David Jason has revealed he would ‘never’ have thought he’d appear in one of Britain’s highest-rated festive specials – especially after getting his start in front of the camera playing a goose.
The actor, 82, made his first TV appearance on Decemver 26, 1965 when he played King Goose in a BBC production of Mother Goose.
31 years later on December 26 1996, 24.3million people watched him as Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter in Only Fools And Horses’ Christmas special where he and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) dressed up like Batman and Robin.
Career: David Jason has revealed he would ‘never’ have thought he’d appear in one of Britain’s highest-rated festive specials – especially after getting his start in front of the camera playing a goose (pictured in November 2022)
According to the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board, it’s one of the biggest audiences ever recorded for a single transmission in the UK.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, David said: ‘It’s been a journey. You would never, ever have thought that could possibly happen from playing the King of Goose Land on television… you’re lucky if you got another job.’
David, who was raised in North Finchley, London, told how his whole family gathered around to watch his first TV appearance.
He said: ‘The thing about it is you’ve got a poor, working-class family, and because television was still quite new then, it wasn’t in everybody’s house.
Success: On December 26 1996, 24.3million people watched him as Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter in Only Fools And Horses’ Christmas special where he and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) dressed up like Batman and Robin
‘But then to have one of your own, one of your family actually on the television itself was an amazing achievement.’
David added that his family ‘never made a big deal’ about his fame and his father would jokingly say, ‘Oh, you silly bugger, is that you flying about?’ in order to keep him humble.
Earlier this year, David revealed his favourite Only Fools And Horses episode and the poignant scene that almost brings him to tears.
In quotes obtained by The Sun, he recalled ‘the sheer fun’ of 1989’s special, The Jolly Boys’ Outing, and spoke of the late John Challis in ‘a world that’s gone.’
Early days: The actor, 82, made his first TV appearance on Decemver 26, 1965 when he played King Goose in a BBC production of Mother Goose
John died ‘peacefully in his sleep’ aged 79 in September last year after a long battle with cancer and was best-known for his portrayal of second-hand car dealer Boycie – a cigar-smoking businessman who butted heads with Del Boy.
In the book, David notes: ‘It’s the sequence where Harry Nilsson’s Everybody’s Talkin’ plays as we see the cast on board the coach to Margate, and the day’s high jinks starting to unfold.
‘The magic of Only Fools is compressed into this single sequence – the gang of friends that the cast had become, and the sheer fun of it all. And so many of those faces no longer with us, of course.’
He continued: ‘Nowadays the glimpse of John Challis reaching across to swipe my hat off is so poignant that I practically have to close my eyes, and the whole thing is a world that’s gone.’
Sir David explained that the scene sums up the relationship between the cast members and exactly what it felt like to work on the show.
David said: ‘It’s been a journey. You would never, ever have thought that could possibly happen from playing the King of Goose Land on television… you’re lucky if you got another job’
The episode in series six of the sitcom shows the group set off on the annual Jolly Boys Outing to Margate, where Rodney gets arrested, and the coach’s radio – supplied by Del Boy – causes the vehicle to burst into flames.
It comes after Sir David said he ‘would love’ to reprise his role as Del Boy, 40 years after Only Fools And Horses premiered.
The actor, last appeared in character back in July of 2021 to wish Gareth Southgate and the England team good luck in the Euro 2020 final.
Before that, he starred in a 2014 Sports Relief sketch called Beckham in Peckham, which saw Del try and sell underpants called Golden Balls which were endorsed by David Beckham – with the footballer starring as himself.
Sir David said to The Sun that he wants to don his flat cap once more and revisit his role as the wheeler-dealer.
The show ran for a decade between 1981 and 1991, and the show has had multiple specials since it aired.
Family: David added that his family ‘never made a big deal’ about his fame and his father would jokingly say, ‘Oh, you silly bugger, is that you flying about?’ in order to keep him humble’ (pictured in Januaery 2022)
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk