Only Fools and Horses: Lost Archive Shows Deleted Scenes
Former BBC producer Richard Latto found deleted Only Fools and Horses scenes, and a two-part documentary shows them on U&GOLD from October 20.
The two-part documentary “Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive” starts on October 20 on the British channel U&GOLD, and details have emerged of scenes that never made it into the series. Part one airs on October 20, part two on October 27 at 9 p.m. Each runs 60 minutes, and the programme can be watched through Sky, Virgin Media and NOW.
The occasion is the show’s 45th anniversary. It starred David Jason as Del Boy and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney. The documentary was first announced in late 2025, the trailer came out on October 5, and the channel confirmed the air date on Facebook in early October.
What was found in the archive?
Digitally scanned material from about ten episodes has been restored, among them The Jolly Boys’ Outing, Mother Nature’s Son and Time on Our Hands. Time on Our Hands drew 24.3 million viewers. The footage was cut from the broadcast versions because of an episode’s length or structure.
The biggest draw is a scene from the 1986 Christmas special A Royal Flush. In that episode Rodney takes Del and Uncle Albert to the estate of his wealthy girlfriend. Viewers never saw the part where Albert eats in the servants’ quarters and launches into one of his wartime stories: from a life raft he spotted something in the water, took it for a torpedo, and it turned out to be a hungry shark. The scene has not been seen in 40 years.
Watching the recovered footage, David Jason said:
“It’s beautiful. You think: ‘Oh, couldn’t they have cut something else? Because this is a wonderful detail for characterisation.’”
His words were reported by Mondo, citing Britain’s The Telegraph.
From the 1989 episode The Jolly Boys’ Outing comes a cut exchange in which Boycie, played by John Challis, gives Rodney marriage advice: “After about 18 months they start giving it out by the teaspoon.” Rodney asks what they give out by the teaspoon. The archive also holds the start of the audition for Raquel from the episode Chance of a Lunchtime, and unreleased moments about Cassandra losing her baby in the episode Modern Men.
One find stands out: footage from Class of ‘62 showing Del and Rodney in a nightclub, long believed lost. According to Mondo, Latto ranks it in importance alongside the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Who found the lost tapes?
The credit goes to Richard Latto, a former BBC writer and producer who has spent years hunting for wiped material and forgotten tapes. Latto previously rescued and restored Sid James’s last interview and the 1979 meeting of Michael Jackson and George Harrison. He is also working on an HD release of The Clangers.
David Jason appears in the documentary alongside Tessa Peake-Jones (Raquel), Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra), Sue Holderness (Marlene Boyce), Steven Woodcock (Jevon) and Denis Lill (Alan Parry). Watching the footage, they also remembered late colleagues Buster Merryfield, Roger Lloyd Pack and John Challis.
Jason told U&GOLD when the documentary was announced:
“The love for Only Fools has never faded. It’s incredible to see how many people still hold it close to their hearts. Revisiting these rediscovered moments reminded me just how special the show was - and still is. It’s incredible to be able to share them now.”
Helen Nightingale, UKTV’s commissioning editor for documentary and entertainment, added:
“Only Fools and Horses is part of the national DNA. With its humour, heart and unforgettable characters, it’s British comedy at its very best. This series is a celebration of its legacy and a chance to share new discoveries with the fans who’ve loved it for decades.”
The documentary continues the channel’s run of anniversary programmes. A special on The Good Life aired in 2025, and a programme on Open All Hours this year.
