Sport Relief 2014 Special

Last updated
"Sport Relief special"
Only Fools and Horses episode
Only Fools & Horses Sport Relief Scene.jpg
Rodney and Del Boy, pictured with former professional footballer David Beckham.
Directed by Tony Dow
Written by Jim Sullivan, Dan Sullivan and John Sullivan [1]
Produced byClyde Holcroft
Production codeSpecial edition
Original air dates21 March 2014
(9.53 million [2] viewers)
Running time10 minutes and 30 seconds
List of episodes

The Sport Relief special, also referred to as "Beckham in Peckham", [3] is a 10 minute edition of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses , broadcast as part of the Sport Relief 2014 appeal on 21 March 2014. Actors David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst reprised their roles as Del Boy and Rodney in the sketch written by Jim Sullivan and Dan Sullivan; the script included previously unused material written by their father John Sullivan, who created and wrote every episode of the series. [4] David Beckham guest starred, [1] Beckham having got in touch with Jim Sullivan. [5]

Contents

According to Shazam Productions there was a lot of interest in the sketch. [6] The return of Only Fools and Horses was eagerly awaited by fans of the show, which ran from 1981 until 2003. [7] [8]

This special sketch was dedicated to the memory of John Sullivan and Roger Lloyd-Pack, who had both died prior to its broadcast.

Synopsis

An unspecified amount of time after the series' last regular episode "Sleepless in Peckham," Del Boy is in Peckham market, trying to sell "Golden Balls" underpants which are supposedly endorsed and signed by David Beckham (in return for Del Boy securing a bouncy castle for the birthday party of one of Beckham's son's, Brooklyn, who Del incorrectly calls Brookside), with Rodney serving as a less-than-enthusiastic model. After failing to sell anything, the Trotters retreat to a nearby cafe, where Rodney complains about Del's treatment of him. Del apologises, mentioning several incidents where he had mistreated Rodney. (These being incidents from previous regular Only Fools and Horses episodes.) Sharing the table with the two is David Beckham, who it turns out actually has endorsed the underpants. The three briefly chat, including Rodney and Beckham discussing their favourite artist (Rodney choosing Matisse, and Beckham choosing Tony Hart), before Beckham gives Rodney tips on how to model underwear effectively, advising him to "glide" and "oscillate."

Later on, Del is again trying to sell the underpants, with Rodney putting on a bizarre, vaguely feminine walk, and being even more angry at Del than he was before, telling him "Derek, I'm going to kill you". Beckham is discreetly watching this, when a young boy walks up to him, and asks him if he's David Beckham. He says that he is, and signs the boy's football, but says not to tell anyone he is there, as he does not want to draw anymore attention to himself. Beckham then attempts to lean back on a goods cart, but a trader moves it away while he isn't looking and he falls to the ground (referencing a famous moment in the episode "Yuppy Love"), getting the attention of everyone in the market. Del and Rodney comment, "What a plonker!" [9]

Cast

ActorRole
David Jason Derek Trotter
Nicholas Lyndhurst Rodney Trotter
David Beckham Himself
Joe SullivanYoung Boy

Related Research Articles

Nicholas Lyndhurst English actor

Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor and former child actor. He is best known for his role as Rodney Trotter in the sitcom Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003). Lyndhurst has also acted in other sitcoms including Goodnight Sweetheart, Going Straight (1978), Butterflies (1978–1983), The Two of Us (1986–1990), The Piglet Files (1990–1992) and After You've Gone (2007–2008). He also starred in the comedy-drama series Rock & Chips (2010–2011) and co-starred in the procedural crime drama New Tricks (2013–2015).

<i>Only Fools and Horses</i> British television sitcom

Only Fools and Horses.... is a British television sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until the end of the show in 2003. Set in Peckham in south-east London, it stars David Jason as ambitious market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger brother Rodney Trotter, alongside a supporting cast. The series follows the Trotters' highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich.

Del Boy Fictional character

Derek Edward Trotter, more commonly known as Del Boy, is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips. He was played by David Jason in the original series and was portrayed as a teenager by Inbetweeners star James Buckley in the prequel. Del Boy is often regarded as one of the greatest comedy characters in the history of British television, and is regarded as an iconic character in British culture. In a 2001 poll conducted by Channel 4 Del Boy was ranked fourth on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.

Trigger (<i>Only Fools and Horses</i>) Fictional character from Only Fools and Horses

Colin Ball, more commonly known as Trigger, is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its prequel Rock & Chips. He was played by Roger Lloyd-Pack in Only Fools and Horses and Lewis Osbourne in Rock & Chips.

Rodney Trotter Fictional character from Only Fools and Horses

Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the long running BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.

Roy Slater Fictional character from Only Fools and Horses

Roy Slater is a recurring character in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was played by Jim Broadbent, and in the prequel Rock and Chips, by Calum MacNab.

The Green Green Grass is a BBC television sitcom, created and initially written by John Sullivan, produced by Shazam Productions for the BBC. It is a sequel/spin-off of the long running sitcom Only Fools and Horses and stars John Challis, Sue Holderness and Jack Doolan. Four series and three Christmas specials were originally broadcast on BBC One between 2005 and 2009.

"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of Series 5, and was first screened on 5 October 1986. This is also the last episode to be 30 minutes long with all the subsequent episodes lasting 50 minutes or more. In the episode, Del's old business partner Jumbo Mills returns to Peckham and asks Del to go into business with him in Australia.

Thicker than Water (<i>Only Fools and Horses</i>) 1983 Christmas special episode of Only Fools and Horses

"Thicker than Water" is the third Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, broadcast on 25 December 1983, and is the first to be screened on Christmas Day. The episode title comes from the proverb blood is thicker than water, highlighted by the appearance of Del and Rodney's father, Reg.

"The Frog's Legacy" is the sixth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was first broadcast on 25 December 1987. In the episode, the Trotters search for the hidden gold legacy of Freddie "The Frog" Robdal, an old friend of their mother's.

"Christmas Crackers" is the first Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was originally screened on 28 December 1981 and is the first episode of the series to run at over 30 minutes.

Go West Young Man (<i>Only Fools and Horses</i>) 2nd episode of the first series of Only Fools and Horses

"Go West Young Man" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of series 1, and was first screened on 15 September 1981. This was the lowest rated episode of the entire series, with only 6.1 million viewers. In the episode, Del sells a faulty car to an Australian man.

Cassandra Louise Trotter is a fictional character from the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. She is portrayed by Gwyneth Strong.

Mike Fisher (<i>Only Fools and Horses</i>) Fictional character from Only Fools and Horses

Michael David Fisher is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was publican of the Nag's Head, the fictional Peckham pub that frequently serves as a setting in the show. Mike was portrayed by Kenneth MacDonald, and appeared in the show from 1983 to 1996.

Sleepless in Peckham Episode of Only Fools and Horses

"Sleepless in Peckham...!" is the series finale episode of BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the eighteenth and final Christmas special. It was the last Only Fools and Horses-related episode until the Sport Relief special in March 2014.

Wanted (<i>Only Fools and Horses</i>) 6th episode of the third series of Only Fools and Horses

"Wanted" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the sixth episode of series 3, and was first broadcast on 15 December 1983. In the episode, after an incident with a local woman, Del Boy pretends that Rodney had been dubbed the 'Peckham pouncer' and is being hunted by the police, so Rodney goes on the run.

"Miami Twice" is the two-part tenth Christmas special edition of the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The first episode, on-screen subtitle "The American Dream", was first screened on 24 December 1991. The second episode of "Miami Twice" was first screened the following day, 25 December 1991. The second episode is subtitled "Oh to Be in England". The title of the two-part special is derived from the 1984 American television series Miami Vice.

<i>Rock & Chips</i> British television miniseries

Rock & Chips is a British television comedy-drama miniseries and a prequel to the sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The show is set in Peckham, southeast London, during the early 1960s, focusing primarily on the lives of Del Trotter, Freddie Robdal and Joan and Reg Trotter. Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played Rodney in Only Fools and Horses, plays Robdal alongside James Buckley, Kellie Bright (Joan), Shaun Dingwall (Reg) and Phil Daniels (Grandad). The Shazam Productions and BBC co-production was written by Only Fools and Horses creator John Sullivan, directed by Dewi Humphreys and produced by Gareth Gwenlan.

James Sullivan, is a British television screenwriter. He is a son of John Sullivan, writer of a number of British sitcoms, but most notably Only Fools and Horses, its spin-off The Green Green Grass and prequel Rock & Chips.

References

  1. 1 2 "Football legend David Beckham to join Del and Rodney in Only Fools and Horses sketch for Sport Relief | Shazam Productions". shazamtv.com. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  2. "Sport Relief peaks with 9.53 million viewers for Only Fools and Horses - TV News - Digital Spy". digitalspy.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  3. The Independent
  4. "Del Boy and Rodney to return for a one-off Only Fools and Horses sketch for Sport Relief | Shazam Productions". shazamtv.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  5. "I was such a nervous wreck about Only Fools part I couldn't sleep, says David Beckham". Irish Independent. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  6. "Sport Relief sketch | Shazam Productions". shazamtv.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  7. "BBC News - David Beckham to appear in Only Fools and Horses". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  8. "Del Boy and Rodney to return in Only Fools and Horses sketch". The Independent. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  9. Digital Spy
Preceded by
Only Fools and Horses
21 March 2014 (Sport Relief special)
Succeeded by
None