Rock & Chips

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...

John Sullivan's 90-minute prequel to Only Fools and Horses turned out to be the wonderful surprise of the week. With no laughter track and a minimum of slapstick, it is very different in tone to Only Fools and Horses. Rather than going for broad laughter, it concentrates instead on an affair between the unhappily married Joan Trotter (Kellie Bright) and a local crook (Nicholas Lyndhurst) fresh out of prison. It is a simple and touching love story played out against the backdrop of a pre-Beatles Britain, when money was short and the chance to move into a high-rise tower block was seen as the epitome of luxury. Helped by a strong supporting cast that includes Phil Daniels and Shaun Dingwall, Rock & Chips works on its terms, and will explain much about why Del and Rodney turned out the way they did.

Rock and Chips Review: Trotters Junior Traders

Although faced with some pretty large challenges, the writers have succeeded in breathing new life into these well-loved characters - but that could be because they were so very rich in the first place.

Do only fools and sci-fi writers make prequels?

Rock & Chips has presumably been made with an eye to turning it into a series. And here's hoping that happens. After all, given the hopelessly misjudged OFAH Christmas specials and The Green Green Grass, it seems fairly obvious that John Sullivan is determined to keep meddling with the corpse of Only Fools & Horses until it belches out another hit.

John Sullivan on Rock & Chips

Rock & Chips is advertised as the prequel to Only Fools and Horses, but it's much more than just a prequel. It's an opportunity to solve many mysteries, bury some lies and put a few ghosts to rest.

Censor Del Boy for being racist? Don't be a plonker

It's no good trying to make the past conform to the mores of the present, says Michael Deacon.

British sitcoms have gone downhill says John Sullivan

British sitcoms are in the doldrums and rely on swearing to get cheap laughs, according to John Sullivan, the creator of Only Fools and Horses.

There were no plonkers at the oak pub...

Del Boy and Rodney dropped in to a pub on the Harefield border last Wednesday, where filming began for the latest instalment of Only Fools and Horses. A prequel episode of the hugely-popular BBC series was filmed at The Oaks, a short walk from Coppermill Quay.

Sir David Jason on the set of Sex, Drugs & Rock'n'Chips

Sir David Jason stopped by to give some tips to the young Del, James Buckley.

Starring Only Fools and Horses role for village pub

Cast and crew of Only Fools and Horse visited a Harefield pub this week to film scenes for new episode. Characters from the hit show will return to television screens next year in a prequel, set in the 1960s. Key scenes were shot on Wednesday at The Oaks, in Coppermill Lane, which doubled for the fictional Duke of Margate.