prices at a stroke.
698
00:44:54,150 --> 00:44:56,830
God bless Hookie Street.
699
00:44:57,670 --> 00:44:59,990
Viva Hookie Street.
700
00:45:00,410 --> 00:45:03,030
Long live Hookie Street.
61733
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