Sir David Jason has revealed he "really enjoyed" watching previously unbroadcast clips from the beloved sitcom Only Fools And Horses, which are set to feature in a new documentary series.
A teaser offering a glimpse of the unseen footage was released on Tuesday, ahead of a special celebrating 45 years of the comedy, titled Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive.
Created and written by John Sullivan, the BBC ratings powerhouse originally debuted on 8 September 1981, providing career-defining roles for Sir Jason as Del Boy and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his hapless half-brother Rodney.
The storyline centred on the colourful misadventures of wheeler-dealer market trader Del Boy and his less streetwise younger sibling Rodney, whose failed deals routinely scuppered their hopes of making a million pounds.
The pair originally shared a Peckham flat with Grandad, played by Leonard Pearce, and their exploits regularly involved friends Trigger, portrayed by Roger Lloyd Pack, and Boycie, played by John Challis.
The two-part anniversary documentary incorporates archival material from more than 10 classic instalments, including The Jolly Boys’ Outing, which follows Del Boy and Rodney on a chaotic seaside excursion to Margate.
A first glimpse of long-lost footage from the beloved Christmas episode showing which moments missed the final cut has been released by U&GOLD ahead of the documentary, which is due to air in October.
The unearthed material, which was never used in original transmission because of timing or structural constraints, includes new sequences including Rodney playing football, Del Boy and Marlene chatting in the market and Boycie’s crude banter.
“I think the audience will find this very exciting and very interesting. I certainly did,” Sir David said.
“A lot of bits of film that have never been seen before by anyone, except those who recorded it, so it’s coming out fresh.
“I’ve really enjoyed seeing it all.”
He added: “I am very proud of the fact that we made such good, clean, honest fun.”
The anniversary documentary will also feature newly discovered outtakes, location recordings and interviews with cast members including Sir David, Tessa Peake-Jones and Sue Holderness.
Gwyneth Strong, who played Rodney’s wife Cassandra, also features.
There is also new material from episodes such as “He Ain’t Heavy” and “Time On Our Hands”, as well as one of Uncle Albert’s “during the war” stories which was cut from “A Royal Flush”, and an unseen opening scene of Del and Rodney in a nightclub from “The Class Of ’62”.
Peake-Jones, who played Del Boy’s love interest Raquel, said: “The public are going to be fascinated by this new material.
“To still feel part of a programme that provides that sort of pleasure is the greatest honour and privilege.”
Holderness, who starred in the show as Marlene Boyce, said: “An awful lot of times in situation comedies, you see stuff that is clearly padding because they’re three minutes under.
“You never saw that with Only Fools And Horses.
“The bits that went were blissful, and it’s a pity that they went but it tightened everything up, so it makes every episode a little masterpiece.”
The documentary will air on U&GOLD in October.
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