...except in East Europe

But although the series is over in the UK, the rights have been sold to several Eastern European countries, who are poised to make their own versions.

Del Boy has been retired before, only to return for a series of Christmas specials, but this time Sullivan says the show has had its day.

The 61-year-old writer told the Daily Star Sunday: ‘There will not be another series of Only Fools And Horses. I can say that. We had our day, it was wonderful but it is best to leave it now.

‘We’re all getting old now – so it’s best to bring it to a close.

‘When I started writing the show I thought I might get a second series if I was lucky. To keep going for 23 years was amazing. I never guessed it was going to be so big – I am grateful for all the success we had with it.

‘We were never supposed to come back in 2003 – the producer Gareth Gwenlan gave an interview saying we were doing another without asking the rest of us, so we were sort of forced into it so as not to let people down.

‘We’re all getting old now – so it’s best to bring it to a close. I’m really proud of all we achieved with the show.’

And of the deals with the former Soviet states, Sullivan said: ‘We have given them all the old scripts and they are going to make their own versions in their native languages. It will be great to see Del Boy go behind the Iron Curtain. It will be a first for him, that’s for sure.’

Published: 10 Feb 2008