Only Fools and Horses creator once edited an episode as he regretted making Del Boy so ‘cruel’

A new Only Fools and Horses documentary has revealed that the sitcom’s creator once changed an episode for being too cruel.

John Sullivan, who created the comedy series in 1981, disliked the particular episode so much it’s believed he stopped it from being broadcast on television for almost 20 years.

Only Fools and Horses follows Peckham-based characters Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney Trotter (Nicholas Lyndhurst), who became beloved characters over the course of 10 years, when the show ended its iniital run.

It sporadically returned with 16 Christmas specials until airing its final episode in 2003.

But, out of all 64 episodes, there was one that Sullivan, who died in 2011, didn’t like at all: series five’s feature-length “A Royal Flush”, which aired on Christmas Day 1986.

In “A Royal Flush”, Del Boy gatecrashes a party held by Rodney’s new love interest, who is the rich daughter of a Duke, and ruins their burgeoning romance in the process during a climactic dinner scene.

According to documentary Secrets and Scandals of Only Fools and Horses (as highlighted by Metro.co.uk). Sullivan felt this episode was not in keeping with Del Boy’s typically lovable personality, and asked to change it 20 years later.

Editor Chris Wadsworth said: “It’s quite a cruel dark episode,” adding that Sullivan branded “not a good” one.

“Some 20 years later he said, ‘Can we do anything to take out Del being nasty?’” Wadsworth revealed.

He said that the edited version was shown to an audience “to get a laughter track” for the DVD release, but concluded: “I don’t think we succeeded completely.”

Speaking about the original version of the episode, TV producer Richard Latto added: “The original where Del Boy is being quite cruel to Rodney is a hard watch.”

Previously, episode director Ray Butt, who died in 2013, said he thought Del Boy “went a bit over the top” and “turned too nasty and lost his warmth” during the dinner scene.

Jason, 82, agreed, stating: “Perhaps that scene wasn’t as good as it could have been.”

Only Fools and Horses: Secrets and Scandals airs on Friday 22 July at 9pm on Channel 5.