BBC Only Fools and Horses: The lost episode found on a dusty shelf 30 years after filming
We see Del Boy Rodney and Grandad try to make quick bucks in a never before seen episode
It’s been many years since the beloved sitcom Only Fools and Horses aired on BBC One after coming to an end at seven series in 1991.
It had the largest audience for a British sitcom at the time having had 24.3 million people tune in to the ‘Time on Our hands’ episode and it’s clear that the show has a continuing and large number of fans ever since.
However, not every episode made was released and there was one episode that that didn’t make it to the screens which was titled ‘Licensed to Drill’.
Some may know that this never before seen 19 minute episode was shown for the very first time on the channel UKTV GOLD back in 2017 which also included various interviews with actors and outtakes.
The episode filmed in 1984 and sees Del Boy, Rodney, and Grandad working on a new get-rich-quick scheme, and are seen buying an oil rig for the ‘cheap’ price of £400.
We see Del telling the others: “We just lay low in our boats for while and we wait for one of the big oil companies to move off the oil field and then we whip in a bit lively and use their hole.”
‘Grandad’s final appearance’
Unfortunately, the gang realise that the whole scheme is one that is just too good to be true as sadly there just wasn’t much gold to be found in Peckham.
The episode was commissioned by Maureen Oilfield Consortium and was solely intended for the purpose of teaching school children about the British oil industry.
It also marked the last appearance of Grandad who was played Leonard Pearce.
