British Comedy Guide
Only Fools And Horses. Image shows from L to R: Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), Del (David Jason), Grandad (Lennard Pearce). Copyright: BBC
Only Fools And Horses

Only Fools And Horses

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One
  • 1981 - 2003
  • 64 episodes (7 series)

Sitcom about two market traders, Del Boy and his brother Rodney. Stars David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Buster Merryfield, Lennard Pearce, Roger Lloyd Pack and more.

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Episode menu

Series 3 - Thicker Than Water

When Rodney opens the door to a stranger at the flat he soon learns from Grandad that it's his long lost father, Reg. As Del returns home from the pub, his anger is abated when Reg tells them he is ill and it may be hereditary. The subsequent blood test results threaten to split the brothers up.

Further details

Reg Trotter, absentee father to Del and Rodney, unexpectedly arrives to celebrate Christmas with his boys.

Reg explains that he has been living in Newcastle, and after a visit to the infirmary, was diagnosed with an hereditary blood disorder. Scared for their well-being, he decided to tell his two sons.

Several tests later and it appears that Del Boy and Rodders have different blood types. It would seem the wayward father has some explaining to do - or rather, their late mother Joan does.

Del and Grandad recall Joan and Reg's frequent arguments around the time she fell with Rodney, and how she had acquired some new friends including a trumpet and saxophone player. They'd rather not think such things of Joan, but are forced to conclude that Rodney's a "whodunnit".

However, after a day out boozing, Reg has a revelation: Del is in fact the mystery child. But after the elder sibling spends much of Christmas week kipping on Trig's sofa, a visit to the family quack gives Derek news to put the smile back on his face.

Broadcast details

Date
Sunday 25th December 1983
Time
9:35pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Upcoming repeats

  1. Monday 23rd December 2024 at 2:00pm on U&Gold
  2. Tuesday 24th December 2024 at 12:00pm on U&Gold
  3. Saturday 28th December 2024 at 12:40pm on U&Gold
  4. Saturday 28th December 2024 at 6:00pm on U&Gold
  5. Sunday 29th December 2024 at 8:50am on U&Gold

Cast & crew

Cast
David Jason Del
Nicholas Lyndhurst Rodney
Lennard Pearce Grandad
Guest cast
Michele Winstanley (as Michèle Winstanley) Karen (Barmaid at Nag's Head)
Peter Woodthorpe Reg Trotter
Writing team
John Sullivan Writer
Production team
Ray Butt Director
Ray Butt Producer
Chris Wadsworth Editor
John Sullivan Composer
Bryan Ellis Production Designer

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