Only Fools and Horses cast: where the stars are now, from Love Island mentor to Mamma Mia star E! News UK

OVER 24 million Britons watched Del Boy and Rodney finally become millionaires in 1996.

This astounding audience is still the UK audience record to this day – but where are the stars of Only Fools and Horses now?

David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Lennard Pearce in Only Fools and Horses[/caption]

One of the stars of the beloved sitcom, which originally aired between 1981 and 1991, was Acton’s Tower used as the setting for Del’s apartment.

The Harlech Tower, which was used to represent the fictional Nelson Mandela house, is to be demolished as part of a £ 650million redevelopment.

Sir David Jason even said the destruction of the building was a “disgrace”, adding “I think it should be a listed building”.

But what has happened to Jason and the rest of the cast since the series ended?

David Jason

His performance as the wide boy Del Boy Trotter made David Jason a national treasure.

The 81-year-old was even knighted for his services in theater and comedy in 2005.

But while Del Boy is arguably his defining role, Jason went on to have a slew of other leading male roles in hit series, most notably as Detective Jack Frost in A Touch of Frost.

Sir David Jason, 81, has won four BAFTA awards thanks to his unforgettable performance as Del Boy[/caption]

Last year Jason posted his memoir to Del of a Life and revealed that he wanted to mentor the Love Island stars through their stardom overnight.

“I am worried about them,” he said in November. “I wish I could get them a message to be careful because you are your own money, so spend it wisely.”

“I’ve been through a long, sometimes painful journey, and I’ve learned to live with success and, if you will, glory. I did a sort of apprenticeship.

“These people have, very quickly, gone from nothing, nobody, if you will, to instant success and fame, mostly on their looks and bodies and whatever it is. It is so dangerous.

Nicolas lyndhurst

Rodney has always been loyal to his reckless older brother – even when he made him look like a good plonker.

Nicholas Lyndhurst, 60, was nominated for a British Comedy Award and three BAFTAs for his portrayal of Rodney.

He also won a BAFTA for his role as an actor playing multiple family members in commercials for WH Smith.

In 2010, Lyndhurst reprized his role as Rodney in the OFAH prequel, Rock & Chips, before joining the cast of New Tricks in 2013.

But in recent years, tragedy has struck when her CBBC actor son Archie passed away suddenly at the age of 19.

In September of last year, Archie died in his sleep from a brain tumor.

“Getting through today without you is the hardest thing ever,” Lyndhurst ballerina Lucy wrote on Mother’s Day.

“I miss you every minute of every day. I will never stop loving you. Never. “

Jean Challis

Boycie of John Challis was so popular with OFAH fans that he got his own spinoff series, The Green Green Grass.

Now 78, Challis also rose to fame for playing Monty in four series of the ITV sitcom Benidorm.

Later this year, Challis plans to move forward with a delayed theatrical tour where he will speak about his career as Boycie and other topics.

And in 2020, Challis made a documentary, Boycie in Belgrade, exploring how OFAH had become a huge success in Serbia.

“I felt like a pop star, it was amazing,” he told The Sun. “They kept asking me where Marlene was. “

Sue Holder

Sue Holderness was unforgettable as Boycie’s long-suffering wife, Marlene.

Now 72, Holderness joined Challis in The Green Green Grass and had other televised jobs in Casualty and Still Open All Hours alongside David Jason.

And soap fans were elated when Holderness was revealed as Billy Mitchell’s new love interest for EastEnders earlier this year.

“After more than 50 years in the business, this was my first time working on a soap and I loved the whole experience,” Sue said in March.

“I was absolutely delighted to have had the chance to visit Walford.”

Gwyneth Fort

Rodney’s relationship with his wife Cassandra hasn’t always been easy, but they ended up together.

Cassandra was played by Gwyneth Strong, who joined the cast of the show’s sixth series.

Now 61, Strong has gone on to have other roles on television, most notably in Casualty and a two-part episode of A Touch of Frost, reuniting OFAH co-star David Jason.

She recently had a recurring role as Geraldine Clough on EastEnders.

In 2018, Strong appeared on Loose Women with Tessa Peake-Jones, who played Racquel on OFAH.

During the appearance, Nadia Sawalha mistakenly called Strong “Cassandra”.

Patrick murray

Mickey Pearce’s ridiculous exaggerations and incredible bragging have given Del Boy a run for his money as the OFAH’s most incredible spiv.

But actor Patrick Murray, 64, found himself the opposite of Peckham.

During an appearance for Loose Women in 2018, Murray revealed that he had been to Thailand for 10 years.

He then said he had to work as a driver in order to get a visa to bring his Thai wife and daughter to the UK.

“I wanted to get him a visa but it was difficult so I had to come back here. Being out of the industry for so long, the job dried up so I went back to driving a company car, a Mercedes, to do it.

“I only saw my baby on the phone for two years, I was a Skype dad. “

He confirmed he was reunited in Britain with his family two weeks before appearing on the show.

Tessa peake jones

Raquel Turner was Del Boy’s love of life.

And for 64-year-old Tessa Peake-Jones, the role was her love.

After the OFAH, Peake-Jones made television appearances in The Demon Headmaster, The Bill and Holby City.

And most recently, she played a recurring role in the ITV crime drama Grantchester as Sylvia Chapman.

In 2019, she also sang Mamma Mia to a West End audience and a panel of judges on All Star Musicals.

Her turn on the show came six years after her split from husband Douglas Hodge – who previously played Raquel’s son Damien in OFAH.

Paul barbier

Paul Barber played the Truck Driver and Boyfriend of Del Denzil Tulser on OFAH.

Now 70, he also relaunched the role in The Green Green Grass and landed other TV shows like Corrie and Casualty.

But he’s also starred in films like The Full Monty (1997) and Samuel L. Jackson’s action comedy The 51st State (2001).

Most recently, Barber made appearances at Dreamland in Margate, Kent, for the 30th anniversary of the special Christmas set at the resort.

And late last year, Luther star Idris Elba revealed that Barber had inspired him to become an actor.

Roger lloyd-pack

Del Boy falling through the bar has been repeatedly chosen as the best TV moment in British history – in large part thanks to Trigger’s hilarious reaction.

The adorable road sweeper was played by Roger Lloyd-Pack, who also found sitcom fame by playing farmer Owen Newit on the Vicar of Dibley.

In recent years, he has performed alongside Stephen Fry at Shakespeare’s Globe in his production of Twelfth Night and Richard III.

Tragically, in 2014 Lloyd-Pack died of pancreatic cancer – he was 69 years old.

Roger Lloyd-Pack in 2013 – he died at the age of 69 the following year[/caption]

Other favorites of the show have also died since the final broadcast.

Buster Merryfield, who played Uncle Albert, died at the age of 79 in 1999 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

His character was written in the series after the sudden death of Lennard Pearce in 1984.

Pearce played grandfather in OFAH’s first four series before dying of a heart attack at the age of 69 in 1984.

Kenneth MacDonald, who played publicist Mike Fisher, also died of a heart attack.

He was on vacation in Hawaii in 2001.

We lost our country’s greatest comedy writer

Sir David Jason on John Sullivan

Series creator and screenwriter John Sullivan died in 2011 of pneumonia – he was 64 years old.

Sullivan had received an OBE in 2005 for his services to the theater and the stars of the OFAH paid tribute to him when they learned of his passing.

“We have lost our country’s greatest comedy writer, but he leaves us with a great legacy, the gift of laughter,” said David Jason.

Mark Freeland, head of comedy at the BBC at the time, said: “No one understood what made us laugh and cry better than John Sullivan.

“He was the Dickens of our generation. Quite simply the best, most natural and sincere comedy writer of our time. “

The Gold comedy channel will celebrate 40 years of Only fools and horses throughout the month of September from the 8th by airing each episode of the classic comedy on weeknights and weekends.