Only Fools and Horses

Lovely jubbly! Del Boy set to conquer America with U.S. version of Only Fools and Horses

Del Boy rarely made it past Peckham in his yellow Reliant Robin.

But the Trotters could finally be taking their brand of market trading global, with a deal that is set to conquer America.

Senior U.S. TV executives have commissioned a pilot episode of the much-loved British sitcom, which starred David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhust.

Del Boy, left, Rodney, center, and Grandad, right, could feature in a U.S. version of Only Fools and Horses being planned by TV executives

Del Boy, left, Rodney, centre, and Granddad, right, could feature in a U.S. version of Only Fools And Horses being planned by TV executives

The show could see U.S. versions of Del Boy, Rodney and Uncle Albert using expressions such as ‘tool’ instead of plonker and ‘awesome’ instead of lovely jubbly.

And the loveable rogues are more likely to live in an apartment than a block of high-rise council flats.

Writers Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley, the team behind hit shows ‘Happy Endings’ and ‘Scrubs’ are understood to be working on a pilot.

 

Steve Carell
Actor, Jason Biggs

Characters: Steve Carell, left, from the U.S. version of The Office could play Del Boy while Jason Biggs

Steven Cragg, creator of the hit show Scrubs starring Sarah Chalke as Dr. Elliot Reid, left, and Judy Reyes as Nurse Carla Espinosa, right, is understood to be working on the pilot

Steven Cragg, creator of the hit show Scrubs starring Sarah Chalke as Dr. Elliot Reid, left, and Judy Reyes as Nurse Carla Espinosa, right, is understood to be working on the pilot

The show will center on the the ‘misadventures of two streetwise brothers and their aging grandfather as they concoct outrageous, morally questionable get-rich-quick schemes in a bid to become millionaires’, according to the Independent.

The sitcom was an enormous success in Britain, where it was broadcast on BBC1 between 1981 and 1991. Highly-anticipated Christmas specials were also shown until 2003, when Del Boy finally made his millions by selling an antique watch.

One iconic scene showed Del Boy and Rodney dress up as Batman and Robin, before turning up at a wake they thought was a fancy dress party.

But the unique brand of British humour may not prove as popular with a U.S. audience familiar with a different style of comedy.

Previous attempts to repackage popular shows such as Dad’s Army and Are You Being Served for a U.S. audience failed.

Even The Office written by Ricky Gervais initially received a luke-warm reaction from baffled audiences before it became a success.

One of the few other shows to have become a success in the U.S.  was Steptoe and Son, which was remade as Stamford and Son and ran between 1972 and 1977.

Steve Carell, who played Ricky Gervais’ character in The Office, has said it would be a ‘dream role’ to star in a U.S. version of Only Fools and Horses.

Uncle Albert
Robin Williams

Popular: Robin Williams, right, would make a fitting Uncle Albert in a U.S. version of the show

Comedy gold: The Christmas special in which Del Boy, right, and Rodney, dressed up as Batman and Robin for a wake... but will it be as funny to a U.S. audience?

Comedy gold: The Christmas special in which Del Boy, right, and Rodney, accidentally dressed up as Batman and Robin for a wake… but will it be as funny to a U.S. audience?

‘The British do sitcoms better than anybody else in the world. I think with the right scriptwriters and cast we could do Only Fools and Horses justice. If anybody wants to help me do a remake I’d love it,’ said Carell.

There have also been suggestions that Jason Biggs, who played Jim in American Pie, could star as Rodney. While Robin Williams might play Uncle Albert.

This most likely setting for the show would be among the hustle and bustle of New York – a city that is no stranger to wheelers and dealers such as Del Boy looking to make a living.

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