David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst's 'fall out' - 'huge row' to current status

24 January 2024 , 12:20

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David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst starred alongside each other for more than two decades (Image: PA)

Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst became household names thanks to their characters in the classic British sitcom Only Fools And Horses, but rumours of infighting often flew.

Ever since the hit BBC show launched in 1981, the pair became synonymous - with David starring as the iconic Derek Edward Trotter, better known as Del Boy, while Nicholas portrayed his ill-fated younger brother Rodney. When it sadly came to a close in 2003, fans eagerly awaited a reunion.

The Trotter family finally came together again for a one-off charity special in 2014 but ever since, things have gone quiet, with the pair of actors losing touch. Rumours swirled that relationships off-camera weren't as they seemed, with a reported feud between 83-year-old Sir David, who was knighted in 2005 for his services to acting, and 62-year-old Nicholas.

Sir David, who went on to star in leading roles such as Detective Jack Frost in A Touch Of Frost, revealed the two had a spat in the early days - but it was all for show. Speaking in 1989, David recalled: "One day, Nick and I were in our very small caravan on location. We were all fed up because nothing was happening so [we] said 'why don't we stage a huge row and you can storm out and say you're leaving and I can shout at you saying don't you ever come back again'."

Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and Del Boy (David Jason) dressed as Batman and Robin in Only Fools and Horses (PA)

He continued: "I never want to work with you'. The whole crew went stiff. Five minutes went by and the producer and director came to see me and they were quaking in their boots. They asked what's going on and I told them to go see Nick. When they got to him, I couldn't contain myself any longer and roared with laughter. They went from white to purple in their faces. I don't think the producer was much impressed."

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During a documentary about the making of the show, David revealed his true thoughts about his co-star, expressing: "You couldn't have had a better co-partner than Nic. We liked and respected each other so much, we were genuinely good friends."

However, more recently, the Del Boy star admitted to a relationship breakdown, with them no longer seeing each other much. Understandably, Nicholas has been largely out of the spotlight since his 20-year-old son suddenly died in 2020. Archie tragically suffered a brain haemorrhage caused by acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Speaking about their friendship, in 2022 David said: "He's much more, how can I say, self-contained, perhaps, than he used to be.

"So, unfortunately, we don't see each other as much as I would like to. But that's how things work out sometimes."

Touching on their heyday, Sir David reflected: "I miss it terribly. It wasn't like going to work. It was going to have some fun with your mates. We loved each other."

He has said that during their very first read-through, the cast knew immediately "there was magic in the room". The show went on to win six BAFTAs, with two going to Sir David for his portrayal of Del Boy, and 18.8 million viewers tuned in to one episode in 1986. That year, the cast appeared at the Royal Variety Performance, in front of the Queen Mother.

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