We’ve found long-lost Only Fools episode...
Lost episode of classic show discovered on a shelf... and it shows Grandad’s last scenes
CUSHTY... Viewers are to get a glimpse of a lost episode of Only Fools and Horses for the first time.
It is understood to have been lying on a dusty shelf for years.
The instalment of the classic sitcom was Lennard Pearce’s final appearance as Grandad before his death in 1984.
Del Boy Trotter, played by Sir David Jason, reveals his new get-rich-quick scheme – he has bought an oil rig for £400. Now all the family need to do is extract their own black gold to sell.
Del says: “We just lay low in our boat for a while and wait for one of the big oil companies to move off the oil field then we whip in a bit lively and use their hole.”
As usual, the wheeler-dealer soon realises his dream of becoming a millionaire is doomed to fail.
The episode, called Licensed to Drill, has never been aired on TV. It was written by Only Fools and Horses creator John Sullivan and filmed in 1984.
The 19-minute instalment was produced by the Maureen Oilfield Consortium and was exclusively made to be shown in schools to teach children about crude oil.
In addition to airing scenes from the forgotten episode, The Story of Only Fools and Horses, the series being shown on UKTV’s Gold channel, features some of the best out-takes from the comedy.
Acknowledging it wasn’t all plain sailing during filming, Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played Rodney, says: “So you think we shot one perfectly every week? Uh uh.”
In one of the foulups Sir David forgets his lines and exclaims: “We might as well start again because I’ve gone now.”
Gwyneth Strong – Cassandra Trotter in the BBC show – says: “The out-takes brought back loads of memories for us, memories you don’t even realise are there until you start seeing that material.
“I kept saying ‘Who knew?’ all the way through watching it.” John Quinn, the executive producer of the Gold series, said: “Thanks to the late John Sullivan’s family, we have access to exclusive behind-the-scenes material – driven by anecdotes by many who were there.” Steve North, general manager for Gold, said: “I am so excited to be working with the Sullivan family to help celebrate Gold’s 25th birthday, and really delve into the archives of one of the most loved shows on the channel. Gold viewers will get a real treat.”
The Story of Only Fools and Horses is on Gold on Tuesdays at 8pm until October 3, which is when scenes from Licensed to Drill will be shown.
The script for Laurel and Hardy’s only British TV appearance – on BBC show Face the Music in 1953 – will be auctioned in Newcastle today. It is expected to fetch around £1,000.
We wait till they move off the oil field then we whip in a bit lively
DEL BOY UNVEILS DAFT IDEA IN LOST EPISODE