1 week Ago By [email protected] (Dan Wiggins, Veronique Hawksworth)
Only Fools and Horses has a special place in the hearts of millions across the UK - especially Londoners. The show's charm lies not just in its humour but also in the depth of its characters and the stories it tells. The Trotters , who are at the heart of every plot, may sometimes come off as rude, foolish, dishonest or unkind, but fundamentally, they're good people who viewers can relate to.
Del's unwavering belief that "this time next year we'll be millionaires", his resilience, optimism, and humour have endeared him to fans. But beyond the jokes and schemes, Del's character holds a lot of tragedy, which adds to his enduring appeal. This tragic aspect of Del's character emerged in one of the show's most dramatic and poignant scenes.
In the 1989 episode 'Little Problems', part of the penultimate full season, Rodney and Cassandra get married. However, this episode also reveals why Del Boy has never been able to settle down. In this episode, Rodney shares his disappointment about failing his computing exam and needing £2,000 for his and Cassandra's new flat before their wedding.
Del, however, reassures him that these are minor issues and promises to sort them out, even offering the £2,000 as a wedding gift. After secretly paying Rodney's teacher £150 to pass him, Del's main concern is the £2,000 he promised Rodney, which is actually owed to the infamous crime lords, the Driscoll brothers, who make an appearance at Rodney's stag night. Later, when Rodney confronts Del through the bathroom door, he believes his older brother abandoned him at his stag party, is drunk, and never intended to give him the money.
However, the viewer sees that Del is not intoxicated, but rather has been beaten by the Driscolls in order to keep the money for Rodney. At the wedding reception, as the crowd dwindles, Del opens up to Marlene about why he never settled down with a woman, despite numerous engagements. He reveals it was all because of raising Rodney from a young age.
He said: "They wanted to get married, but they didn't want to raise Rodney. What was I supposed to do? Get married and put Rodney into care? Nahh. So, I elbowed, it's family init.
" Marlene tells Del he should be proud of himself after seeing how Rodney turned out, before Boycie arrives and whisks Marlene away, leaving just Del and Uncle Albert in the room, until he too hurries out. As Del finds himself alone with Simply Red's 'Holding Back the Years' echoing in the background, he gently removes the miniature groom figure from the top of the wedding cake. Tears start to stream down his face as the reality of his loneliness sinks in, with the camera panning out to a wide shot to truly underscore this moment.
This scene showed that Del wasn't just a jovial wheeler-dealer but also a devoted brother who gave up the prime years of his life for his family. For many viewers, it was an emotional rollercoaster. This sentiment was shared by those in the studio, as producer Gareth Gwenlan once disclosed that during the recording of the scene, audience members were moved to tears, and even David Jason's tears were partly genuine due to the intensity of the scene.
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