Sir David Jason, 84, praises ‘hysterical and moving’ Only Fools and Horses The Musical and admits it ‘brought a tear to my eye’

Sir David Jason has praised the ‘hysterical and moving’ Only Fools and Horses: The Musical after it’s gala performance. 

The actor, 84, who portrayed Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter on the beloved BBC sitcom, said the stage show ‘brought a tear to my eye’ as memories of his time on the series came flooding back. 

Sam Lupton has taken on his iconic character with Vinny Jones playing Danny Driscoll and Paul Whitehouse as Grandad.

Speaking to The Sun at London’s Eventim Apollo, David said it was ‘hysterical’ and added: ‘What I did like about it was that so much of the original script was used and they did it so well that sometimes it even took me by surprise and I was laughing.

‘So the whole show was a memory for me of the whole thing: the script, the characters – it was lovely to see them all.

‘Some of the good characters and actors that are no longer with us as well, so it nearly brought a tear to my eye.’ 

The actor, 84, who portrayed Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter on the beloved BBC sitcom, said the stage show ‘brought a tear to my eye’ as memories came flooding back (pictured with Sam Lupton as Del Boy at the gala performance)

Only Fools and Horses The Musical will run for 28 shows at London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo from December 17.

The show is now on a nationwide tour until July 5 next year, following its record-breaking four-year sold-out run in the West End. 

The beloved BBC sitcom ran from 1981 to 1991 followed by several Christmas specials that ended in 2003. 

In January 2022, Only Fools and Horses topped a BBC poll of the best 20 TV programmes the corporation has ever made.

Sir David reportedly almost quit Only Fools And Horses during its prime back in 1986 and almost an entirely different ending for Del Boy character was written. 

According to The Sun, as the actor contemplated leaving, head writer John Sullivan wrote a potential final episode called Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

The episode did air that year but it almost had a very different ending. It saw a character named Jumbo Mills arrive in Peckham after supposedly making a fortune while living in Australia.

The initial idea was that Jumbo would cross paths with Del and tempt him to return to Australia with him to make his fortune there.

Sam Lupton has taken on his iconic character with Vinny Jones playing Danny Driscoll and Paul Whitehouse as Grandad

Speaking to The Sun at London’s Eventim Apollo, David said it was ‘hysterical’ and added: ‘What I did like about it was that so much of the original script was used and they did it so well’

David pictured in 1983’s Christmas special as Del Boy 

This would have given David the opportunity to make a clean break from the show while setting up for the series to carry on without him.

Producers were reportedly contemplating making Nicholas Lyndhurst the star of a new version of the show called Hot Rod, centred around his character Rodney. 

While the fate of Only Fools And Horses hung in the balance, David ultimately changed his mind and decided to stay with the series.

The episode aired with Del rejecting Jumbo Mils’ offer to go to Australia.