Happy Birthday dear Del Boy
ONLY FOOLS & HORSES TURNS 40
DEL Boy’s hilarious fall through the bar has been voted the greatest Only Fools and Horses moment of all time.
As the comedy celebrates its 40th anniversary today, a poll has put the scene above the plunging chandelier incident.
It also topped the sequence when Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and Del Boy become Batman and Robin, running through the streets of Peckham.
David Jason, who played wheeler dealer Derek Trotter, said he was delighted by the findings of the RadioTimes.com poll.
He said: “I am thrilled the falling through the bar scene has given so much pleasure over the years.
“I feel very fortunate to have been involved with such an iconic show.
“It started with the great John Sullivan for the fantastic scripts and the chemistry of the cast which brought it all to life.
“So many laughs over so many years.”
In the scene, watched originally by 14million viewers on BBC1, Del Boy talks to Trigger while trying to play it cool to impress the ladies.
But he fails to notice the bar flap has been left open as he goes to lean on it and falls to the ground.
Afterwards Trigger, played by the late Roger Lloyd-Pack, has no idea where he’s disappeared to.
It featured in the opening episode of 1989 series Yuppy Love.
As viewers howled with laughter – and a ruffled Del made a sharp exit from the wine bar – it instantly became one of the most memorable moments in British sitcom history.
Written and created by the late John Sullivan, Only Fools and Horses began on September 8, 1981, with the episode Big Brother and ran for seven series until 1991.
From 1992 to 1996 there were seasonal specials including the Christmas Trilogy of 1996 in which the Trotters become millionaires.
The show returned in December 2001, with two further Christmas specials in 2002 and 2003.