External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to The Unlucky Winner Is... .
| Series 1 (1981) | |
|---|---|
| Series 2 (1982) | |
| Series 3 (1983) | |
| Series 4 (1985) | |
| Series 5 (1986) | |
| Series 6 (1989) | |
| Series 7 (1990–91) | |
| Specials |
|
| Other episodes |
|
| "The Unlucky Winner Is..." | |
|---|---|
| Only Fools and Horses episode | |
| Episode no. | Series 6 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Tony Dow |
| Written by | John Sullivan |
| Produced by | Gareth Gwenlan |
| Original air date | 29 January 1989 |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
"The Unlucky Winner Is..." is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses . It was the fourth episode of series 6 and was first screened on 29 January 1989. In the episode, Rodney wins a holiday to Majorca, Spain, the only catch is the organisers think he is fourteen.
Del Boy has become obsessed with entering competitions, and enters a painting produced by Rodney when he was fourteen into one, though without Rodney's consent. Rodney's work is selected as one of the winners, and his prize is a free holiday to Majorca, Spain, but when informing him of his success, Del declines to tell Rodney that he has won in the under-15 category. When at the airport, Del finally tells Rodney and Cassandra the full details of the prize, namely that the organisers think Rodney is fourteen. He persuades the two to go along with it, meaning that Rodney has to pretend to be fourteen for the week, with Del posing as his father and Cassandra posing as his stepmother.
The plot appears to work, despite bemused looks from the organisers, especially after it emerges that Del has altered the birth date on Rodney's passport. However it turns out that the organisers, in order to allow the parents of all the children present (also competition winners) a chance to enjoy the holiday as well, have set up a club filled with activities for the youngsters to enjoy. As a result, Rodney is forced into the Groovy Gang, a youth activity group, and is made to undergo a week of embarrassment as he is takes part in a variety of children's activities, such as skateboarding, in which Rodney comes second in a contest, and attending a junior disco, where Rodney advanced to the final of the breakdancing contest. Rodney is also the crush of a thirteen-year-old Bros fan. Both Rodney and Cassandra are soon despondent, since they cannot spend any time together, and are ready to reveal the truth, but Del, who is enjoying himself, pretends to each of them (separately) that the other is having fun.
Whilst on the trip, Del purchases some Spanish lottery tickets for each of them – to placate Cassandra and Rodney's anger at being lied to – and Rodney's numbers win the one million peseta jackpot. The group are then informed by the holiday organisers that they will be unable to claim the prize, since the winning tickets were in Rodney's name and under Spanish law, people under eighteen are not allowed to gamble. Knowing their act is over and desperately wanting to claim the prize, Rodney produces his student card to prove he is really over eighteen, so the Trotters can then legally claim the prize. However, that has also been changed by Del, meaning the Trotters' money cannot be claimed. Del defeatedly suggests "It's only money, bruv..." to cheer Rodney up. Rodney angrily chases Del out of the bar as the credits roll.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Jason | Derek Trotter |
| Nicholas Lyndhurst | Rodney Trotter |
| Buster Merryfield | Albert Trotter |
| Gwyneth Strong | Cassandra Parry |
| Kenneth MacDonald | Mike Fisher |
| Michael Fenton Stevens | Alan Perkins |
| Gina Bellman | Carmen |
| Lusha Kellgren | Trudy |
| Tina Simmons | Airport passenger (uncredited) |
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 working-class Peckham in south-east London, it stars David Jason as ambitious market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger half-brother Rodney Trotter, alongside a supporting cast. The series follows the Trotters' highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the series received numerous awards, including recognition from BAFTA, the National Television Awards, and the Royal Television Society, as well as winning individual accolades for both Sullivan and Jason. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll.
Derek Edward Trotter, more commonly known as Del Boy, is a fictional character from the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its spinoff series, Rock & Chips. He was played by David Jason in the original series and was portrayed as a teenager by 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.
Albert Gladstone Trotter, better known as Uncle Albert, is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, portrayed by Buster Merryfield. He was introduced during the fourth series as a replacement for the character of Grandad due to the sudden death of Lennard Pearce in 1984.
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the long running BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.
"The Jolly Boys' Outing" is the eighth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1989. Despite being aired as a Christmas special, it is set on an August bank holiday weekend, and sees Del and the gang go on a road trip to Margate.
"To Hull and Back" is the fourth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1985. It was the first feature-length edition of the show and also the first special not to feature or mention the holiday of Christmas itself in the episode. Parts of the special were shot on location in Amsterdam and unlike most other episodes was shot entirely on film and not before a studio audience. In the episode, the Trotters agree to smuggle diamonds from Amsterdam for Boycie.
"Chain Gang" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the third episode of series 6, and was first broadcast on 22 January 1989. In the episode, Del puts together a consortium to buy a set of 18 carat gold chains from a retired jeweller.
"Heroes and Villains" is the thirteenth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first broadcast on 25 December 1996 as the first part of the 1996 Christmas trilogy. It attracted a UK television audience of 21.3 million, at the time a record for the show. In the episode, Del and Rodney are invited to a fancy dress party. They arrive dressed as Batman and Robin.
"Time on Our Hands" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. First screened on 29 December 1996, it was the final episode of that year's Christmas trilogy and the fifteenth Christmas special overall. It attracted a television audience of 24.3 million, a record for a British sitcom. In the episode, the Trotters finally become millionaires. It had initially been intended to be the series finale, but creator John Sullivan wrote three more specials that were screened annually between 2001 and 2003, starting with "If They Could See Us Now".
Cassandra Louise Trotter is a fictional character from the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. She is portrayed by Gwyneth Strong.
"If They Could See Us Now.....!" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2001 as the first part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy and the sixteenth Christmas special. In the episode, the Trotters lose their fortune and Del goes on a game show to try to regain some of it.
"Sleepless in Peckham...!" is the final 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.
"Rodney Come Home" is the ninth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1990.
"Sickness and Wealth" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the fifth episode of series 6, and was first broadcast on 5 February 1989. In the episode, Del is suffering from stomach cramps, but refuses to see a doctor. Elsewhere, Del organises a séance.
"The Sky's the Limit" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 7, and first broadcast on 30 December 1990. In the episode, Del acquires a satellite dish for Boycie, unaware that it has been stolen from Gatwick Airport.
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the fifth episode of series 7, and was first broadcast on 27 January 1991. In the episode, Uncle Albert comes home claiming to have been mugged and, thinking he has become a burden, decides to leave Nelson Mandela House.
"Three Men, a Woman and a Baby" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of series 7 and was first broadcast on 3 February 1991. This is the last episode of the last regular series, although Christmas specials were broadcast intermittently until 2003. In this episode, the birth of Del and Raquel's baby is imminent. Damien Trotter appears in the show for the first time in the episode's finale.
"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 Frog and the Pussycat" is the third and final episode of the Rock & Chips trilogy. It was first screened on 28 April 2011, six days after the death of writer John Sullivan.