New TV version of Only Fools and Horses being developed, says star
A BRAND new version of Only Fools and Horses could be coming to TV.
The stars of the West End show based on the classic comedy hope to create a cinematic version of their production after closing their record-breaking run at London’s Theatre Royal earlier this year.
The reboot could even feature guest stars including original Del Boy, Sir David Jason.
Paul Whitehouse, who played both Grandad and Uncle Albert in the retelling, revealed: “We’d love to do a TV version of the stage show and we think it would work well.
“Our story involves both Granddad and Uncle Albert, Del Boy meeting Raquel and Rodney and Cassandra getting married so we basically condense the seven television series into two hours and 10 minutes.”
Tom Bennett played Del Boy and Ryan Hutton played Rodney during the four-year run, which won rave reviews.
Paul went on: “While we can’t compete with the original show, you do get the whole story of Only Fools And Horses.
“It would be lovely to see our version adapted for television.”
Founding star Nicholas Lyndhurst has previously ruled out a revival starring the original cast of the BBC comedy.
Lyndhurst – who played Rodney Trotter, brother to David Jason’s Del Boy – has said it would be impossible for the show to return after the death of many of his co-stars and the comedy’s creator.
While Jason is still alive at the age of 83, writer John Sullivan died in 2011 aged 64.
Roger Lloyd Pack (who played Trigger), Kenneth MacDonald (Mike the Landlord) and Buster Merryfield (Uncle Albert) have all passed away since the show ended its original run in 1993.
Speaking about a possible reboot, Lyndhurst said, “We can’t. John is no longer with us. John was the driving force of the show and we have also lost quite a few cast members now.
“I don’t think I could do it without them and I certainly couldn’t do it without John.”
He added: “At the risk of depressing everyone, I think the last two times I’ve seen David [Jason] has been at funerals.”
Only Fools and Horses ran on the BBC for 64 episodes and six special full-length episodes, the last of which broadcast in 2003.