Only Fools and Horses (1981)

Directed by
Tony Dow
,
Ray Butt
,
Susan Belbin
,
Martin Shardlow
,
Mandie Fletcher
,
Bernard Thompson

Set in Peckham, south-east London, this classic sitcom was created and written by John Sullivan. Originally shown on BBC One between 1981 and 1996, it was not an immediate success. A "slow burn", it eventually achieved consistently high ratings. A 1996 Christmas special, Time On Our Hands, drew 24.35 million viewers, the highest UK audience for a sitcom episode.

The show follows the lives of "dodgy" cockney market traders Derek "Delboy" Trotter (David Jason) and his brother "Plonker" Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), who live in a tower-block flat with their grandad (Lennard Pearce), later replaced (after Pearce's death) by Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield). Forever trying to make ends meet, the Trotters' ultimate goal is to make their millions.

Originally intended to to be about three bachelors of different generations, eventually Rodney marries Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong), while Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones) moves in with Del Boy.

The series continued - with sporadic Christmas specials - up until 2003. A year later, it was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a BBC poll.

In 2005, two Only Fools' characters - Boycie (John Challis) and his wife Marlene (Sue Holderness) - were spun-out by Sullivan into their own sitcom, The Green Green Grass.

Written by

Genre: Sitcom

Production Year: 1981

Rating:
5/5 Stars

Classification: PG Certificate

Production Country: UK

Main Cast

Image for David JasonDavid Jason...Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter
Image for Nicholas LyndhurstNicholas Lyndhurst...Rodney Trotter
Image for Roger Lloyd-PackRoger Lloyd-Pack...Trigger
Buster Merryfield...Uncle Albert Trotter
Image for John ChallisJohn Challis...Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce, Boycie
Kenneth MacDonald...Mike Fisher
Lennard Pearce...Grandad
Gwyneth Strong...Cassandra Parry, Cassandra Parry/Trotter, Cassandra Trotter
Image for Sue HoldernessSue Holderness...Marlene
Tessa Peake-Jones...Raquel Turner, Raquel Turner/Rachel Slater
Patrick Murray...Mickey Pearce
Image for Paul BarberPaul Barber...Denzil
Roy Heather...Sid
Denis Lill...Alan Parry
Nula Conwell...Maureen the Barmaid
Steven Woodcock...Jevon
Julie La Rousse...Julie the Barmaid
Lee Richards...Customer in restaurant, Woman at Market Stall, Woman customer in pub., Woman in pub, Woman on Stairs
Image for Jim BroadbentJim Broadbent...Det. Chief Insp. Roy Slater, Det. Insp. Roy Slater, Roy Slater
Michele Winstanley...Karen the Barmaid