Long-lost 'Only Fools and Horses' scripts, including the final joke Del Boy made before becoming a millionaire that was cut from the show, have been found. The historic scripts contain previously unseen gags and scenes that never made it to air during the 1996 Christmas episodes. At the time, the episodes were billed as the 'finale' of the much-loved series, with 24 million viewers tuning in to watch Del and Rodney Trotter strike it rich through a rare pocket watch.
Discovery of the Scripts
The scripts, which were previously in the possession of a member of the production crew, offer a fascinating glimpse into the show and feature the first "new" Only Fools and Horses material in decades. When the famous Harrison watch is brought up for auction, a Porter at Sotheby's holds it aloft and Del says to Rodney: 'They've cleaned it with a bit of Brasso'. The lines were penned by the late John Sullivan for the iconic British comedy.
Andy Stowe, who is putting the scripts up for auction, said: "It's the final joke made by Del before he comes a millionaire, and perfectly epitomises the humour of the show. To think a prestigious auction house like Sotheby's would use a 'bit of Brasso.'"
Additional Cut Scenes
The scripts also reveal additional dialogue involving Boycie, in which Rodney visits him to purchase a new Rolls Royce for Del following the auction. In the broadcast version, Boycie scoffs at the request until Rodney produces the Sotheby's cheque for £6.2 million. But in the newly-discovered script, it's followed by Rodney telling him: "Six million. We were hoping for more, but the market's a bit depressed." Boycie tells Rodders: "Sit down – please." before he opens a cocktail cabinet and offers him a drink. Rodney responds "Triffic."
Andy added: "There is a lot of cut material here. There is a whole chunk missing from the start of the scene in the broadcast episode that can be read in the script, including several jokes about a certain three-wheeled van!"
He added: "But there is a lovely moment in that scene. Boycie was often seen as the friendly-villain of the show, and to see his acceptance of his friends now being wealthier than him, is actually quite nice."
Other Lost Material
Other long lost material from the episodes includes changes to the famous 'Batman and Robin' episode, titled "Heroes and Villains". Andy added: "There are a couple of scenes in the script for Heroes and Villains – the famous 'Batman and Robin' episode – that bring in the characters of the muggers much earlier on, including a humorous ending to the 'chase' sequence which sees Rodney being apprehended instead of the mugger he was chasing."
The middle episode of the trilogy – Modern Men – deals with Del having a vasectomy, and additional lines in the script include him discussing with Rodney other methods of birth control. Rodney asks his brother: "What about a cap?" and when questioned by a confused Del responds: "I don't mean go to bed in a beret, I mean a medical sort of... thing."
Yet it is within the 'final' episode script that Andy says some of the "real treasure is unearthed." He adds: "That 'final' 1996 episode is not only one of the most beloved sitcom episodes ever made, but it was also watched by a record-breaking twenty-four million viewers, a record which remains unbroken for a sitcom. To find new material from this episode in particular, gives me goosebumps."
He added: "There are a few lines of altered dialogue during the auction scene, including the one about Brasso that made me laugh out loud when I read it. I grew up watching the show. I know those episodes very well, so imagine my surprise when I was cataloguing them to discover some small scenes and dialogue I didn't recall seeing before. Finding new material is wonderful, it feels like being a member of a very special club!"
Auction Details
The scripts were entered into the sale by a production crew member and are anticipated to fetch £2,000. They are being sold by Auctioneum Ltd of Bristol during a special British Comedy Auction on June 29th. Also going under the hammer in the same auction is an original bottle of Peckham Spring from the iconic 1992 Christmas Special, Mother Nature's Son. The bottle was presented to a fortunate audience member once filming had wrapped in the studio.
Andy added: "We've become the 'go-to' place for Peckham Spring bottles. Around 200 were made for the episode, and this bottle is the seventh we've discovered. On a list of 'people who've touched the most Peckham Spring bottles,' I think I'm third behind David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst!"
He added: "Most have been lost to the sands of time, but a handful still exist. It's a beloved programme, and these props mean so much to the fans." The Peckham Spring bottle carries an estimate of £800 to £1,200.
