Nicholas Lyndhurst

John Sullivan's one-off drama sees the return to TV of his most famous creations, the Trotters of Only Fools and Horses (which still holds the British record for biggest sitcom audience, over 24 million for the 1996 Christmas episode Time on Our Hands). Set in 1960, this focuses on the family's early years in Peckham, with Shaun Dingwall as bone-idle Trotter paterfamilias Reg, Kelly Bright as his wife Joan and James Buckley as a youthful Del Boy. Nicholas Lyndhurst (who played Rodney in the original Only Fools), though, is the undoubted centre of attention in the role of Freddie "The Frog" Robdal, a charming geezer-about-town whose roving eye has settled on the lovely Mrs T...

Nicholas Lyndhurst to star in new OFAH spin-off?

Del Boy is coming back in a comedy about his teenage years - and Nicholas Lyndhurst could play his dad.

How do we feel about this? Personally, the idea behind it doesn't sound too bad, but I have little faith in John Sullivan these days. Only Fools & Horses was a classic that was unwisely brought back for specials after the perfect ending of the 1996 special (where the Trotters finally became millionaires), but a lot of its early success was down to David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and the rest of the cast.

I'm not sure how a prequel could ever duplicate the original cast's chemistry. Really, it feels like Sullivan is all out of ideas. He's already spent the past few years writing Only Fools spin-off The Green Green Grass (focusing on supporting character Boycie moving his family to a rural mansion), and that's arguably one of the worst sitcoms around today. The fact it enjoys fairly healthy ratings just beggars belief, but I guess there aren't many sitcoms catering for the over-50s today.

Oh well. I'm at least interested, because the idea doesn't sound too terrible on paper. If John Sullivan can somehow find his spark and they cast great actors in these roles, it stands a chance. In particular, they need to find someone who can do a passable Del Boy impression as the teenage Trotter, and it would be nice to imagine Jason himself agreeing to play his own screen father Reg. Or is he clever enough to keep his distance?

It's getting to the end of the series for this CBBC sitcom. While the writing is a bit simplistic and the unnecessary laugh track is far too intrusive, this comedy in which Dani Harmer plays a teenage actress is far superior to After You've Gone, the primetime sitcom in which she also stars. In this week's episode, Dani has to get ready for her first awards ceremony, while her old acting class friend, Mo White, returns from the United States a superstar. While you may wonder why former Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon has been cast as a famous actress, bear in mind this is the same BBC that confuses Nicholas Lyndhurst with a talented sitcom performer.

BBC drops After You've Gone

The BBC has axed Nicholas Lyndhurst family comedy After You've Gone after three series, despite previously announcing that it would return next year.

BBC sitcom criticised by TV watchdog

BBC1 comedy After You've Gone has been criticised by the broadcasting watchdog for a scene in which Nicholas Lyndhurst's character takes an overdose of painkillers.

Sitcoms are a dying breed these days, and while this one won't leave you in hysterics, there are a few good giggles. Nicholas Lyndhurst and Celia Imrie play Jimmy and Diana.

Despite a promising set-up - ineffectual Jimmy (Nicholas Lyndhurst) gets stuck with his interfering mother-in-law Diane (Celia Imrie) after his wife leaves him - this sitcom never tickles the ribs as much as creator Fred Barron's wildly popular My Family. That said, this first episode of season three, in which Jimmy tries to wrestle a measure of independence back by attempting to parent without Diane's help, has its moments.

Nicholas Lyndhurst plays a bloke forced to live with his mother-in-law. There are too many reasons to despise this sitcom; it's created by Fred Barron (who also gave us My Family) and the theme song is performed by Jamie Cullum... need I go on? Outdated, outmoded, old hat and laugh-free. But like My Family, a ratings hit.

Nicholas Lyndhurst Interview

The Daily Mail interviewed the star in the run-up to the second series.