Original subtitles

I'll fetch the suitcase from the bank.

Cause if you want the best ones, but you don't ask questions, then brother, I'm

your man.

Cause where it all comes from is a mystery.

It's like the changing of the seasons and the tides of the sea. But here's the

one who's driving me berserk.

Why do...

Yeah, I was watching that.

Only Fools and Horses is one of Britain's most loved shows on TV.

Lovely jubbly. 64 episodes were made between 1981 and 2003, and it's

still watched and laughed at by millions of us every week.

With every line written by just one man.

The success of Fools and Horses can be summed up with two words, and it's John

Sullivan. The story of Derek Trotter's life is the story of John Sullivan's

creative genius.

I don't think anybody really touches John for being able to make you laugh.

And being able to make you cry.

It's time next year.

We'll be millionaires.

Celebrating the wonderful comedy world of John Sullivan.

we'll be getting the inside story on the Trotters from the horse's mouth.

I was nearly fired because of that scene.

Oi! I said to John, you can't use this.

Come on, get him off!

We've also recreated some of the sets, reunited cast members, and have talked

some of the show's most famous fans.

One of the incredible things about Fools and Horses is that you could grow up

watching it. I can't remember a time before I watched any Fools and Horses.

really, really, really the best.

Over the next hour, we'll be focusing on family matters.

What is it, Del?

Your little baby.

And, as a rare treat, we can reveal a lost episode which has never been

broadcast on TV ever before.

I've just made the deal that he's going to make us millionaires.

And in another first... We also have a deleted theme, saved from the cutting

room floor.

So sit back and enjoy the definitive story of Only

Fools and Horses, the show which has given us some of the most memorable

in British comedy.

Of course, that's just comedy. I mean, it doesn't really happen in real life.

It's not supposed to happen in real life.

Grandad?

Still hasn't got it right.

What's that dirty looking thing?

That is your uncle, Rodney.

Family. It's a bond, it's a tie, it's an anchor.

Call it what you will, but blood is thicker than water.

A sense of family is what holds the whole show together.

I love you, Trotter.

Yes!

It may well be one of the reasons why it holds such an important place in so

many people's hearts. The audience looks at it and goes, that's us, that's my

family.

That's always good when your audience can put on your characters like a pair

shoes and think these fit, these are comfortable.

You've seen my teeth.

You trod your mouth.

Edward Kitchener Trotter, known to us all as Grandad, was the head of the

tree. What are you doing?

I'm trying to get the Dukes of Hazzard.

A Wilkshire tele -addict. who lounged around Nelson Mandela House in old

and a Panama hat.

He just sat there for three series, just sat in the same chair and got all the

big laughs.

Have a good day, Bill.

He had that voice which is absolutely authentic.

So many people had a voice that was just out here and said art and a part, never

mind about all that.

That showed a vulnerability.

That was clever, because that always put him in a situation where it got Del's

sympathy. Del, boy, I burnt your pizza.

The role of the whiny and wily old goat came towards the end of Leonard Pierce's

illustrious career after a lifetime on stage.

Leonard Pierce had been a jobbing actor for sort of 50 years.

He'd trained at RADA.

He'd worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, he'd worked with the National

Theatre. He'd been touring the country, going into different reps, being in

different small parts in different plays.

Did you know Leonard Pierce met Hitler?

No, you didn't know that, did you?

When he was a young actor, he did a tour around Europe and they were playing

some small German city somewhere and the Nazis walked in.

The top honchos of the Nazi party had seen the play.

and came to congratulate, and Leonard shook hands with Adolf Hitler, and

he only ever told me once, and he said, had I known then what I know now, I

would have drawn the pistol from one of the bodyguards that was next to him, and

I would have done my best to kill him.

While Leonard Pierce didn't single -handedly defeat the Nazis, he did

national treasure status.

albeit nearly 50 years later.

That fame that I guess most actors kind of crave to a degree and that success

and that recognisation by the general public had eluded him. You're like me,

Rodney. I never ever found it easy to get girlfriends.

I wonder why.

For someone of his age, he'd been even thinking about retiring. And then

suddenly, with only fools and horses, you know, he'd go out shopping and he'd

recognised and they'd call him Grandad.

And then suddenly... He was hugely famous, and not only that, loved by the

nation. Del's gone out.

I'm not sure.

Where are you going to, Del?

Series 3 was our most successful to date, and Leonard fell ill during

for Series 4, and it was a bitter blow.

We knew that Leonard had been in hospital for a couple of days, and he'd

asking for the scripts, and we were saying, forget the scripts, just get

We'll wait for you until you're good to come back.

Sadly, just as his health appeared to be returning, Leonard Pierce suffered a

heart attack and passed away.

A terrible shock, because you've got to remember that we were all very, very

close. We all liked each other very, very much, and we worked very closely

together.

Well, it was, it was, like losing a member of your own family.

The BBC, because the series had been commissioned, obviously they wanted to

us a certain time to grieve, if you like, but at the same time they were

going, when do we expect the shooting to start again?

So the discussion went of how we were going to replace Leonard,

and there were a number of thoughts, and one was...

that will carry on with a lookalike granddad.

Both John and I were very against that because,

as John Sullivan put it, he said, no, no, I'm not going to do that. That's

disrespectful for Leonard, who was a member of the family.

Unprecedented in TV comedy, John Sullivan decided to write the death of

Pierce into the show to give granddad a send -off.

fitting for one so loved by the cast, crew and viewers.

I remember that day very well.

It was snowing.

And it was also doubly poignant because we'd just done it for real.

And here we are, filming a pretend one, which I didn't really get my head round

for a good few days.

It was a lovely service, Vicar. Thank you very much.

Has anyone seen my hat? It was... And even in

a really sad day for us as a cast and crew.

Yeah, that was funny.

It's just us two now, bruv.

Me and you against the rest.

Don't stand a bloody chance today, eh?

As the old adage goes, the show must go on. And wanting to keep three family

members living under one roof, John Sullivan introduced a long -lost

Oh, my bloody head! John had to frantically write a character

that perhaps it would have taken him months, I don't know, but it would have

taken me years to work out that sort of character that...

Uncle Albert had.

Under pressure to write quickly, John Sullivan's inspiration for The Eccentric

Old Uncle came from an unlikely source.

Mustard Merrifield was a bank manager.

He'd always wanted to be in the theatre, and he said, I don't care if I just

sweep stages, I'm going to give up the bank and get into Sobis.

And he sent his photograph in to the production office.

And it happened to land on the deck at the right time.

And John said, let me have a look at that photo.

He said, he looks as though he could be a Navy man.

During the war, I was on this hospital ship.

One night it was so cold, the flame on my lighter froze.

As soon as he starts, during the war.

During the war... Oh, God, look at the time. No, it's another exaggerated

fairy story.

Well, during... If you say during the war once more, I'm going to pour this

of tea right over your head. I wasn't going to say during the war. Well,

all right, then.

Bloody little no.

All right.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

During the 1939 -1945 conflict in Germany...

One more story, which was thought to have sunk without praise, we have found

among the archive.

Cut from the final version of the show, as it was overrunning, Uncle Albert's

tale of visiting America has never been shown since it was recorded in 1991.

War the war.

Last soldiers there, everybody.

1930 it was. We sent a fleet over to North America on a friendly visit to a

Canadian and US cities.

I'm away.

Our last port of call was Chicago.

One night I went out for a quiet drink and Al Capone and his mob come in.

Of course I didn't know anything about them.

Well, the barman told me he was a racketeer.

But I thought he said he was a raconteur.

So I said, oh, yeah, tell us the story.

Oh, dear me, old Scarface got the right needle.

Yeah, he told one of his blokes to take me outside and shoot me.

So why didn't he?

Oh, he discovered I was a British sailor and changed his mind.

I hate people who dither.

It's just a lovely non -story, isn't it?

And it's lovely to be able to see perhaps bits that no -one else has seen

have always been there.

are valuable.

They're very fools and horses, but sadly, they've had to go.

And I think that one is a good case in point.

Coming up, the Trotter wives take centre stage.

And we have a very special treat.

What are you, Bo?

As we reveal an episode which has never been seen on television before.

An oil rig. Classic.

Welcome back to the story of Only Fools and Horses as we climb up the Trotter

family tree.

As the series went on, it branched out from being three men in a tower block...

Yeah, we're all on our own, we don't need no birds.

No, no.

..to an extended family with partners, kids and in -laws.

I think the most important injection

is when the women start coming into it.

Is it Derek?

Raquel? My name's Rodney. Oh, Cassandra.

We've reunited actors Tessa Peake -Jones and Gwyneth Strong to discuss what it

was like to play the partners of Del and Rodney Trotter.

I'm glad we bumped into each other because I was trying to find a way of

hello to you and I think it's really, you know, sort of liberated of you to

the first move.

Move?

No, you don't understand. You've taken my coat.

When you went into it with Cassandra meeting Rodney, did they tell you that

were going to be in it like a regular from then on and marry him and do all

stuff? Did you know all that before you got the job? No, not at all. What did

they tell you? They just told me I was coming to do one episode, then there was

another episode, then another episode, and sort of got to the end and thought,

oh, I've done a whole series.

Oh, and that's how it was?

Yeah, and then after that... So it wasn't like you will be playing the new

partner of Rodney? No, that's why it's quite funny because people say to you,

don't they, oh, you know, how did you feel about coming into this huge series

and the success of it and everything? And the truth was we didn't really think

like that.

If I was to meet a handsome, wealthy young man and he asked me to marry him,

you know what I'd say?

What? I'd say, ciao, Rodney, and you wouldn't see me for the tinted windows

his Porsche.

But until that time, I'm happy to drag along with you.

I think a lot of Cassandra's contribution as a character

was about class.

Her mother was quite... I think she's a bit snobby. I think she had

invested Cassandra with, you know, get on in life. Coffee, everyone?

Mummy, I was about to do that. That's all right, darling.

You were talking with Stephen. I thought I might as well make myself useful.

She was a spoiled little girl.

Well, she was. She was Daddy's darling. She was Daddy's darling, and Daddy

wanted the best for her.

How Rodney got Rodney.

I won't always be doing this.

Doing what?

Well, selling crap down markets.

I'll get my diploma in computer science soon, then things will change.

You don't have to prove anything to me, you know, Rodney.

Well, you've got a good job in a bank, haven't you? And your dad's a successful

businessman, and me, well, I'm an apprentice fly pitcher.

It was never that Cassandra's character would ever sort of criticise him for who

he was or where he'd come from, ever.

It was like that was just a sort of unspoken rule that John wouldn't go

because he knew that whatever...

Class or area you were from in life you everyone had a right and you you

everyone wanted to be better wherever you were

I'm just

going to the ladies And what about you was yours well known because mine

was a one -off and it was then later on that they I think Probably because by

then your theories had gone out and they'd seen the impact that having

longer term with one of the characters was working, and maybe then John

oh, well, maybe Del Boy should have someone too.

Oh, sorry, these are for you.

But when Raquel and Del first began their relationship, it wasn't long

John Sullivan steers them into choppy waters.

Able seaman Albert Trotter, you are hereby ordered by Her Majesty the

by the High Lords of the Admiralty, and by all your friends and relatives, to

have a very happy birthday!

Just when you take it that it's going to be hilarious that there's a girl, you

know, stripping off and everyone's sort of having a laugh at the pub.

You know, the core of that scene is that Del Boy is going to be really

humiliated in front of all his friends.

actress you've been telling us so much about.

Even Del, the depth of his emotion was beginning to show that he was really

feeling for this girl. He was falling for her, you know, in a way he'd never

fallen for anybody before.

I seem to remember also that is the Christmas special that won the BAFTA,

wonder why, because, you know, John had incorporated such feelings of sort of

passion and heartache, and, you know, and I thought that scene outside the

strippergram scene was a joy to play and proper, you know, proper drama.

This is probably a daft question, but do you want to see me any more?

Yes, of course I want to see you again, sweetheart.

The next time I'll pay at the door like all the other punters.

I don't think anyone had any intention of her coming back, and I think it was

only when they'd sort of played it through and it had been shown, and I

John then thought, oh, I wonder if there'd be more mileage to see Del Boy

settling down, perhaps, or at least having a more serious relationship with

woman.

Once Raquel was established as Del's partner, it wasn't long before the

became a family.

Who is it, friend or enema?

Friend or enema?

Shut up, Del.

Back in the trotter bed together again, Sir David Jason and Tessa Peake -Jones

talk about the finer points of playing pregnant parents.

You know when you were, I was going to say, using Del Boy's vernacular, up the

duff with Damien?

Did you have a cushion stuffed up your shirt? I must have had a padding because

I'd never had a child myself. Do you remember when we were shown that birth

video by the midwife who thought it would help us in the scene and we all

sick after breakfast?

That was hilarious.

And Buster said, I think I'm going to be sick.

We all sat there watching, you know, the afterbirth and all the things of that.

Oh, God, did we? That was hilarious.

Steady on, Raquel, steady on.

Yes, you did eventually, huh? Now you know what it's bloody well like!

That was a great scene that you played.

And it really made me laugh because it was so real.

And wasn't that scene written around John having his baby with his wife?

she hurt him? I think she actually hurt him during the birth and said, this is

what it's like, this is a tiny bit of what I'm feeling.

That's why it was so real. That's why it was such a joy to act. Absolutely.

Because it was all based on real stuff, wasn't it? And real people.

We've got ourselves a lovely little baby.

Oh, no.

I love you.

I love you too, sweetheart.

We've done it.

You bloody dummy.

Congratulations, son.

What is it, though?

It's a little baby.

Coming up, who does Rodney think he is? As we trace the Trotter family line.

Lovely jubbly.

And also, a lost episode which has never been seen before on British television.

He who dares wins.

We're off and running.

Only Fools and Horses is John Sullivan's masterpiece.

That's a wrap.

Which gave us the Trotters, possibly the most loved TV family of all time.

Yet these wonderful characters weren't his only comedy creations in a prolific

career which spanned over 30 years.

Oh, yeah!

He was a genius, right? I mean, he was an absolute kind of genius.

This guy was just a powerhouse of TV sitcoms. He was a TV sitcom factory.

Enormous amount of work he's done.

I mean, the sheer body of work is... No -one can compete with that, I don't

think. It's astonishing.

John Sullivan may just have been the last hurrah of the great working -class

comedy writers.

His first job in television was shifting scenery on comedies such as Porridge

and It Ain't Half Hot Mum, but his burning ambition to be a writer drove

make a bold approach to comedy producer Dennis Mayne Wilson at the BBC Bar.

I just said to him, I thought I'd introduce myself, my name's John

because we're going to be working together soon.

And he said, well, what on, what's that? I said, it's a new thing that I've

written. Well, I hadn't written it.

And I thought, well, fire me or, you know, and he just laughed and just said,

let's have a drink, you know, and great, great guy. And he said, well, go off

and write some bits for the two Ronnies.

So John did that, and then he came back with his script idea for Citizen Smith,

which he thought, John thought, was his best.

best idea so far and he showed it to Dennis and then went away to do some

writing and then they came back and they said we love it and within eight weeks

it was in production and on TV Citizen Smith is a comedy

about the misadventures of a hapless South London revolutionary I adored that

show And I look back at it now and I'm not quite sure why I loved it as much as

I did. But I loved the character.

All those in favour of a revolution tomorrow afternoon, say Fulham. Fulham.

Thank you, brothers.

It was one of the funniest comedies I'd seen at the time.

There was just something unusual about it.

Yes, Citizen Smith certainly caught our attention as writers.

It just seemed to be out of the mould of the sitcoms we'd been used to seeing.

The success of tonight's mission...

depends entirely on precision and split -second timing, right?

What time are we meeting?

Eight -ish.

I don't think John Sullivan would have written Only Fools and Horses if he

hadn't written Citizen Smith first. That was a big learning curve.

It also alerted the BBC to here's a writer...

Not quite there yet, hasn't quite found the thing that will capture the public,

but he's capable of it, and he put his flag down with Citizen Smith.

In 1981, John Sullivan was writing the first series of Only Fools and Horses,

and at the same time, writing sketches for The Two Ronnies, which at times

presented challenges for the up -and -coming comedy writer.

There's a great story that he had a gag that was going to be in the two Ronnies

about antibiotics.

Then he heard that it was going to be cut from the two Ronnies, so John, being

ever resourceful, thought, I know, I can use that in any falls.

Do you remember when Grandad was in hospital about 18 months back, they gave

so many of these antibiotics that one day he sneezed and two other blokes got

better.

But then I think he found out at a late stage that it was such a good gag that

the two Ronnies wanted to use it as well.

Take last year when I was in hospital having that British Rail donut removed.

They stuffed me full of antibiotics then, didn't they?

I had so many pills I sneezed one morning and the bloke in the next bed

better.

Both of them now are such great gags in the folklore of both shows.

During the early 80s, as Fools and Horses established itself as a regular

BBC's schedules, John Sullivan didn't rest on his laurels.

John was beavering away on another show called Just Good Friends, which was a

massive hit.

What would you say?

Beautiful, gentle, funny, romantic comedy.

Just Good Friends is based on a...

a young couple, one called Vince that I played and a character called Penny that

Jan Francis played.

And it's about how they meet again after five years.

I'm surprised you remember me.

Oh, I can never forget you, Vincent. You've always been unique.

You're the only bastard who ever jilted me.

The core of it was, will they, won't they get together again?

I'm sorry, I'm a little overwrought at the moment.

I'm trying to give up smoking and it makes me edgy.

How long have you been trying to give it up?

Since I've died.

I've tried everything.

Chewing gum, pills, even acupuncture.

I can't stand anything like that. Needles and injections.

There was no discomfort.

Didn't you feel a prick?

Well, I felt a bit... He had a gift, obviously.

And it was evident from the first day I picked up that script that this was

something special.

This was a special writer, which, of course, has proved to be the case.

Extraordinary that he would write two huge hit comedy series a year. I mean,

that was... God bless him.

Dear John... Hit followed hit. Dear John was the tale of a middle -aged man

played by Ralph Bates, seeking solace in the singles club after his wife had

left him.

the man who called himself my friend, who ate at my table and then bedded my

wife.

And he was Welsh.

In the 1990s, John Sullivan added to his impressive CV with three series of the

cab driver comedy -drama Roger, Roger. Rain, this is Dan.

What's occurring?

The range of his work is quite startlingly huge.

Every subject he did...

he brought to life.

If you asked him whether he thought he was a great talent, he would

dismiss you out of hand, and that would be a genuine response from him.

But he would always say, I'm the luckiest writer alive.

As the other shows came and went, only Fools and Horses outlasted them all.

Running for 22 years.

It's always hard to predict whether something will continue to be popular

the years.

Fools and Horses has managed that. I think it probably survives because it

touches a nerve and at the heart of it, it isn't a high premise.

It isn't a situation which is of its time. It's a very universal set -up.

a family.

The series concluded in 2003 with the revelation that Rodney's father wasn't

Trotter, but a renowned Peckham villain called Freddie Robdahl.

He was a womaniser, a homebreaker, a conman, a thief, a liar and a cheat.

So no, Rodney.

You're nothing like him.

Only Fools and Horses had officially finished.

But it didn't stop John Sullivan's imagination exploring the family history

the Trotters, which was to become his final TV project.

Rock and Chips was written very much from John Sullivan's heart.

It was a story that he wanted to tell.

He said, I've got this idea.

He said, I know it's dangerous doing a prequel. He said, but I've got this

story. Where did Del come from? Where did, you know, that life, that world

from? What was their history?

And he said, and it centred around the mum.

Here I am again, like a bad penny.

Mrs Trotter, how lovely to see you.

Kelly Bright came into the office and that was it. We were set. We were good

go. She brought Joan to life. She had this wonderful charm.

I like this.

This opera.

Classical. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto.

Brandenburg Concerto.

My character, Freddie Robdall, was this really nasty piece of work who just

turns up.

He breaks into places.

He knows how to get in and threaten people.

What do you think you're doing?

What's your name?

How do you know my name?

Oh, I know a lot about you.

Like how you like to play games with girls.

A bit sissy, but each to their own.

Well, there are no girls around at the moment, but I'm here.

I'm always up for a lark.

Who are you?

I'm the last bloke in the world you want to meet.

Nick played that part so wonderfully well, you know, full of nuance and

and at times very sinister and a big heart

underneath it. The thing that struck me about Rock and Chips was how we'd just

gone round in this full circle, backwards.

Freddie Robdell could speak French and he spent a lot of time with Del's

So there was just that little...

that perhaps it was Freddie Robdell that started the French in Dell.

J 'adore un soixante -neuf.

I feel all right.

What's that?

It's French.

Where did you learn that?

At the Flicks, a Brigitte Bardot film.

What's it mean?

I was told it meant, I am enjoying this dinner.

J 'adore un soixante -neuf.

That's brilliant.

God, you're really clever.

Thank you, darling.

Oh, my mum speaks French.

I tried to make a point of trying not to do Del Boy as a way I would have done

him down the pub to impress my friends.

Oh, look at this impression of Del Boy I can do. I tried to make it a lot

subtler and also to give the impression that who I'm playing will eventually

turn into David Jason's Del Boy.

Au revoir, mon matre. May I speak, oh, at Sacra Cura to Mademoiselle Barbara

Birdo, gracias.

French.

It's a piece of... Hello?

You know, Del Boy means just as much to me as all those other people that would

have tuned in to watch Rock and Chips.

Lovely jubbly.

Three episodes of Rock and Chips were made, but while John Sullivan was

on developing more... Tragedy struck.

We knew John had been ill for a while and he'd been in hospital with viral

pneumonia and he was feeling better.

He was up and we'd been exchanging texts because although

the BBC hadn't given a green light to the next Rock and Chips, they'd hired

and reserved all the props.

And the furniture and the set, which is kind of BBC speak for, yeah, well, we're

not going to tell you, but yeah, we've got it all ready to go.

Yeah, and then the phone rang a couple of days later and it was Gareth, our

producer.

And he said something along the lines of, he's lost the battle.

And that's, I just went to bits.

It was...

an incredible shock to the system.

We were desperately sad, and it was one of those

times where, as it happens to so many people, you

just can't believe it.

John's passing left a big gap in my life and many others, but a huge gap in

what he...

would be writing to this very day.

His work was incredibly important, but his family were the most important

and that was the sadness, of course, that he's now gone and left a huge hole.

My favourite memory of John Sullivan is John laughing and seeing him

as the family man and where he loved to spend all his time.

The only thing is that when I popped... this mortal coil, at least I'll know

he's up there and I'll have a bloody good laugh because he'll be there.

But yes, incredibly missed.

The success of Only Fools and Horses is unlike any other British comedy.

Four episodes rank among the 20 most watched TV shows of all time.

And new generations continuously join the legions of loyal fans.

It still has this sort of snowball effect. You get letters from people

just wanted you to know that there are three generations of the same family

laughing their heads off at this episode.

And that's astounding.

I wish I could put my finger on it and say this is why it's so popular today.

The way people still talk about it and fans gather and they share memorabilia

and they love re -watching episodes.

In some cases, the series have literally marked fans for life.

I was at one of these signing conventions, a chap turned up and rolled

trouser leg and plonked that on the desk.

And it was covered in Fools and Horses memorabilia.

Pictures of everybody, signatures of everybody.

And he said, if you can find a space, he said, you sign it, I'll get it inked in

later. There's a chap out in Bristol that had the entire cast tattooed onto

back.

This is my body, so I do what I want to do with my body.

It's quite expensive and it's painful.

After two or three hours it's OK, but after four hours it starts stinging.

There was one...

A little glitch on the tattoo, though, that I spotted. He's got the wrong

plate on the van.

But he'll never see it, so I'm sure it's not a problem.

Brothers, look!

Look there, look!

It's a real -life BG!

All right, pass up!

Over the years, several famous fans have been lucky enough to have brief cameos.

But only one, and perhaps the show's most famous fan of all... has managed to

land a full acting role, albeit in a sports relief sketch.

We are currently lumbered with 200 pairs of men's pants that some git has

scribbled over.

What are you looking at me for? You asked me to find them.

David Beckham, bless his heart, he was so frightened.

He was so frightened.

Let's say his ability to act is not quite as good as his ability to kick a

football, but then I'm not very good at kicking a football, so be fair.

It was your idea to have Rodney model him.

Oh, so it's my fault now, is it?

Look, I didn't want to wear the stupid bloody things in the first place.

Oh, shut up, you tart.

He did ask me my advice about that falling through the hatch business. At

he was...

very nervous about doing it, but I had a little chat with him and he ended up

doing it extremely well. Are you David Beckham?

I am, but don't tell anyone. I don't want to draw any attention to myself,

right? OK. Good boy.

So hats off to him because he took it seriously.

That's how he was a...

Good laddies, Dave.

And now something for all fans.

No matter how big a star you are, unseen even by the cast and crew, we have

uncovered a missing episode which has been lying on a shelf for decades and

never been broadcast on television ever before.

Wake up, this is exciting.

Oh, no, I'm getting excited with my eyes shut.

Licence to drill was made in 1984 after John Sullivan was approached by a

petroleum company to make a one -off educational special to be shown in

and was the last time Leonard Pierce played the character of Grandad. Oh,

brings back some memories, Rodney.

A young -looking Nick, but lovely to see Leonard.

In all his glory.

Up till now, I always thought that oil was simply something you forgot to put

the front of the van.

But I know.

There's a hell of a lot more to it than that, Rodney.

I'm talking about North Sea Oil and its by -products.

Or hydrocarbons, as we like to call them.

North Sea Oil and their by -products has come straight out of the management.

I'm not going to have John Sullivan and David Jast there. He wouldn't have

said... Could you? Just for us?

But he really wouldn't. Can't we just... No, honestly, it's got to be North Sea

Oil and their by -products.

No -one's going to see this, are they? No, all right, I'll say it.

Now, what have all these things got in common?

They're all nicked.

No.

All right, well, what else have they all got in common?

I'll tell you, shall I?

They're all made with oil.

Not a single item on this table could have been made without the aid of oil

its by -products, methane, propane, butane, and, of course, something else.

Where does he get all this from?

It's very educational.

It's almost like you could take any subject, or John could take any subject

throw it at them and make it funny. Yes.

Well, that bloke we just met there is a deep -sea diver, right? And up till

recently was working in the North Sea.

A couple of weeks ago, he decided to jack it in and come down here.

What are you, Bo?

An oil rig.

An oil rig?

An oil rig.

What colour is he?

What colour is it?

I don't know what colour it is.

I haven't seen it yet.

We pick it up tomorrow morning.

Pick it up tomorrow.

You can tell when you've got moments like that. That's John.

And where is this oil rig?

It's in a lock -up garage in Catford.

A lock -up in... I don't think you read that magazine very well, did you?

Don't you figure we're going to do any exploration or drilling?

That's the beauty of it, Rodney. We don't have to.

We just lay low in our boat for a while and we wait for one of the big oil

companies to move off the oil field. Then we whip in a bit lively and use

oil.

Use their oil? I mean, you can just whip down there with your pipe and connect

up and then we'll be pumping up crude.

Black. Gold.

Whereabouts are these oil fields then?

They're offshore, aren't they? That is why they're called offshore oil fields.

When they say they're offshore, right, they mean hundreds and hundreds of miles

offshore. Some of them are near Norway.

Norway?

That's in Sweden, isn't it?

You thought they were just a few hundred yards out, didn't you?

Well, he's congenital, isn't he?

I mean, he has done you up like a kipper, hasn't he?

He wasn't a sort of commie, was he, Grandad? Of course not. He had an honest

face. Exactly.

In fact, he reminded me very much of you, Del Boy.

Don't just sit there, Rodney. Go and get the van started.

Go on, we've got to go and get after him. He hides the keys.

Right. Go on, hurry up.

Stone me.

What a wally.

Classic. That was the van I just remembered.

What about the man?

He's out of petrol.

I feel like I've died and gone to heaven.

It's one thing that I think the world is robbed of.

New Only Fools and Horses, particularly with Granddad.

That's lovely to see.

There you go.

John is just the genius that we will all miss.

He'd be so chuffed to know that people are still watching it and still enjoying

it and new generations are getting pleasure out of it.

Morning, love.

Nice to see you back on your feet.

It's because it has a wonderful feel -good factor, doesn't it?

And I'm sure that's because John himself was.

a family man, and he wanted the show to be a family show.

Wave goodbye to your daddy!

And with each generation, it's still going to be there, isn't it? So

people will still in 20th time be getting as much pleasure as they have in

past and they are at the moment.

It was Leonard Pierce.

He came into work one day and he said, do you know we're going to live forever?

What do you mean? He said, have you seen them? They're VHS cassettes,

and you can record programmes on them.

He said, so that way, in a way, we'll live forever, won't we?

And I always remember him saying that, and I take comfort in knowing that

work will also live forever.

It's amazing, isn't it?

No income tax, no VAT, no money back, no guarantee.

Black or white, rich or broke, we'll cut prices at a stroke.

God bless Hookie Street.

Viva Hookie Street.

Long live Hookie Street.