LONG-LOST Only Fools and Horses scripts including the last joke Del Boy made before becoming a millionaire that was cut from the show have been found and are set to be sold in Bristol.
The historic documents include previously unseen gags and scenes that didn’t make it to broadcast for the 1996 Christmas episodes some of which was filmed in the city. At the time it was marketed as the ‘finale’ of the beloved show as 24 million people watched Del and Rodney Trotter discover their fortune in the shape of a rare pocket watch.
And the scripts, which were previously owned by a member of the production crew, give a rare insight and feature the first “new” Only Fools and Horses content in decades.
When the famous Harrison watch comes up for sale, a porter at Sotheby’s holds it aloft and Del says to Rodney: “They’ve cleaned it with a bit of Brasso”.
The line was written by the late John Sullivan.
Andy Stowe, who is selling the scripts at Auctioneum in Hanham, said: “It’s the final joke made by Del before he comes a millionaire, and perfectly epitomises the humour of the show. To think a prestigious auction house like Sotheby’s would use a ‘bit of Brasso’.”
The scripts also include additional dialogue with Boycie where Rodney goes in to buy a new Rolls-Royce for Del after the auction. On the broadcast show, Boycie laughs at his request until Rodney shows him the Sotheby’s cheque for £6.2 million. But in the newly-found script, it’s followed by Rodney telling him: “Six million. We were hoping for more, but the market’s a bit depressed.”