Sir David Jason has revealed he nearly shed a tear after watching Only Fools and Horses The Musical for the first time.
After a four-year run on the West End, the stage production based on the hit BBC comedy which first aired in 1981, has returned for a UK and Ireland tour.
The musical adaptation celebrated its gala night at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo on Wednesday (December 18).
Sir David, who played Derek “Del Boy” Trotter in the sitcom, explained to the PA news agency why he was ‘so moved’ after watching the show last night.
He revealed: “It’s hysterical, it’s very, very good.
“What I did like about it was so much of the original script was used and they did it so well that sometimes, even it took me by surprise, and I was laughing.
“And so the whole show was a memory for me of the whole thing, the scripts, the characters. It was lovely to see them all and everybody was working so well together, very much like we did originally… I’m so moved.”
Sir David, who attended the event wearing a flat cap in the style that became his on-screen character’s signature, said the atmosphere in the room was “unbelievable”.
Sir David Jason felt ’embarrassed’ watching Only Fools musical for first time
Sir David Jason said Only Fools and Horses The Musical is ‘very, very good’ (Image: Doug Peters/PA)
The 84-year-old quipped: “They got a standing ovation at the end. I had to get out, I was embarrassed. How dare they? How dare they get a standing ovation? And I missed out on it.”
Asked if it brought back memories of filming, he said “it did a lot”, adding: “And some of the good characters and actors that are no longer with us as well, sort of very nearly brought a tear to my eye.”
The script and score have been written by original writer John Sullivan’s son Jim and actor Paul Whitehouse.
Following a string of London dates, the show will perform on stages in Newcastle, Oxford, Cardiff and Liverpool, and will conclude across five dates in Dublin in July.
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The London cast features ex-footballer Vinnie Jones making his stage acting debut as one half of the notorious Driscoll brothers, crime boss Danny Driscoll, alongside comedy star Whitehouse, who reprises the role of Granddad “Ted” Trotter.
It features elements from the whole series and took five years to complete, as well as having an original score including contributions from the late Chas Hodges.
The production is led by the original West End director Caroline Jay Ranger.
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It follows Del Boy as he tries to find his soulmate while brother Rodney ties the knot with Cassandra, and Boycie and Marlene give parenthood one final shot.
The tour kicked off in Bromley in September and will travel to more than 30 towns and cities up and down the country, culminating in Ireland in July.
It has been described as a “feelgood family celebration of traditional working-class London life in 1989 and the aspirations we all share”.