Only Fools and Horses: Here’s what the cast are doing now

Only Fools and Horses is one of the most iconic British shows and currently holds the record for the highest UK audience, with the 1996 Christmas special, Time on our Hands captivating 24.3 million viewers, as per Express. The show first aired in 1981 and its final episode aired in 2002.

Despite the show ending, the cast did reunite a year later for a Christmas special in 2003. In 2014, Only Fools and Horses released a 10-minute special, Beckham in Peckham for Children in Need. You can probably guess who the guest star was by the title…that’s right, David Beckham.

It has been over four decades since the first episode aired, and you may be wondering what the cast of the iconic show is now doing.

What is the cast of Only Fools and Horses doing now?

Sir David Jason aka Del Boy

Let’s start with the most obvious: Sir David Jason, who caught Covid-19 badly in 2022, portrayed Del Boy, one half of the brother duo. Sir David went on to do many things after and during Only Fools and Horses.

In the 80s, he played Granville in Open All Hours, which aired from 1976 to 1985. Then in 2013, he returned to the role for the follow-series, Still Open All Hours, airing from 2013 to 2019. Sir David Jason was then the lead in A Touch of Frost for 16 years, playing DI Jack Frost, from 1992 to 2010.

As per Express, the iconic British actor starred in several other shows, including Hogfather,DiamondGeezer,Muddle Earth, The Royal Bodyguard and Pip Ahoy!

Sir Jason has also done work outside of film and has published three autobiographies. His first autobiography, David Jason: My Life, was published in 2013, followed by Only Fools and Stories: From Del Boy to Granville, Pop Larkin to Frost in October 2017, as reported by Daily Mail.

His third autobiography, A Del Of A Life was published in October 2020. In 2022, he also released a Christmas book, The Twelve Dels of Christmas.

Sir David Jason has received several honours. In 1993, he was awarded an OBE and in 2005, he was knighted for services to acting and comedy.

Sir David Jason has been married once but has had two long-term relationships. His first partner, Welsh actress Myfanwy Talog, sadly died of breast cancer in 1995 after being together for 18 years.

10 years later, the actor found happiness again with Gill Hinchcliffe, whom he married in 2005. In 2001, they welcomed their daughter, Sophie Mae, when Sir David was 61.

However, in 2022, David got quite a shock when he discovered he had another daughter. Indeed, the actor had a brief relationship with Jennifer Hill in 1970, resulting in a daughter, Abi Harris.

Nicholas Lyndhurst aka Rodney Trotter

Now onto the other half of the Trotter brothers, Rodney, portrayed by Nicholas Lyndhurst. As per Express, Lyndhurst starred in the Only Fools and Horses prequel, Rock and Chips, which aired from 2010 to 2011. He featured in three episodes as Freddie Robdal.

Alongside Only Fools and Horses, Lyndhurst starred in Goodnight Sweetheart, portraying Garry, from 1993 to 1999 and he reprised the role for a special in 2016. Thanks to Goodnight Sweetheart, Nicholas Lyndhurst won two National Television Awards.

After taking a long break from sitcoms, Nicholas Lyndhurst returned in 2007 (after 14 years) in After You’ve Gone.

Nicholas Lyndhurst was in 26 episodes of New Tricks as Danny Griffin, which aired from 2013 to 2015. More recently, the actor featured in the series Fraiser, portraying Alan Cornwall.

Lyndhurst was the face of WHSmith from 1997 to 1999 as per Daily Mail and featured as all four family members for an advert. This earned him a BAFTA for his acting in the commercials.

In 1999, Lyndhurst married former ballerina Lucy in 1999. Sadly the couple faced a great tragedy in September 2020. Their 19-year-old son, Archie passed away in his sleep from a brain haemorrhage caused by Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma/Leukaemia, as reported by Daily Mail.

Tessa Peake-Jonesaka Rachel ‘Raquel’ Turner

Up next we have Tessa Peake-Jones who portrayed Raquel, Del Boy’s love interest. She first appeared on the show in 1988. Her first episode was the Christmas special, Dates. She then became a regular until the show’s end in 2002.

Tessa chose a quieter life after Only Fools and Horses, starring in a handful of shows such as Holby City, Midsomer Murders and Casualty: She also starred as Mrs Sylvia Maguire in the ITV series, Grantchester.

In 1985, Peake-Jones married co-star Douglas Hodge, who later played an adult version of her on-screen son Damien. The couple were together for 27 years before deciding to split in February 2013. They welcomed two children, Mollie Rose and Charlie.

As reported by Daily Mail, Tessa sang Mamma Mia in the West End for ITV’s All Star Musicals in 2019. In 2022, Tessa made a surprise appearance on Loose Women with co-star Gwyneth Strong.

While on the talk show, the two women revealed they were only supposed to star in one episode of Only Fools and Horses but became regulars due to their popularity.

Gwyneth Strong aka Cassandra Trotter

Sticking with the Trotter brother’s partner, let’s have a look at Gwyneth Strong, who portrayed Cassandra. On the show, Cassandra went on to become Rodney Trotter’s wife. As per Daily Mail, Strong and Peake-Jones were brought into the show due to its lack of female leads.

Similar to Peake-Jones, Strong opted for a quieter life. She was last seen on-screen in 2016 when she played Geraldine Clough, a pub landlady in EastEnders.

Instead of acting, Gwyneth chose to focus on charity work. Indeed, she has been a vocal campaigner for ovarian cancer after losing her mother to the disease. She is patron of a charity Ovarian Cancer Action.

Gwyneth Strong was briefly reunited with co-star, Sir David Jason in a two-part episode of A Touch of Frost. She then featured in the West End and starred in an episode of Midsomer Murders.

John Challis aka Boycie

John Challis portrayed second-hand car dealer Aubrey 'Boycie' Boyce in the show. Then, from 2005 to 2009, he reprised the role in a spin-off series called Green Green Grass.

Challis starred in a number of shows after Only Fools and Horses, including Big Breadwinner Hog in 1969, and Z-Cars as Sergeant Culshaw between 1971 and 1975. He also portrayed Monty Staines in Benidorm.

The actor published two autobiographies, the first Being Boycie, published in 2011, followed by Boycie and Beyond, in 2012. Unlike some actors who prefer to steer away from iconic roles, Challis revelled in it.

As per Daily Mail, in 2014, he went on a tour of a one-man show, Only Fools and Boycie. In August 2021, John Challis cancelled a 30-date speaking tour after just one appearance, citing ill health. Sadly, the actor died in September 2021 from cancer at the age of 79.

Sue Holderness aka Marlene Boyce

Up next, we have Sue Holderness, who portrayed Boycie’s wife, Marlene. She starred in Only Fools and Horses from 1985 to 2002. Like Challis, she also featured in the spin-off series, Green Green Grass.

Holderness went on to perform in the West End and appeared in shows such as Doctors, Still Open All Hours and EastEnders.

In 2022, Sue started a national appeal to warn people about online scams after she was targeted. According to Daily Mail, the actress was conned as scammers hacked into her computer and convinced her to pay them to fix the issue. She lost hundreds of pounds.

In 2022, Holderness and Sir David Jason were reunited at an Only Fools And Horses convention in Milton Keynes.

Roger Lloyd-Pack aka Trigger

Roger Lloyd-Pack played road sweeper Colin 'Trigger' Ball in the show and was one of its most likeable characters. He was known for always calling Rodney Trotter Dave.

Roger went on to star in another hit British show, The Vicar of Dibley, where he portrayed Owen Newitt. The show aired from 1994 to 2004 and featured several specials. The show’s cast included Dawn French.

In 2005, Lloyd-Pack starred in the Harry Potter franchise, interpreting Barty Crouch Sr in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He was also in Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy, as Mendal in 2011 and Made in Dagenham. Like many British actors, Roger Lloyd-Pack appeared in Doctor Who in 2006 as John Lumic.

Roger Lloyd-Pack's last appearance was in Law and Order UK, in 2014. Sadly, Roger passed away in 2014 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 69.

Read more:

Michael Jayston: Only Fools and Horses actor has sadly died aged 88

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Sources used:

Daily Mail: ‘If They Could See Us Now: What happened to the cast of Only Fools and Horses? From deaths to family tragedy, a secret child, EastEnders and Mamma Mia - how life changed for Sir David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and their co-stars’

Express: ‘Where's the cast of Only Fools and Horses now? From Sir David Jason to Tessa Peake-Jones’

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