Only Fools and Horses legend Sir David Jason explains one thing he would change about EastEnders
The Del Boy Trotter icon thinks The Queen Vic could be more like The Nag's Head
Believe it or not, Only Fools and Horses is about to turn 40-years-old.
The first episode debuted on the BBC on September 8, 1981, and the nation fell in love with the Trotter family.
To mark the milestone BBC One aired a special documentary The Only Fools and Horses Story on Saturday night (September 4).
The late John Sullivan, who created the show, explained the rise of the sitcom and the inspiration behind characters and scripts.
Other actors including Nicholas Lyndhurst who played Rodney Trotter and Del Boy star Sir David Jason also gave an insight into the show.
During the show, Sir David, who played Del Boy between 1981 and 2003, explained why he loved the famous The Nag’s Head pub.
The Peckham boozer was the location for many of the sitcom’s most famous scenes, including the séance where Boycie’s (John Challis) middle name was revealed as Aubrey, Rodney and Cassandra’s wedding reception that left Del Boy feeling emotional, and Raquel Turner being discovered as a stripper – plus many more unforgettable moments.
The pub really was an integral part of the show.
During The Only Fools and Horses Story, Sir David touched upon the importance of The Nag’s Head and how it sets a natural scene that viewers would be familiar with.
He also suggested how The Queen Vic in EastEnders could be more of a prominent meeting place for characters setting the scene for more humour, like The Nag’s Head.
David said: “What John [Sullivan] tried to tune into was a huge mixture of like real people are.
“They laugh, they cry. They take the mick out of each other. They go on trips together down the pub.
“One of the great things I think John (Sullivan) did, which I’m very pleased to say and I’d wished they perhaps taken note at EastEnders, is that the pub was the central meeting place and it’s full of very, very amusing characters.”
Although The Queen Vic is generally filled with drama, maybe it could be used more for funny scenes – after all, we’ve all been to a local London boozer where the regulars sit in a corner cracking jokes.
Let us know your opinion in the comments section.
