List of Only Fools and Horses episodes

The following is an episode list for the BBC One sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The show is about two brothers who live in Peckham, London. It was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 8 September 1981. It aired for seven seasons and sixteen Christmas specials. The final episode was broadcast on 25 December 2003. In total, 64 regular episodes of Only Fools and Horses were produced, all written by John Sullivan and now available on both Region 2 and Region 1 DVD.

Additionally, twelve special editions of the show were made; two of these ("Licensed to Drill" and "The Robin Flies at Dawn") have never been broadcast commercially and some have only recently been rediscovered.

All episodes originally aired on BBC One. The list below is ordered by the episodes' original air dates.

Series overview

Series

Series	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
1	6		8 September 1981 (1981-09-08)	13 October 1981 (1981-10-13)
	Special		28 December 1981 (1981-12-28)
2	7		21 October 1982 (1982-10-21)	2 December 1982 (1982-12-02)
	Special		30 December 1982 (1982-12-30)
3	7		10 November 1983 (1983-11-10)	22 December 1983 (1983-12-22)
	Special		25 December 1983 (1983-12-25)
4	7		21 February 1985 (1985-02-21)	4 April 1985 (1985-04-04)
	Special		25 December 1985 (1985-12-25)
5	6		31 August 1986 (1986-08-31)	5 October 1986 (1986-10-05)
	Special		25 December 1986 (1986-12-25)
	Special		25 December 1987 (1987-12-25)
6	Special		25 December 1988 (1988-12-25)
	6		8 January 1989 (1989-01-08)	12 February 1989 (1989-02-12)
	Special		25 December 1989 (1989-12-25)
7	Special		25 December 1990 (1990-12-25)
	6		30 December 1990 (1990-12-30)	3 February 1991 (1991-02-03)
Specials	2		24 December 1991 (1991-12-24)	25 December 1991 (1991-12-25)
	2		25 December 1992 (1992-12-25)	25 December 1993 (1993-12-25)
	3		25 December 1996 (1996-12-25)	29 December 1996 (1996-12-29)
	3		25 December 2001 (2001-12-25)	25 December 2003 (2003-12-25)

Episodes

Series 1 (1981)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Series
1	"Big Brother"	Ray Butt	Martin Shardlow	29:55	8 September 1981 (1981-09-08)	9.2
Derek "Del Boy" Trotter employs his younger brother, Rodney, as his assistant in his company, Trotters Independent Traders. At Peckham's local pub, The Nag's Head, Del and Rodney meet Del's friend Trigger (who believes that Rodney's name is Dave), and he sells them 25 briefcases for £200. Back at their flat in Nelson Mandela House, the Trotters discover that the briefcases cannot be opened because the combinations for the locks have been inadvertently locked inside. The following day, Rodney attempts to run away to Hong Kong, although he eventually returns to Peckham after forgetting his passport. Del takes his brother's advice and discards the stolen briefcases. First appearance of David Jason as Derek Trotter, Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter, Lennard Pearce as Grandad and Roger Lloyd-Pack as Trigger
2	"Go West Young Man"	Ray Butt	Martin Shardlow	30:44	15 September 1981 (1981-09-15)	6.1
Del's second-hand car dealer friend from Lewisham, Boycie, has recently bought a Jaguar E-Type for his girlfriend, and Del agrees to hide it in his garage for a week so that Boycie's wife, Marlene, does not see it. In exchange, Boycie gives Del a car costing £25, which Rodney describes as a "death trap". Del subsequently sells the car to an Australian man for £199, claiming that the car was previously owned by a vicar. Later, the brothers decide to go on a night out in London's pubs and clubs, taking Boycie's Jaguar. Rodney finds a club and suggests that he and Del try it out, but they leave quickly when they realise it is actually a gay club. The brothers finally find a different club and meet two young women, who give the Trotters their phone numbers. On the way home, a car crashes into the back of the Jaguar owing to its poor brakes. Unfortunately for Del and Rodney, it is the Australian man from earlier. First appearance of John Challis as Boycie
3	"Cash and Curry"	Ray Butt	Martin Shardlow	29:51	22 September 1981 (1981-09-22)	7.3
Eager to forge new business links, Del befriends Vimmal Malik, a wealthy businessman who seems eager to work with Trotters Independent Trading. After a dance at the Camberwell Chamber of Trade, Del and Vimmal are cornered by Mr Ram and his heavy. It seems as though Vimmal is holding on to an expensive porcelain family heirloom that belongs to the Ram family – and they want it back. To try to make an impression, Del offers to mediate between the two men, especially as Mr Ram says he will pay £4,000 for the return of the statue to his family. Unluckily for Del, it is all a scam and he loses £2,000 to Vimmal and Ram, a couple of conmen touring the country, using the same trick on local businessmen wherever they go. Absent: Lennard Pearce as Grandad
4	"The Second Time Around"	Ray Butt	Martin Shardlow	30:14	29 September 1981 (1981-09-29)	7.8
Del Boy is shocked to hear that one of his many ex-fiancées, Pauline Harris, is back in Peckham after returning from America. Soon, much to Rodney and Grandad's horror, Del and Pauline are engaged again, despite Pauline's husband having recently died from what Del is told was food poisoning. The Trotters leave Nelson Mandela House and give Pauline five days to pack her bags and get out. The family arrive at what they believe is their great-aunt Rose's house, but it turns out that she moved out ages ago. Pauline leaves the Trotters' flat, but also phones Tim the Talking Clock in America and leaves the phone off the hook.
5	"A Slow Bus to Chingford"	Ray Butt	Martin Shardlow	29:50	6 October 1981 (1981-10-06)	7
Del interrupts Rodney's romantic evening with his girlfriend to tell him that he has secured a job as a night watchman for buses. The following morning, Del confesses that the bus company offered to give him a double-decker bus in exchange for Rodney becoming a night watchman. Del Boy uses the bus to set up a tour company taking tourists around London, but on the day nobody turns up. On the bus, Del reveals that he does not know any facts about London and would, therefore, give the tourists much false information. Grandad wins a bet against Del when nobody turns up by the end of the day, but his celebrations are short-lived, because Del finds all the leaflets that Grandad chucked down the rubbish chute.
6	"The Russians Are Coming"	Ray Butt	Martin Shardlow	30:14	13 October 1981 (1981-10-13)	8.8
Another successful dodgy deal means that Del has over £1,000 worth of lead from a disused factory to get rid of. When Rodney points out that the three tons of lead are, in fact, a DIY fallout shelter, Del refuses to believe him until he reads the accompanying brochure. With the threat of nuclear holocaust preying on Rodney's nerves, he asks Del what he would do if he heard the four-minute warning. Without an answer, Del considers putting a survival plan into action, which means reaching Grandad's allotment in time to take shelter. It is during a practice run for the Trotter counter-strike survival plan that they get stopped for speeding by the police – they never find out whether they would make it in time so decide to move the lead somewhere else.
Christmas Special (1981)
7	"Christmas Crackers"	Bernard Thompson	Bernard Thompson	33:35	28 December 1981 (1981-12-28)	7.5
It is Christmas, and Del and Rodney are waiting for Grandad's traditional poisoned Christmas dinner to arrive at the table. But it turns out that, for once, after dinner and the exchange of gifts (including £20 given to Grandad by Del), Grandad is going to an OAP party, meaning that the Trotter brothers can hit the Monte Carlo Club. Unfortunately, Rodney is unable to attract any women, and, when he does finally make some progress, he is beaten by two other men, much to his and Del's horror.

Series 2 (1982)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Series
8	"The Long Legs of the Law"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	28:18	21 October 1982 (1982-10-21)	7.7
Rodney is feeling depressed after a dreadful night out with Del and two women, a mother and daughter. Del explains to Grandad that while he and Rodney were out, there was a big fight at one of the pubs; consequently, a young policewoman arrived to deal with the situation, whom Rodney tried to date while she carried out the arrest. At Sid's Café, Del learns that Rodney did manage to get a date with the policewoman, whose name is Sandra. Rodney takes Sandra to see a film and then invites her back to Nelson Mandela House, which is bad news for the Trotters, because the flat is full of stolen items. Del is not pleased when Rodney gives away information that could get the Trotters arrested. Luckily, it looks as if the Trotters have got away with it, but, back at her flat, Sandra tells Rodney that she knew from the very beginning that the flat was full of illegal items. Sandra gives the Trotters 24 hours to "spring clean" their flat before she informs the CID. Back at Nelson Mandela House, Del feels like killing Rodney despite his bringing it upon himself. First appearance of Roy Heather as Sid
9	"Ashes to Ashes"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:27	28 October 1982 (1982-10-28)	10.1
The Trotters and Trigger attend Trigger's grandmother Alice's funeral. When they visit her old house, Trigger tells Del and Rodney that, while his grandfather Arthur was away fighting in the war, Alice was seeing another man, who was obviously Grandad. Back at the flat, Del examines two antique urns that Alice owned, but discovers that one of them contains Arthur's ashes. Grandad fears that Arthur is trying to communicate with him. With Trigger away on holiday, Del Boy and Rodney attempt to get rid of the ashes. They remember that Arthur used to be a member of the local bowling club, but have no luck scattering the ashes on the bowling green. They then try to dump the ashes in the Thames but are spotted by a police boat. The brothers nearly give up, but then a road-sweeping lorry passes by and sucks up Arthur's ashes. Del and Rodney think it is apt, because Arthur used to be a road-sweeper, so, for him, this would be like a "Viking burial". Back at Nelson Mandela House, Del Boy receives a call from Trigger, who reveals that his gran was married twice, a fact that Grandad had failed to point out. When Del looks in the other urn, he discovers that it does, of course, contain more ashes.
10	"A Losing Streak"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	30:32	4 November 1982 (1982-11-04)	7.5
Del is getting into financial trouble – even his double-headed coin cannot help him win. He is gambling away his money with no sign of stopping, and is already £150 down. When Boycie challenges him to a winner-takes-all poker game, Del is eager to host it in his flat in Nelson Mandela House. As the night progresses, Del's luck goes from bad to worse as he ends up owing Boycie all his money, the TIT van, Grandad's cash, jewellery and even a collection of loose change. But all is not lost, as Del finally turns the tables on Boycie in revenge for fixing all the previous card games in his favour.
11	"No Greater Love"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:25	11 November 1982 (1982-11-11)	8.6
Rodney falls for Irene Mackay – a woman twice his age – and Del Boy is not happy about it. Not only is Irene a lot older than Rodney, but she is married to a criminal who is doing time in Parkhurst – and is about to be released. Concerned for his brother's welfare, Del convinces Irene to ditch Rodney, but, when Rodney realises Del has been interfering with his personal life again, he goes loopy. Soon afterwards, Tommy Mackay gets out of prison. He soon finds out his wife has been cheating on him with a Trotter, and goes looking for revenge. Luckily for Rodney, Tommy finds Del Boy first, and, pretending to be Rodney, Del Boy takes the punishment for him. When a bruised and battered Del returns to the pub, he finds out that Rodney has moved on to someone new.
12	"The Yellow Peril"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	28:46	18 November 1982 (1982-11-18)	8.2
Trotters Independent Traders has got a job painting a Chinese takeaway, but Del gives the job to Rodney and Grandad, as he is busy. The job is finished, with the Chinese restaurant having had a new lick of yellow paint. Del returns home and greets Trigger, who reveals to Rodney that the paint he supplied Del with is dodgy and luminous. Fortunately, the restaurant's owner is delighted with the work, but there is an issue: Del used the paint to paint his mother's grave so now it looks radioactive. Del decides to keep quiet and flees the scene. Note: A boom mic is seen moving in the upper right corner of the kitchen during the painting scene at the 13:45 mark.
13	"It Never Rains..."	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:28	25 November 1982 (1982-11-25)	9.5
Trotters Independent Trading has been forced off the market, with the continuing downpour keeping most of Peckham indoors. While the Trotters are drowning their sorrows in The Nag's Head, Alex the travel agent mentions that business is slow and he cannot give holidays away at the moment. As a promotional gimmick, Del suggests offering an 80% discount on a holiday to the next customer in the shop – and who happens to walk by, but Derek Trotter. Having sold sun hats in the rain, Rodney has managed to earn some travel cash. During the whole holiday, Del and Rodney attempt to pursue women, with Del at one point pretending to be French. Grandad, however, cramps their style, especially when they bring two girls back to their apartment, only for the old man to scare them off with his false teeth. Things get a bit more serious when Grandad is arrested. He is worried that the arrest is for an incident during the Spanish Civil War fifty years earlier, but it turns out that he was arrested for jaywalking and is released without charge.
14	"A Touch of Glass"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	27:57	2 December 1982 (1982-12-02)	10.2
Returning from an auction, the Trotters stop to help a woman whose car appears to have broken down. It is revealed that she is Lady Ridgemere, wife of Lord Ridgemere, who owns the Ridgemere Hall Estate. Having towed the lady to her stately home, Del overhears that Lord Ridgemere is having trouble with the firm that he has hired to clean their chandeliers. He wastes no time in offering the Trotters' services as chandelier cleaners for a mere £350. Rodney and Del are up ladders, holding an old sheet to stop a cut-glass chandelier crashing to the floor after Grandad unscrews it. However, Grandad actually unscrews the other chandelier, which does fall and smashes on the floor. As a horrified butler walks into the hall, the Trotters make a swift exit.
Christmas Special (1982)
15	"Diamonds Are for Heather"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	27:54	30 December 1982 (1982-12-30)	9.3
Del has the Yuletide blues, and drinks away his loneliness at a Spanish night at The Nag's Head. There he meets Heather, who seems to be one friend short of company. Del Boy, ever the gentleman, entertains her and sees her home safely. At her flat, he discovers that she has a young son, by a husband who seems to have joined a very long queue at the Job Centre 18 months previously and not come back. In no time at all, their romance blossoms and all is running so smoothly that Del decides to propose. However, when he takes her for a candlelit curry, she refuses his offer of marriage. Her husband has returned, employed as a department store Santa, and she wants to give it another go, leaving Del Boy without an angel for Christmas.

Series 3 (1983)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Series
16	"Homesick"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	30:13	10 November 1983 (1983-11-10)	9.4
Lugging the shopping up twelve flights of stairs is proving too much for Grandad, and the doctor recommends a new council bungalow for the Trotter dynasty. Rodney is appointed the new chairman of the housing committee. He uses his new position to recommend a bungalow for the Trotters. Unknown to Rodney, Del and Grandad have hatched up the scheme between them to get a bungalow unfairly. Rodney pays the price again for Del's scheming and has to resign as chairman.
17	"Healthy Competition"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	28:03	17 November 1983 (1983-11-17)	9.7
Rodney, tired of his "two GCEs" getting him little more than a crummy job as a lookout, decides to go it alone and leave Peckham's own multinational conglomerate – Trotters Independent Traders. By the end of the week, he has already cornered the market in broken lawnmower engines, and, with Mickey Pierce as his financial director, the sky's the limit! First appearance of Patrick Murray as Mickey Pearce
18	"Friday the 14th"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:41	24 November 1983 (1983-11-24)	9.7
The Trotters are off to Boycie's cottage in Cornwall for the weekend to do some illegal salmon fishing. At the gate, a policeman tells the Trotters that an escaped axe-murderer is on the run and is believed to be lurking in the area around Boycie's cottage. After a few hours in the cottage, Del believes that he has knocked out the axe-murderer, but, when Rodney and Grandad take him to the police station, the police tell them that it is actually the gamekeeper. Back at the cottage, Del is with the real axe-murderer, who is posing as the hospital's chief of security. As a police helicopter flies over, Del plays an imaginary game of snooker with the criminal.
19	"Yesterday Never Comes"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:50	1 December 1983 (1983-12-01)	10.6
Del becomes infatuated with Miranda Davenport, a sophisticated art dealer, and sees an opportunity to make a profit by selling a valuable painting to her. Despite Rodney's suspicions about Miranda's intentions, Del is determined to impress her and secure a lucrative deal. As Del charms Miranda and negotiates the sale of the painting, Rodney's doubts grow stronger. He fears that Miranda is exploiting Del's naivety to obtain the artwork at a bargain price. Eventually, it is revealed that Miranda is working for a wealthy client with a dubious reputation in the art world. Realising they have been deceived, Del and Rodney must act quickly to reclaim the painting and avoid falling victim to an art heist.
20	"May the Force Be with You"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:28	8 December 1983 (1983-12-08)	10.7
A ripple of panic runs through The Nag's Head. Del's old school enemy, Slater, is back in town hell-bent on revenge and brandishing his police badge while on the trail of a stolen microwave. First appearance of Jim Broadbent as Roy Slater
21	"Wanted"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:47	15 December 1983 (1983-12-15)	11.2
Watch out! The Peckham Pouncer's about! It is supposedly Rodney Trotter, although surely not. Try telling that to Rodney, though, London's most wanted sex offender. Now what was the name of that drunk woman in the street?
22	"Who's a Pretty Boy?"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:25	22 December 1983 (1983-12-22)	11.9
To get revenge against Irishman Brendan O'Shaughnessy for supplying him with grey paint, Del visits his friend Denzil, who is due to have his front room painted by O'Shaughnessy, and gets the job for himself instead. Grandad and Rodney arrive with the paint, but, unfortunately, Rodney leaves the kettle on and apparently kills the canary in the kitchen. Grandad buys a new one, but, when Denzil's wife, Corrine, returns to the flat, she reveals that the canary died before the painting began. At The Nag's Head, Del meets the new landlord, Mike Fisher, and strikes up a deal to decorate the pub. First appearance of Paul Barber as Denzil Tulser and Kenneth MacDonald as Mike Fisher
Christmas Special (1983)
23	"Thicker than Water"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:06	25 December 1983 (1983-12-25)	10.8
Reg Trotter, absentee father to Del and Rodney, unexpectedly arrives to spend Christmas with his boys. Reg explains that he has been living in Newcastle, and a doctor has diagnosed an hereditary blood disorder. Scared for their well-being, he decided to tell his two sons. However, several tests later, Reg is given the all clear, but it seems Del Boy and Rodney have different blood types. It would seem the wayward father has some explaining to do. Reg explains that he frequently argued with their mother before they split. She had several dalliances with other men, and Del is the mystery child. Fortunately, a visit to the family doctor gives Del the news to put the smile back on his face. This is notably the only time Reg Trotter was featured in the series, as well as being the last episode to feature Grandad (before Rock & Chips) owing to Lennard Pearce's death the following year.

Series 4 (1985)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Series
24	"Happy Returns"	Ray Butt	Susan Belbin	30:30	21 February 1985 (1985-02-21)	15.2
Derek and Rodney stop a young boy, Jason, from running into the road, and strike up a friendship with the lad. It is not long before Del discovers that Jason's mother, June, is an old flame whom he last saw around nineteen years ago. Del and June rekindle their romance. Rodney is dating a lovely girl from the newsagent called Debbie – a fact that is seriously curtailing his habit of buying porn magazines. It soon transpires that Debbie is June's daughter, and it is almost her 19th birthday. Del puts two and two together, and decides that Debbie may well be his daughter. It gets worse when Rodney realises that he has fallen for a girl who could be his niece. Everything comes to a head when Del finally confronts June to find out whether Debbie is his daughter or not. It turns out that Debbie was actually fathered by Del's friend Albie Littlewood, who died crossing the train tracks while he was seeing June behind Del's back.
25	"Strained Relations"	Ray Butt	Susan Belbin	29:42	28 February 1985 (1985-02-28)	14.9
After Grandad's funeral, the mourners return to the Trotters' flat. Rodney is annoyed that Del is having a good time when he should be upset. After everybody leaves, Grandad's brother, Uncle Albert, another freeloading Trotter, emerges from one of the bedrooms after getting drunk. The following morning, Del drives Albert back home, but the caravan where he was living with Del's cousin has been moved. Del suggests that he find a room at the Seamen's Mission. Del tells Rodney that he does not know how to grieve for Grandad and is hiding his pain. Later, at The Nag's Head, Albert turns up and lies to the boys saying the mission is no longer there. Del falls for the deception, and suggests that he come home with them. First appearance of Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert
26	"Hole in One"	Ray Butt	Susan Belbin	29:37	7 March 1985 (1985-03-07)	13.4
The Trotters have fallen on hard times, largely because of Rodney's £500 investment in suntan lotion during one of the worst winters ever seen. To make things worse, the deep-fat fryer that they sold to Mike, landlord of The Nag's Head, is on the blink and the tension brings Del and Rodney to boiling point. Throughout all of this trouble, however, Uncle Albert, whom Rodney blames for their bad luck, keeps telling them that something will turn up. As Albert leaves the pub, he deliberately falls through an open cellar door, and the Trotters quickly come up with a way to get some cash – by suing the pub for damages. Albert's accident claim finally makes it to court, but, to the shock of Del and Rodney, it appears as if their uncle has already sought 15 identical claims for damages going back to 1944. Their case gets chucked out of court, and Albert admits that he was using some of the tricks that he learnt in parachute training to try to help Del and Rodney pay for Grandad's headstone.
27	"It's Only Rock and Roll"	Ray Butt	Susan Belbin	28:29	14 March 1985 (1985-03-14)	13.6
Rodney joins a band, and Del immediately capitalises on this by booking them into The Shamrock Club to play for the St Patrick's night festivities. Taking his place as the band's manager, Del winces his way through their rehearsals, and, when the shamrock gig results in a fight, the band are forced to leg it. Later, when Rodney finds out that the musical equipment has vanished, he contacts the police. When Del sees Rodney with the constable, he explains that the instruments had been on sale or return, and had been returned. Rodney's dreams of showbiz fame have been shattered and he confronts Del when he sees the group performing their old hit single on Top of the Pops, and realises that, without Del's interference, he might have made it to number one. Once again, Del has ruined Rodney's chance of success owing to his greed.
28	"Sleeping Dogs Lie"	Ray Butt	Susan Belbin	29:58	21 March 1985 (1985-03-21)	18.7
In an attempt to earn an easy £60 a week, Del persuades Boycie and Marlene to entrust him with the care of their Great Dane puppy, Duke, while they are on holiday. While out for a walk, Rodney notices that the dog is a bit sluggish, and they decide to take it to the vet. Del and Rodney think that the dog may have eaten some reheated pork leftovers for breakfast, and the vet quickly informs them that Duke has probably caught salmonella. It is only when they get home that they realise that Albert has eaten the other half of the pork, and they quickly rush him to hospital. When Albert gets discharged from hospital a few days later, with a clean bill of health, Del Boy discovers that Rodney has been giving Albert's sleeping pills to Duke, and the dog's vitamin supplements to Albert. First appearance of Sue Holderness as Marlene Boyce
29	"Watching the Girls Go By"	Ray Butt	Susan Belbin	29:50	28 March 1985 (1985-03-28)	14.4
Rodney is taking some stick from the lads down the pub about his "imaginary" girlfriend, and Mickey Pearce bets him fifty that he will not bring a girl to the Saturday night bash in The Nag's Head. When Rodney admits to Del that he does not have a date for Saturday night, his big brother sets about trying to get him one. On the Friday night, the two brothers head out clubbing, and, despite trying almost every club in London, they end up in a seedy little bar in search of a date for Rodney. As luck would have it, Del Boy spots Yvonne, an old flame who he knows is not too picky with whom she goes out, and he offers to pay her part of the winnings from Rodney's bet if she will escort his little brother the following night. Apparently, the date goes well until halfway through the evening when Yvonne takes centre stage in the pub and begins her act as a stripper – in front of all of Rodney's mates. Del Boy tries to console Rodney with the thought of his £50 winnings, but it turns out the bet was for fifty pence, not pounds.
30	"As One Door Closes"	Ray Butt	Susan Belbin	29:48	4 April 1985 (1985-04-04)	14.2
The trouble starts when Del agrees to provide painter and decorator Brendan O'Shaughnessy with enough louvred doors to refit an entire housing estate in Nunhead. Del's supplier, Teddy Cummings, only supplies in bulk, so it is up to the Trotters to find £2,000 by the next day or there is no chance of getting the doors. As usual, a solution turns up in the form of Denzil's redundancy money, which Del somehow cons him out of, only to be told by O'Shaughnessy that the doors he has bought are not needed, and, to make things worse, the doors turn out to be stolen. It is not long before Denzil and his five brothers come looking for their money, so, with nowhere else to go, the Trotters visit their mother's grave – a favourite refuge for Del in times of trouble. While there, Rodney notices a rare butterfly from the cover of his magazine, which is worth about £3,000 to collectors. After chasing the butterfly around the churchyard, the park and the boating lake, Rodney finally captures it, only to have it squashed when Del holds it out to show Denzil and gets high-fived.
Christmas Special (1985)
31	"To Hull and Back"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	90 minutes	25 December 1985 (1985-12-25)	16.92
Boycie and Abdul ask Del to smuggle diamonds from Amsterdam into the country. Del initially declines the offer, but ultimately agrees in exchange for £15,000. When Del learns that DCI Roy Slater is aware of the cases of diamond smuggling, but does not know who is involved, and realising that he would not get the diamonds through airport security, Del gets Uncle Albert to take him and Rodney to Amsterdam from Hull in a hired boat. The Trotters arrive at the location and collect the diamonds. Meanwhile, back at the police station, Slater deduces that Boycie and Del are involved in the smuggling and waits at the airport for the Trotters to arrive. Del, Rodney and Albert arrive back a day late, because Albert got lost. All seems to have gone well until Slater catches Boycie and the Trotters in the act. However, Slater lets them go and is later arrested when the police work out that he has been working with the man in Amsterdam who keeps the diamonds until the couriers arrive. Although Boycie used fake money to pay for the diamonds, he paid Del with real money. Unfortunately, Del thinks the money is fake and throws it out the window.

Series 5 (1986–1987)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Series
32	"From Prussia with Love"	Ray Butt	Mandie Fletcher	30:11	31 August 1986 (1986-08-31)	12.1
It is closing time at The Nag's Head, and Mike the landlord is having problems clearing everyone out, particularly a young pregnant foreign girl who does not seem to speak Peckham English. Del and Rodney offer to help, and, despite Del Boy's dodgy French, they work out that Anna is from Germany, and she has been chucked out on the street and is considering getting her child adopted. They leave Rodney to take Anna to an hotel, but he ends up bringing her back to the flat. After fuming about Rodney bringing another "waif and stray" home, Del Boy considers what can be done with Anna's unwanted baby – and the first thing he thinks of is how to exploit her and make money. For years, Marlene and Boycie have been trying for a child, with no success, and now for three grand, Del is offering them the chance to have their very own baby boy. The stress is clearly getting to Anna, and she begins to go into labour. Later on, Del, Boycie and Marlene all gather round in the lounge waiting for Anna and Rodney to return from hospital. All is well until Rodney lets Del Boy know that Anna's baby is a girl, and that Spencer's parents were actually West Indian!
33	"The Miracle of Peckham"	Ray Butt	Mandie Fletcher	29:33	7 September 1986 (1986-09-07)	14.2
Feeling guilty about his criminal lifestyle, Del has a rare religious urge and heads to the confessional of his local Catholic church to speak with Fr O'Keith. While chatting with the priest, Del discovers that the local hospice, St Mary's, requires a £185,000 renovation or it will soon close. As Derek and Rodney's mother and grandad were both cared for there, the older Trotter takes the charitable cause to his heart. After his confession, Del is about to put some money into the collection box when Fr O'Keith cries out that the statue of the Virgin Mary is weeping holy tears. Within a couple of seconds, Del has persuaded the priest that this miracle needs publicising – something that could go a long way towards raising funds for St Mary's renovations and lining Del's pockets. Fr O'Keith reluctantly agrees, and Del gets Rodney to alert the national press. As journalists arrive from all over the world, Del helps Fr O'Keith collect the contributions from all those that wish to witness the miracle of the weeping virgin. It is only when the priest notices rain dripping from the roof of the church that Del Boy's elaborate con is exposed.
34	"The Longest Night"	Ray Butt	Mandie Fletcher	28:08	14 September 1986 (1986-09-14)	16.7
Del, Rodney, and Albert are mistakenly apprehended as shoplifters by an overzealous security guard at the Top Buy supermarket. Things get worse when they are taken to the manager's office and realise that they have lost their receipt for the goods. Shortly after, Tom the security guard brings a cocky shoplifter, Lennox Gilbey, into the manager's office where he promptly pulls out a gun and demands money from the safe. Unluckily for Lennox the safe is on a time-lock, and, owing to the dodgy watch he is wearing, he is 15 minutes later than he planned – and the safe does not unlock until 8 am the next morning. After being held hostage throughout the night, Del realises that he sold the stolen watch to Lennox, and that he also knew him as a kid. By preying on his guilty conscience, Del persuades Lennox to reveal that the plan was hatched by Tom and the supermarket manager to get at the £60,000 stored in the safe. The three would-be thieves beg Del not to go to the police, and instead, he arranges for Lennox to get a job as a security guard at the supermarket after Tom's retirement, and then makes sure he wins a £1,000 prize as the millionth customer in the store.
35	"Tea for Three"	Ray Butt	Mandie Fletcher	30:42	21 September 1986 (1986-09-21)	16.5
Trigger's young niece, Lisa, is staying with him for a while, and the young girl that Del and Rodney remember has now become a 25-year-old woman. Both Trotter brothers think they are in with a chance, despite Del's being clearly too old, and immediately begin competing for Lisa's affections. Del and Rodney manage to invite Lisa to the flat for tea, and she seems more than happy to accept. Del goes out to get some more "Smash", and Rodney spends half-an-hour on the sunbed. Just before Del leaves for the shops, he notices Rodney has dozed off and spitefully turns up the heat on the bed. Much to Rodney's annoyance, he spends most of the evening nursing his burnt face, while Del and Lisa seem to be getting on really well. Rodney arranges a surprise for Del, as, during the meal, Del lies to Lisa boasting that he used to be in the Parachute Regiment. Del and Rodney head off to meet Lisa's friends for a spot of hang-gliding. Not wanting to lose face, Del reluctantly agrees to try it, and, after launching himself into the air, he disappears for more than twelve hours. Once back, Del lies to Rodney pretending to be unable to walk, but Rodney sees through the deception, much to Del's annoyance. Lisa turns out to be engaged, and so all of Del's efforts were a waste of time.
36	"Video Nasty"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:00	28 September 1986 (1986-09-28)	17.5
Rodney's art class is given a £10,000 grant to make a film spotlighting the local community, but first he has to avoid the scheming intentions of Del Boy. While Rodney suffers from writer's block, Del provides him with a ridiculous tale of a killer rhinoceros escaping from London Zoo and laying waste to innocent victims. Rodney immediately points out the flaws in the logic behind the plot, and Del leaves him to it. Without telling Rodney, Del has already arranged for Mickey to head down to the town hall to film different couples' weddings at £50 a time – and he has also managed to con half the neighbourhood to pay £10 for the opportunity of becoming a movie extra. To make things worse, Mickey arranges for a woman called Amanda to visit the Trotters' flat in a nurse's uniform and begin filming a blue movie called "Night Nurse", which is due for its premiere in the back room of The Nag's Head. Once again, Del ruins things for Rodney.
37	"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	29:59	5 October 1986 (1986-10-05)	18.8
Del's old business partner from the 1960s, Jumbo Mills, returns to the UK to strike a deal with Boycie, and ends up rubbing everyone up the wrong way in The Nag's Head. Jumbo has made himself rich after leaving rainy London for Australia with Del Boy's last £200. In an attempt to pay back this debt "with interest", Jumbo asks Del to become the new face of his new import business – but it means a move to Australia for the Trotter family. After making sure Rodney and Albert have a place in Oz, Del Boy agrees to join Jumbo's firm, but things do not go as smoothly as that. Albert decides he wants to stay in Peckham, and it looks as though Rodney's criminal record has put paid to his dream trip. Regardless of this, Del seems keen still to go, but, when he picks up the phone to confirm the plan to Jumbo, he turns him down – reluctantly admitting that blood is thicker than water.
Christmas Specials (1986–1987)
38	"A Royal Flush"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	76 minutes	25 December 1986 (1986-12-25)	18.8
Rodney meets Vicky, a seemingly impoverished artist who it transpires is the daughter of the Duke of Maylebury. Having obtained a pair of tickets to the sold-out production of Carmen, Rodney seems to have deeply impressed Vicky. She is less taken by the presence of Del and his peroxide blonde girlfriend, June Snell, in a cringeworthy scene at the opera where they ruin the night for Rodney. Vicky then invites Rodney to a party at the Duke's country home, and it seems romance may be on the cards. Then, Del Boy turns up, hits the vino and ruins everything for his little brother again.
39	"The Frog's Legacy"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	60 minutes	25 December 1987 (1987-12-25)	14.5
Trotters Independent Traders is causing mayhem with their faulty RAJAH computers. Rodney gets a new job at a funeral director's, while Albert and Del con the public with their miracle cure body massagers. At the wedding of Trigger's niece, Del hears the tale of Freddy the Frog, a bank robber and close friend of the boys' mother. He left everything in his will to their mum, including the stolen gold bullion. While Del hunts for treasure, Rodney puzzles over Freddy and his mother's "friendship" – and a son who would by now be his own age.

Series 6 (1988–1989)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Christmas Special (1988)
40	"Dates"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	80 minutes	25 December 1988 (1988-12-25)	16.6
Surprised by Trigger's success with a new computer dating agency, Del joins and meets aspiring actress Raquel Turner and the two quickly hit it off. However, Raquel is not aware that Del is a market trader, as he claimed to be the manager of his own import–export business. Meanwhile, Rodney has a date with Nag's Head barmaid "Nervous Nerys", which ends in disaster after Rodney jumps a red light in the van and causes a police car to crash, having been convinced by Mickey and Jevon that Nerys enjoys the company of tough and manly men. A few days later, Uncle Albert's birthday party is held at The Nag's Head, but Del is horrified when the surprise stripper he booked turns out to be Raquel. The pair eventually make it up and Raquel reveals that she has been offered an acting role in a tour around the Middle East. Del is about to go to her flat and ask her to stay, but blows his chance when he is arrested after ripping the clothes off a policewoman, believing that she is a stripper booked by Uncle Albert in revenge for his birthday party. First appearance of Tessa Peake-Jones as Raquel Turner
Series
41	"Yuppy Love"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:02	8 January 1989 (1989-01-08)	13.9
Del has just seen the film Wall Street for about the fourth time and decided that the upwardly-mobile lifestyle is for him. The camel-hair coat is out, and in comes a smart new image: green Mackintosh, mobile phone, Filofax and aluminium briefcase – but the yellow van remains. Del even wants to buy the flat off the council and sell it for a fast buck. Rodney, meanwhile, has decided to complete a computing diploma course at the adult education centre. It is there that he meets a young woman called Cassandra, who returns his raincoat to him when he mistakes hers for his, Del having written Rodney's name inside the collar. Del and Trig ditch The Nag's Head in favour of propping up a wine bar. As Del accidentally falls through the bar hatch, Rodney and the boys head to a club, where Rodney amazes the others by dancing with Cassandra. She gives him a lift home, but he pretends to live in a big house in the posh King's Avenue. As they say goodbye, he is caught waving to the unknown occupants of the posh house. As he walks home, a rainstorm starts. First appearance of Gwyneth Strong as Cassandra Parry
42	"Danger UXD"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	48:12	15 January 1989 (1989-01-15)	16.1
Del continues to pursue the yuppy lifestyle, and insists that Rodney also wear a suit. He convinces his young brother that it will help him sell fifty video recorders that he got from Ronnie Nelson at the Advanced Electronics Research and Development Centre. Ever the opportunist, Del helps Denzil by taking fifty dolls off his hands. Unfortunately, the Trotters discover too late that they are inflatable sex dolls filled with explosive propane. Del tries in vain to get rid of the dolls, but sex shop manager Dirty Barry will not take them, and they eventually resort to dressing two of them in their mother's clothes and taking them for a drive. Denzil soon finds out about the dolls' explosive properties and rushes to warn Del, who is unaware. Eventually, after being ditched, the dressed-up dolls explode, making Del and Rodney run a mile.
43	"Chain Gang"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:51	22 January 1989 (1989-01-22)	16.3
After Del meets Cassandra for the first time at the One Eleven Club, he and Rodney do a deal with retired jeweller Arnie to buy 250 gold chains for £12,500. Arnie is forced to sell them for half the retail price, because his previous client, Mr Stavros, failed to purchase the chains. Del forms a consortium of Rodney, Albert, Mike, Trigger and Boycie, who contribute varying amounts of money, to pay for the chains. Stavros then suddenly returns with £25,000 to pay for the chains, and so the consortium plans to sell them to him on behalf of Arnie, meaning that Stavros can have the goods as originally intended. However, while waiting for Stavros at a restaurant, Arnie suddenly has a heart attack and is rushed to hospital. The consortium members lose trace of the chains and their money, but realise that they have been conned when Rodney sees Arnie faking another heart attack. The boys are able to track Arnie down after learning that Denzil and his two brothers have also been conned by Arnie.
44	"The Unlucky Winner Is..."	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:50	29 January 1989 (1989-01-29)	17
Del has entered every competition on the market, trying to win as many freebies as possible. Rodney has unknowingly been entered for an art competition, and has won it, together with the prize of a holiday in Mallorca. It is only when he arrives at the five-star hotel that he learns that Del has been lying to him again, and that Rodney is supposedly a schoolboy who has won the under-15 category. While Del enjoys himself, Rodney has to endure the Fun Bus, chaotic children, and becoming a lifelong member of The Groovy Gang. What would have been a nice getaway for Rodney and Cassandra has been ruined again by a thoughtless Del. Rodney has the last laugh, however, as Del's interfering with his passport makes Del ineligible to claim Rodney's winning ticket on the Spanish lottery.
45	"Sickness and Wealth"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	56:43	5 February 1989 (1989-02-05)	18.2
Del is having stomach pains. It could be his new fast-paced yuppy lifestyle, or it could be the eviction notice demanding three months' worth of unpaid rent up front. TIT has not been successful and the pressure is on to raise the cash. The solution presents itself in the shape of Uncle Albert's lady-friend Elsie Partridge, a medium. Del thinks that it is a load of mumbo-jumbo, but sets up a séance room in The Nag's Head to cash in and con more unsuspecting members of the public. Albert, worried for Del's health, tells Elsie to say that his mum has contacted her asking him to go to the doctor. When Marlene falls pregnant, just as Elsie foresaw, Del takes heed and is diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. When he gets home Rodney has another shock for him: he and Cassandra are engaged, which causes Del to be struck with pain again.
46	"Little Problems"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:49	12 February 1989 (1989-02-12)	18.9
Rodney's down in the dumps. Despite getting engaged, he thinks he has failed his diploma in computer science, which could cost him a good job at Cassandra's father's company. On top of that, he cannot come up with his share of the dosh for the new flat that he and Cassandra plan to buy. His only relief is that the diploma arrives in the post. Del comes to the rescue, promising to call in all his favours to raise the money Rodney needs. The only trouble is that the Driscoll Brothers are calling in their debts, and those who cannot pay get bruised. Managing to buy precious time, Del cons Boycie into paying for some dodgy video recorders and can cover the Trotters' debts. Meanwhile, Uncle Albert has Del sussed, and asks him how much Rodney's diploma cost. Not all goes to plan in the end, but Del fulfils the duties as best man at Rodney's wedding, despite hiding his battering. After some words of Trotter wisdom, Rodney and Cassandra journey to Rimini for their honeymoon.
Christmas Special (1989)
47	"The Jolly Boys' Outing"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	85 minutes	25 December 1989 (1989-12-25)	20.1
Cassandra organises a dinner party, inviting her "yuppie" boss and his wife in the hope of getting a promotion. Del and Uncle Albert soon arrive to put their feet firmly in their mouths and ruin the chances of that. Despite it being Rodney and Cassandra's first wedding anniversary, Rodney agrees to go on the annual Jolly Boys' Outing to Margate. The outing goes as well as can be expected considering that Rodney gets arrested, and the coach's dodgy radio – supplied by Del Boy – emits fumes that incapacitate the driver and then ignite the fuel line, causing the vehicle to explode. Forced to stay the night by this twist of fate, the Trotters have no choice but to go to a scary bed and breakfast. Rodney is still concerned that Cassandra's boss is staying with her while he is away, and so he and Del go out for a drink at a club where Del encounters his lost love Raquel, now working as magician's assistant. As one Trotter rekindles his love life, the other returns to find Cassandra entertaining her boss at home. Punching first, and asking questions later, Rodney blows it.

Series 7 (1990–1991)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Christmas Special (1990)
48	"Rodney Come Home"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	75 minutes	25 December 1990 (1990-12-25)	18
Rodney is settling into married life and his job at his father-in-law's printing firm. Rodney's first proper job also provides Del with cheap printing – his sole source of income. Raquel has returned from a trip to America and is now living with Del. Del is worried about his brother's marriage, as Rodney resents Cassandra for working all the time. Del's attempts to save Rodney's marriage result in him being homeless for the third time in 18 months.
Series
49	"The Sky's the Limit"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:57	30 December 1990 (1990-12-30)	15
Raquel has moved in with Del, as has the newly separated Rodney. When Rodney is not asleep on the couch, he is drinking too much, or nursing hangovers. While Cassandra and her mother travel to Spain for a holiday, Alan Parry – Cassandra's dad and Rodney's boss – visits Del Boy and confides that he was hoping to leave his business to the couple. They hatch a plot to arrange a second honeymoon for them. Rodney pays £250 for their trip, and waits for Cassandra to arrive at Gatwick Airport. However, when Cassandra's flight lands in Manchester, he is furious. When he learns the real reason behind her flight being diverted, Del has some serious explaining to do.
50	"The Chance of a Lunchtime"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:30	6 January 1991 (1991-01-06)	16.6
Raquel wants to revive her theatrical passions, and auditions for As You Like It. Derek volunteers to help her rehearse. Rodney and Cassandra meet for a meal, both thinking that the other made the first move, without realising that Del has set them up. Things seem to be going well until Rodney staggers out of The Nag's Head with Del's ex-fiancée Trudy to see her to a cab, just as Cassandra drives past and leaps to the wrong conclusion. Raquel tells Derek that she will not be taking the part in the play, as she is pregnant.
51	"Stage Fright"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:34	13 January 1991 (1991-01-13)	16.6
Del meets his old pal Eric, who runs a club called the "Starlight Rooms". He pays Del £600 to supply entertainment for an upcoming birthday party to be held at the club. Del pairs a pregnant Raquel with Trigger's colleague Tony Angelino to sing and appoints Rodney – who is out of work and struggling to find his own accommodation – as his road manager. Del then learns from Boycie and Mike that the Starlight Rooms is now owned by local villain Eugene McCarthy, and that the party is for McCarthy's mother. While Tony and Raquel are singing "Crying", it is revealed that Tony is unable to pronounce his "Rs" correctly. Worried, Del Boy returns to the flat, thinking that McCarthy will be after him. To Del's relief, it turns out that Mrs McCarthy found Tony's singing hysterical, leading Del to attempt to offer Tony future bookings.
52	"The Class of '62"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:16	20 January 1991 (1991-01-20)	16.2
Del and his friends are horrified to discover that their surprise school reunion has been arranged by Roy Slater, who is back in Peckham having been paroled from Parkhurst six months earlier following the diamond smuggling caper a few years before. Del is even more horrified to learn that Slater is Raquel's estranged husband. Del is forced to keep Slater sweet or risk the secret of the identity of Raquel's husband being revealed. Del, Rodney and Albert soon learn that Slater is due to receive a windfall from more illegal diamonds: a fact that the police and Raquel are unaware of. Del uses this to blackmail Slater into leaving Peckham and finalise his divorce with Raquel. Ironically, shortly after Slater leaves, Del reveals that Slater was at no real risk of being caught, because Slater was the only one who held any evidence of his involvement with further diamond smuggling. Final appearance of Jim Broadbent as Roy Slater
53	"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	48:41	27 January 1991 (1991-01-27)	17.2
To improve Rodney's financial situation, Del employs him as his new "Director of Commercial Development", which actually involves cleaning the battered old Ford Capri Ghia that Del has recently acquired from Boycie. Del, meanwhile, is arranging to buy their flat in Nelson Mandela House. Uncle Albert is going to the over-sixties club on the estate and is chatting up a lady called Dora, who is Marlene's mother. One night, he returns to the flat bruised and shaken, telling Del and Rodney he has been mugged. Despite being home, something is not right; Uncle Albert then disappears. After a lot of driving around, the boys find him, but a visit from Albert's dominoes opponent "Knock Knock" reveals the truth about the black eye.
54	"Three Men, a Woman and a Baby"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	49:08	3 February 1991 (1991-02-03)	18.9
Del is horrified when he learns that the wigs that he has bought to sell to some "old tarts" at The Nag's Head turn out to be men's wigs. Cassandra gives Rodney the push for lacking ambition and not being part of the marriage. Rodney has also turned vegetarian, much to the mockery of the rest of the Trotter clan. When Cassandra asks him to visit, he tries to impress her by wearing an attachable ponytail (one of Del's wigs), but he discreetly discards it when Cassandra jokes about how silly they are. Rodney impresses Cassandra by disposing of a "rat" (actually the wig) in the apartment, and they get back together. Their embrace is interrupted by a phone call: Raquel has gone into labour. She gives birth to a boy in the early hours of the morning, whom she and Del name Damien.

Christmas specials (1991–2003)

No.	Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
Christmas Specials (1991)
55	"Miami Twice (The American Dream)"	Gareth Gwenlan	Gareth Gwenlan	50 minutes	24 December 1991 (1991-12-24)	17.7
At Damien's christening, Del secures a deal with the vicar to sell pre-blessed wine around the country. Rodney is living with Del and Albert on weekdays, and with Cassandra at weekends, on the advice of their marriage guidance counsellor. Del steals Rodney's pension money and buys a holiday with it; he then tricks Rodney into going on holiday with him, knowing that Cassandra's work commitments will prevent her from attending.
56	"Miami Twice (Oh to Be in England)"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	95 minutes	25 December 1991 (1991-12-25)	14.9
When Del and Rodney arrive in Miami, the family of Mafia boss Vincenzo Ochetti are drawn to Del, who bears a striking resemblance to their don, who is facing trial, and the possibility of life imprisonment. They come up with a plan to kill Del so that Don Ochetti can escape being sentenced to imprisonment. Soon realising they are not simply being shown American hospitality, Del and Rodney flee aided and abetted by Boycie, Marlene and their baby Tyler who are also in the States. Upon a safe return to Peckham, they find dozens of crates of wine, which were deemed unfit for Holy Communion.
Christmas Specials (1992–1993)
57	"Mother Nature's Son"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	65 minutes	25 December 1992 (1992-12-25)	20.1
Del Boy hires Denzil and Trigger to clean out some mysterious yellow gunge that has been dumped in Grandad's allotment, which Del has been lumbered with following the purchase of his flat. After learning about a man called Myles, who sells health foods and natural fertiliser, and has become a millionaire in two and a half years, Del tricks him into believing that there is a natural spring at the allotment. When the water passes the relevant tests, Del sells it (tap water) as bottled water called Peckham Spring. Soon, hundreds of pounds are winging their way to Del's wallet and he, Raquel, Damien, Rodney and Cassandra go for a weekend away at the Grand Hotel, Brighton. As they settle down, the Trotters are unaware that there is a news item being shown on the TV, which explains that Peckham's water supply has become toxic, thanks to the yellow gunge that Denzil and Trigger "disposed" of a few days before. As Del falls asleep, a bottle of Peckham Spring on his bedside table glows yellow.
58	"Fatal Extraction"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	85 minutes	25 December 1993 (1993-12-25)	19.6
Raquel is frustrated with Del who is spending his evenings at the casino, frequently returning past midnight. Rodney raises the problem with Del, who explains he is brokering a deal to get hold of some Russian ex-military camcorders. Rodney and Cassandra have decided to try to have a baby. When Del comes home at 8.15 am, stopping only to change his clothes, Raquel leaves him. Del organises a date with Beverley, his dentist's receptionist; however, he cancels it after much persistence from Rodney and Uncle Albert. A changed man, he invites Raquel back. While celebrating, he drunkenly starts a riot on the estate. All seems calm, but Beverley seems to be stalking Del. The episode pays homage to Fatal Attraction.
Christmas Specials (1996)
59	"Heroes and Villains"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	60 minutes	25 December 1996 (1996-12-25)	21.3
Rodney awakens from a dream on his birthday in which Damien rules the country, and learns that Del is in a bad mood, because business is going badly and his home improvement grant from the council has been rejected. Meanwhile, Raquel and Damien visit Raquel's parents, from whom she has been estranged, and Cassandra joins her parents in Spain at their family villa. While the girls are away, Del and Rodney attend a fancy dress party as Batman and Robin. The brothers are forced to run to the venue when the van breaks down and coincidentally stop a gang of muggers. When they arrive at the party, however, the Trotters discover that the party's host died the day before and the party has been cancelled in place of the host's wake. A few days later, Del and Rodney stop the same gang of muggers, resulting in Del Boy receiving a medal and £5,000 for his home improvement grant. Cassandra reveals that she is finally pregnant.
60	"Modern Men"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	60 minutes	27 December 1996 (1996-12-27)	21.3
Del is reading a book called "Modern Man". Despite being convinced that he is the dictionary definition of debonair masculinity, the book is making him behave irrationally, about which Rodney is concerned. Cassandra is expecting, and Rodney wants more responsibility and a better job to provide for his family. He unwittingly answers a job advertisement, posted by Del to alleviate Rodney's workload. Del, meanwhile, has decided to take his manhood into his own hands and get a vasectomy. Dr Singh is hounding him regarding dodgy paint, and the nightmare of him getting revenge on Del's crown jewels puts him off the idea. Cassandra is rushed to hospital, suffering a miscarriage. Rodney breaks down, but Del tells him that he has to be strong for his wife. Del then cries his eyes out, as Rodney supports his wife.
61	"Time on Our Hands"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	60 minutes	29 December 1996 (1996-12-29)	24.3
Rodney is bottling up his emotions following the loss of his baby. Del, realising that Cassandra needs his support, wants to help Rodney adjust. Raquel's parents arrive for a meal and to meet their daughter's new man. He does little to impress, and Uncle Albert makes matters worse by confusing the coffee and the gravy. The next day, Raquel's father meets Rodney and Del as they clear their garage. Being an antiques dealer, he spots a long-lost 18th century Harrison marine timekeeper, which he recommends getting valued. When the watch is sold for auction at Sotheby's, the highest bid is for £6.2 million. Final appearance of Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert and Kenneth MacDonald as Mike
Christmas Specials (2001–2003)
62	"If They Could See Us Now"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	71 minutes	25 December 2001 (2001-12-25)	21.3
Del and Rodney lose their riches in a bad investment in the Central American markets, and are declared bankrupt. They return to Peckham, and their Mandela House flat, and, to make matters a lot worse, they suffer a major blow when Uncle Albert dies and they end up at the wrong funeral. Cassandra and Rodney are finding that their love life is a little flat, and so they spice it up by role-playing their fantasies. Cassandra becomes Rodney's police woman, and Rodney does not quite look right as Gladiator. Del appears on the game show "Goldrush" in a last-ditch attempt to win back their fortune. Despite a phone call saying that Del has actually won following a badly written final question, Del mistakenly believes that it is prankster Mickey Pearce and tells them to give the fortune to charity. Meanwhile, Sid has taken over at The Nag's Head now that Mike is in prison, and Damien seems to be growing up fast. First appearance of Benjamin Smith as Damien Trotter
63	"Strangers on the Shore"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	75 minutes	25 December 2002 (2002-12-25)	17.4
Del and Rodney embark on a trip to France, agreeing to visit Uncle Albert's Navy memorial ceremony in his honour. Upon their arrival at the village, they learn that Uncle Albert was hounded out of the country by the Resistance owing to his promiscuity. Del and Rodney notice all the villagers seem to have mariners' beards. Del, Trigger and Denzil arrange to smuggle duty-free alcohol into the country using Denzil's empty lorry. When they get home, they discover an illegal immigrant has seemingly been stowed away behind the crates. Naming him Gary, they house him, only for him eventually to escape. Sadly, the connection between Boycie's important business deal with a millionaire and the man's missing son is not made; they are consequently arrested.
64	"Sleepless in Peckham"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	75 minutes	25 December 2003 (2003-12-25)	16.37
Del and the family have only two weeks to find the cash to pay the Inland Revenue, or they will be evicted from their home. After 41 years in the flat, it could be goodbye, something Del and Rodney are determined will not happen. However, memories of the past, particularly of the infamous Freddie Robdal and the romance that he shared with their beloved mother, Joan, threatens to divide the brothers. Meanwhile, Marlene has disappeared and everyone is convinced that Boycie has murdered her; even his best friends are convinced of his guilt. Elsewhere, Trigger has become fascinated by science fiction and is enthralled by programmes such as The X-Files, while Sid has big plans for the future of The Nag's Head. Rodney's daughter, Joan, is born.

Other

Short specials

Title	Produced by	Directed by	Running time	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
"Christmas Trees"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	8 mins	27 December 1982 (1982-12-27)	7.2
Del tries to sell Christmas trees at the local market. This was a comedy sketch produced for the 1982 Christmas show The Funny Side of Christmas, presented by Frank Muir, which also featured sketches from other comedies.
"Harty"	Jon Plowman	Ron Isted	6 mins	21 December 1983 (1983-12-21)	N/A
A short sketch featuring Del, Rodney and Grandad featured in a Christmas edition of Russell Harty's chat show.
"Licensed to Drill"	Malcolm Taylor	Malcolm Taylor	19 mins	1984 (1984)	N/A
Educational episode made in 1984 and shown in only schools and colleges. Del, Rodney and Grandad discuss oil drilling and fossil fuels. It is notable as the last appearance of Lennard Pearce as Grandad.
"White Mice"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	3 mins	24 December 1985 (1985-12-24)	N/A
In a spoof documentary, Del is investigated by a BBC consumer expert. Shown on BBC Breakfast Time in 1985.
"Royal Variety Show"	Ray Butt	Ray Butt	5 mins	29 November 1986 (1986-11-29)	N/A
Whilst delivering some dodgy goods, Del, Rodney and Uncle Albert inadvertently walk into the Royal Variety Performance.
"The Robin Flies at Dawn"	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	5 mins	1 December 1990 (1990-12-01)	N/A
Del, Rodney and Uncle Albert deliver a goodwill message to British personnel serving in the 1990–91 Gulf War.
"Only Fools Cutaway" Comic Relief Special	Gareth Gwenlan	Tony Dow	6 mins	14 March 1997 (1997-03-14)	10.6
A short scene, based entirely in the flat, featuring a young Damien Trotter. The first half features Del and Rodney slipping in references to other TV shows featuring David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst (e.g., A Touch of Frost and Goodnight Sweetheart) before the duo come out of character and make an appeal to camera for donations for Comic Relief. This is Buster Merryfield's last appearance as Uncle Albert.
"Beckham in Peckham" Sport Relief Special	Clyde Holcroft	Tony Dow	10 mins	21 March 2014 (2014-03-21)	9.53
David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst return for the 2014 Sport Relief special after 11 years. The sketch sees David Beckham head to Peckham to join Del Boy and Rodney in a greasy spoon café. They attempt to sell Beckham's underpants. Dedicated to John Sullivan and Roger Lloyd-Pack.
"Only Fools And Football (Euro 2020 Message from Del Boy)"	N/A	N/A	2 mins	7 July 2021 (2021-07-07)	N/A
Released on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, David Jason reprises his role as Del Boy to wish the England national team good luck in their final two games of Euro 2020.

Cameo appearances

David Jason appeared in adverts for Abbey National, Rover and Radio Times as Del Boy. Jason made a cameo appearance on the 2021 Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing, wishing Jay Blades well after he danced to the show's theme tune. Jason also made a cameo as the voice of an animated Del Boy on a 2023 edition of The Apprentice. In March 2024, Jason appeared in the role of Del Boy in an episode of Car SOS.

John Challis made appearances as Boycie in a few adverts for UK Gold and an advert for Del's autobiography. He also appeared in a music video for Del Boy's Tune.

Documentaries

Title	Original air date
"Only Fools and Horses: Selection Box"	31 December 1996 (1996-12-31)
A selection of best-loved clips from the show chosen by celebrity fans and hosted by John Challis as Boycie. "Selection Box" has been released on BBC Video, but has never been released on DVD. (28 minutes)
"The Story of Only Fools and Horses"	20 December 2002 (2002-12-20)
Behind-the-scenes documentary featuring cast and crew interviews. (76 minutes)
"Britain's Best Sitcom: Only Fools and Horses"	28 February 2004 (2004-02-28)
Behind-the-scenes documentary finding Britain's most loved comedy; the winner was Only Fools and Horses. (60 minutes)
"Only Fools and Horses: The Favourites"	2015 (2015)
David Jason presents a countdown of the top 20 Only Fools and Horses episodes as voted for by the viewers to celebrate the nation's favourite comedy.
"The Story of... Only Fools and Horses"	29 August 2017 (2017-08-29) – 3 October 2017 (2017-10-03)
The new documentary series features rare and unseen footage from the Trotter archives and specially re-created moments from Del Boy's family and friends. Gold explores every aspect of Britain's most loved sitcom, with exclusive access to the key cast members, including David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, the series gives rare insights into the show and what went on both on and off camera. The programme reunites cast members, rebuilds some of the sets and features rare and previously unseen material. (6 x 60 minute episodes)

Ratings

Only Fools and Horses : UK viewers per episode (millions)

Series		Episode number							Average
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	1	9.2	6.1	7.3	7.8	7.0	8.8	–	7.7
	2	7.7	10.1	7.5	8.6	8.2	9.5	10.2	8.8
	3	9.4	9.7	9.7	10.6	10.7	11.2	11.9	10.5
	4	15.2	14.9	13.4	13.6	18.7	14.4	14.2	14.9
	5	12.1	14.2	16.7	16.5	17.5	18.8	–	16.0
	6	13.9	16.1	16.3	17.0	18.2	18.9	–	16.7
	7	15.0	16.6	16.6	16.2	17.2	18.9	–	16.8

Audience measurement performed by Broadcasters' Audience Research Board

Further reading

• Clark, Steve (1998). The Only Fools and Horses Story. BBC Books. ISBN 0-563-38445-X.
• Webber, Richard (2003). The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-6025-9.