Original episode marks 21st birthday

The first ever episode of Only Fools And Horses is to be screened on Sunday - 21 years to the day after it was first shown.

John Sullivan created the series after a conversation with his Citizen Smith producer Ray Butt revealed that they had both worked on street markets, and been fascinated by the dodgy fly-traders.

A pilot script called Readies was immediately commissioned for a full series, and Nicholas Lyndhurst cast as gormless Rodney.

Producers considered a range of actors for Del - Enn Reitel and Jim Broadbent both turned the role down because of other commitments and Roger Lloyd Pack was a possibiltiy, but was cast as Trigger instead.

Butt plumped for David Jason after he saw him in an episode of Open All Hours - and, even though he had serious misgivings, Sullivan allowed him to attend a script read-through - where he was immediately converted.

The first episode, called Big Brother, was transmitted on September 8, 1981 - one of six in the inaugural series.

It had a different theme tune - with Sullivan penning a new one for the second series to explain the origin of the term Only Fools And Horses.

It eventually ran for 63 episodes until 1996.

The cast were coaxed back for three additional feature-length specials, the first of which was screened last Christmas. The others are expected to be in this year's festive schedules.

The first episode will be screened on BBC1 at 6.05pm on Sunday.

Published: 2 Sep 2002