Only Fools And Horses 'lost' scene emerges 29 YEARS later as script signed by David Jason goes to auction

Daily Mail​

18-06-2025

A 'lost' scene from a classic Only Fools and Horses episode has emerged 29 years later.
It was written into the script of the 1996 Christmas special, titled Heroes & Villains, but never made it into the final cut.
In the episode, Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney Trotter (Nicholas Lyndhurst) dressed up as Batman and Robin to prevent a mugging.
But it appears there was also an extended scene involving Del later chasing down a mugger and knocking him unconscious with his suitcase full of hooky gear.
In the cut scene, it is scripted that a policeman arrives and Del tells him 'It's alright officer, I caught him, he's over there,' but the policeman then arrests Rodney instead of the mugger.
The missing scene has emerged in a working script that belonged to the late Roger Lloyd Pack who played Trigger in the sitcom.
The 155 page script, estimated to sell for between £2,000 and £3,000, is coming up for sale at Bristol-based Auctioneum on June 30.
According to The Sun, Auctioneer Andy Stowe described it as 'comedy history, in black and white.'
He explained: 'As a fan of the show myself, I was flicking through the script and began to read lines of dialogue that I didn't recognise.
'As I carried on reading, I realised that these were scenes and lines that had been cut from the episode. Some of them are very funny.
'There are several scenes cut from the episode that focus on the plot of the muggers.
'There was considerable work by the writer, John Sullivan, to establish the threat of them throughout the episode but most of these early scenes were cut from the final show.
'To have Roger's actual script, with his lines marked within it, is really something special. This is comedy history, in black and white on the page.'
Only Fools and Horses has been slapped with a trigger warning some fans have deemed 'excessively woke '.
The BBC show is known for being feel-good TV, but has become the latest sitcom to be issued with disclaimers around offensive or outdated language, according to The Sun.
All seven series of the 80s hit starring David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and the late Lennard Pearce are on streaming platform ITVX.
However, many of the episodes have been hit with trigger warnings for racial and 'outdated attitudes'.
'The Russians are Coming' from series one was a fan favourite, but now features a disclaimer that reads: 'Contains some offensive racial language of the time.'
'The Yellow Peril' from the second series and 'Who's A Pretty Boy' from the third also feature a number of warnings now.
Two episodes in the fourth installment also have a warning, while 'The Miracle of Peckham' from series five warns of language that 'may offend'.
The only two series which did not receive a disclaimer of some kind are the sixth and seventh.
Even the 1985 Christmas special includes a message that says: 'Contains dated attitudes and behaviours and racist language some viewers may find offensive.'
The repeats of Only Fools And Horses still air on digital channel U&Gold and have also been slapped with warnings.
Fans have taken to social media to share their frustration at the new warnings.
One said: 'It takes a brave platform to showcase a comedy. People are desperate to be outraged and offended in this country Even UK Gold has to give a f***ing warning before showing an episode of Only Fools And Horses,'
'I'm watching series 1 of Only Fools & Horses and I wonder how much of this humour would get written today. If any, it's comedy genius but the woke brigade cancel it out nowadays,'
'You know you are living in an upside down offended by everything society when the TV is giving warnings before airing episodes of Only Fools And Horses,'
'This is what happens when everyone gets offended all the time, comedy programs are on their a**e, nowadays you watch only fools and horses and before it comes on they pretty much say these are old jokes that might offend a little whine bag with no soul,'
'There'll never be a new series of Only Fools And Horses because the 2024 generation will get offended,'
'Being offended by Only Fools And Horses, pathetic, get a grip,'
'Anyone offended by Only Fools And Horses has clearly had a sense of humour failure, and needs to lighten up.'