Chain Gang!

We spoke to Steve Fortune about his role in the iconic episode "The Chain Gang"

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:19

Welcome to the Only Falls and Horses podcast. Steve Fortune, who's in the chain gang. So, Steve, tell us about your role in that iconic Only Falls and Horses episode.

SPEAKER_00 0:29

It's really weird. You know, it it's it's it's something in 1986, I think I filmed it. It was a day's work. Obviously, at the time, um, I hadn't done much telly at all. I mean, my my background really is musical theatre. And um at the time, this sort of part came in, and really I think at that point I knew, you know, there'd been what five, six, five series pre prior to that. So I knew it was popular, loved it myself, but it didn't, I didn't have any idea it was, you know, going to be the iconic series, comedy series that it's become. And that I certainly had no idea that kind of 40 years later I I'd still be watching it and talking about it to people. You know, it it was as I say, it was a day's work, it was a fun day's work. It was um we were on location, I remember we did the um we did one of the ambulance scenes first, and then um and then we you know we were in the restaurant, and then and then we were outside with the um with the ambulance and that that scene then with Paul Barber and them sort of towards the end. So it was quite a long day. I I've I've I was right in my brain, but it definitely was only a day's work, and it was um but it was fantastic, it was great fun. And and of course, it's still out there now, although you know it's one of those things that when you're watching yourself as a what was I then twenty twenty-year-old, twenty no, twenty-eight. I think I was twenty-eight years old or something then, it's uh it's kind of weird with dark hair and all of that, you know, a few stone lighter too.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Yeah, you were one of Arnie's sons, weren't you?

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's right. I was Gary. And the other guy, I think his name was I think the character name was Steve, so it was Gary and Steve. And um, yeah, I mean I it it it's uh an interesting story how I even got the part because it it was one of those situations in um uh in television. I had been to I'd been up for a series called The River, which David Essex was in. Um and I was up, I was into sea to play his best friend. And um, and I went along, the first interview went really well, and then I was invited back, and I was given about four different scripts to read, and there was a room full of people, and you know, you walk into this room, and there was Susie Belvin, who was the the director and who'd done an awful lot of comedy, and two other people in the room, one of whom was Tony Dow, the director. I had no idea at the time he was her production manager, I believe. And um fast forward a couple of years, and I was writing out spec letters to people, and I wrote one to him for Fools and Horses, and suddenly uh, you know, he called me in, I got I got the part, and he remembered me from that interview, you know. So um, yeah, so it was a it was a nice day's work, and uh yeah, glad I did it. Really glad.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

Did you meet all the casts, Steve? Because I know the first ambulance scene, you've got Mike's, it's an XR3i red, XR3i and Delboys fan. Did were you around because it it looks like you're close by, or were you in a different sort of a little bit of a little bit? Yeah, I mean, not not really.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

I mean, you say meet, I I mean, I think I'm I'm pretty sure we said hello, but you know, um uh um I mean David Jason and and um um Nick Lindhurst. Nick Lindhurst were there, um you know, you say hello, but obviously, you know, it's a a lot packed into a day, so you you get on, um and and then I think so. Not really. I mean, obviously, um some of the guys in like Paul Barber and and things are sort of a bit of a chat with, um, but no, not I mean you do, but you don't, if you know what I mean. There's no unfortunately, um by that time, even, you know, it was it was a rehearsed record on the day. There was none of that, you know. With I think a few years prior to that, um, you you know, you were if you were lucky enough to do a rehearsal and then and then the day, but you know, and on that it was it it was all rolling so fast, so you just turned up and did your did your gig and went home again, you know.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Yeah, because by that time it was filmed in Bristol, wasn't it? But these scenes were still in London, I think, weren't they? Was it Hammers Hammersmith?

SPEAKER_00 5:04

Gosh, well done. Yes, I think you know more than me, I think probably I just I know I I've probably yeah, I got got it. You see, yeah, they probably I would imagine pretty much back then they would have sent a car for me, and I lived in southeast London at the time, so they just sent a car, picked me up, um, and that would have been it, really, you know, taken taken there, filmed it, and come home again at night, you know.

SPEAKER_01 5:29

Um yeah, I think it was Hamlet Gardens in Hammersmith, the the scene where we'll wait for dad or whatever you you were saying there, and then the restaurant, um where was that? Uh I've got it as down as King Street, the restaurant, Tandori restaurant.

SPEAKER_00 5:46

Yeah, yeah, I do I the I do know I remember that the restaurant was in enormous street, and I knew somebody who I think I met somebody a little while later who knew that restaurant really well. Obviously they changed the name and everything. Um but yeah, so that that was uh yeah, yeah, it was somewhere in in sort of West London or southwest London, I think, as a lot of things were in those days because of where the BBC was, you know. Didn't go far from there.

SPEAKER_02 6:17

Well, an iconic episode to be in, though. It's actually one of my favourites. Uh it's probably my top ten.

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Well, that it's I and I never realised that really. I mean, my favourites obviously there's the um the famous bar scene, you know, the fall of it, I think it's fantastic. But I I mean I know within that series I did, I think it's also got the um, if I'm right in thinking, that's the one with the the the blow-up dolls, which is hysterical. And um, and you know, that it just just it was a it was a great series. And interestingly enough, I mean I I hadn't realized I was just um the last theatre job I did a couple of years ago was the mousetrap, and um and I was in it with Josephine Lloyd Welcome, who and Josephine was in that same series playing a doctor, um, I think maybe two or three episodes before, because uh but and I you know we'd never met until I did that series, but it was quite interesting actually finding out that we'd both been in exactly the same series, but just different episodes, you know.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

Yes, we've spoken to her as well on the podcast. That was good.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Yeah, I think she's done she's done a couple of your events as well, or at least one event. So um, yeah, which is she's lovely, she's absolutely yeah, adorable.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Not our events, but the appreciation society, yeah. Oh, right, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 7:43

I I did meet, yeah, I I've got a nice photo with uh Joe, yeah. I think it was it was last year, October last year, I think she was there. Yeah, nice nice lady, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:53

Yeah, yeah, she is, she's great fun. We we in the mouth trap there's there's like three older characters, and so and the you know that we were all on one floor of dressing rooms, and then sort of some younger ones down below, and so that the three of us had quite a quite a laugh. She was she was brilliant, yeah. She's lovely, lovely lady.

SPEAKER_01 8:12

Do you have any scripts or props or costumes from your time on the show at all, Steve?

SPEAKER_00 8:18

Well, I did, um, but actually a few years ago I met um uh please forgive me, he is a member or a member of the Appreciation Society, and I can't remember his name. He was in um I think. Harry Panthers. I can't remember his name, but he came to see me in Pantomime. Uh I was doing pantomime in Gravesend, and he came to see me, saw me afterwards, and told me he was a he was a big fan of uh of uh the show and he had a few books for me to sign some pictures. And then I went back and I was just clearing two things, and I had um I had my script from the series, and so um because he said to me, if you've got anything now, can I just approach him and said, Look, are you interested in in buying this? And um and he was, and you know, and he was very happy to get it. So I uh yeah, I I finally I mean, you know, it's that thing that you you keep them and then you go, well what's gonna happen to them, really, you know, that and also, although it doesn't seem like it, you know, these series dwanes, you know, wanes, and you've you've ended up with it still. I I've actually got the um if there are any birds of a feather fans out there, I've actually got the the first script of Birds of a Feather, the very first episode, because I played a policeman in that. So um, yeah, so I've got that kicking around at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

Yeah, that was a that was a big show. I used to watch that, yeah. It's a big show, that wasn't it? Did quite a few series of that, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:48

Wasn't that French and Saunders, or am I getting mixed up?

SPEAKER_00 9:50

No, that was Pauline Quirk and um uh Linda Linda, Linda Linda, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:56

I'm getting them mixed up, but I'm sure I watched both shows back in the Birds of a Feather, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

You you you almost certainly have the two two sisters who share a house, and they've got they've got their neighbour Doreen across the way that's always the trouble. Their husbands are in prison. And I was actually one of the uniform police that pulled over, pulls over their husbands in the first, very first episode, and then they get nicked. Very, very small part, one line, you know. Um, but yeah, fun, fun to do.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

The chain gang, was you driving the ambulance, or was that your your other brother?

SPEAKER_00 10:31

I was driving, yes. I was I was in the driving seat, put it that way.

SPEAKER_01 10:37

Yeah, um you're you're like you're I'm sure you say the line. Did you know the deceased very well? Yes, that's right.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very non-PC in today's in today's. But yes, yeah, it was.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

It it's funny because obviously you're not kind of at the other end of the phone, but when Del answers the phone, yes, I knew the deceased very well. Obviously, it's it's yourself, isn't it, or your other brother phoning them, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:04

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's a great, it's it's a great idea of it, the idea that they're getting away with this all the time, you know. Um, yeah, it's a it's I mean, it's superb. The whole, well, as you know, you guys are big fans. I mean, it's superbly written. You know, John Sullivan was a was a genius and and a master of it, you know. The the the scripts are superb, and of course, you know, the main uh actors deliver it fantastically. And the fact is you know that when you've you're still hearing lines from it now, you know, in everyday life, and you know, things like Trigger's Broom become part of sort of part of the world, you know, is is it's brilliant, fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

And in terms of in terms of scams, I think this and the cash and curry episode, do you reckon, Chris? Like probably the best.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Similar scams, really, aren't they? Yeah, but you don't see it coming, to be fair, do you?

SPEAKER_00 11:58

No. No, it was that's that's the thing. The twist was quite good at the end, wasn't it? That they because you I mean, always you know that one of Dale's schemes is gonna get wrong, you know, gonna go wrong. He's he's never, you know, his get rich thing is never happens, but and you know it's gonna go wrong. But um, but yeah, actually it it's uh it's quite funny that you you do, and then you go, oh right, you sort of think it's it's legit.

SPEAKER_01 12:23

Um well, I think you probably led up the garden path that the jewelry's fake, don't you? I'm supposed to start with.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

But then when they go the jewelers and it's it's the real thing, then you're almost it's it's a real real deal this year. Yeah, yeah, definitely. They've even exchanged money at this point, haven't they?

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Um, yes, they have, yeah. Well, of course that's the that's the whole point, isn't it? Yeah, they've got the money and he has the hard stack, and you know, hopefully then gets away with it and yeah, goes on to do it.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Because he said he he sent this uh he set the uh scene in the um casino, hadn't he, about um is it stab some maxi stavros or someone like that, wasn't it, that wanted the gold chains, he's let me down, we're gonna have to sell them half price now to them. That's right, yeah. Yeah, and then he rings the wife, doesn't he? And the wife says he's been on the phone, he wants them chains. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:17

But but it is a life lesson, isn't it? It's that thing as if it sounds too good to be true, it always is.

SPEAKER_00 13:24

Well, and and of course, you know, I mean, that was the thing about Delboy, he's he always, much as he was a scammer himself, he always fell. He wasn't a very good one because he always fell for other people's scams. You know, he he was he was always trying to fiddle people, but never really it never really worked out for him because he was too gullible himself, and anybody could sort of, you know, can trick him into doing anything, and as happened there, you know, he was always so keen to to you know to make to make it or to do a big deal and to do that. He didn't really, you know, nowadays you call it due diligence, I suppose, but he just didn't, yeah, he didn't put the effort in, and he always ended up, bless him, the wrong end of it, you know.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

How did John Sullivan come by the um ambulances, Steve? How did he get them? Do you ever remember the story with that? Or no, not at all.

SPEAKER_02 14:18

That would probably be the production manager, wouldn't it?

SPEAKER_00 14:21

Yeah, I mean, I guess he wrote this idea, you know, and um, and yeah, and they would they go and source it all, you know, they yeah, they would they would get everything um in place. I you know, I don't know. I mean the BBC even more so than now, you know, then was a massive machine, you know, the costume props, everything. It was it was huge, you know. So um and it was a lovely team as well, you know, lovely, lovely people on that that went on in those days, you know, like Tony Dow did, went on to do other things, moved up, went into being producers and you know, directors and everything. So it was yeah, it was fabulous.

SPEAKER_01 15:04

Yeah. Do you remember much about Sullivan at the time, Steve? Did you get to do with John Sullivan, the writer at all?

SPEAKER_00 15:10

Not at all. No, I don't even rem I don't remember him being on set. Um if he was, I you know, I I wasn't um yeah, there was no there was no communication. I don't and I and because actually I'm I think I because I'd already met Tony at this other thing, I I didn't actually get called in for an audition for it. I think I just was offered the job. So there wasn't that thing where I might have met him at the you know at the audition, but no, I just you know it it was I was just booked for it. So um yeah. It it sound I it it probably sounds quite random and it and it it sort of felt at the time really, you know. I mean I I was trying to get you know get on with my career. I was quite young, as I say, I was doing musical theatre and trying to get into do more television, um, which you know it it it was as it is today, still difficult. And so, you know, each little step you think you're one step closer. Um sadly it never got that much closer. But hey-ho, you know, they're good things to have been part of, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

Do you did you ever cross paths with the um other actor at all that played Stephen? No, never.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Never ever. You know, you know, um, no, I mean we we'd never met before that day, so we we um you know, we we got on fine on the day, but you you again you go off, you you know, you you go you you go back to normal life and yeah, you never see each other unless unless you're lucky and you know your paths cross again on another job.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Yeah, you don't know if he was he'd be kicked, you know, he might have gone not been an actor after that.

SPEAKER_00 16:53

He might have yeah, absolutely. I've no no idea at all. I mean, you know, he could well still be in the business or he could have retired, you know, packed it in long ago. No idea.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

But it is amazing to be a part of even just one episode, isn't it? I mean, we talked to lots of people who have acted in Only Fools and Horses, sometimes just one scene, one role, sometimes um whole series, sometimes whole episodes. But it is amazing, isn't it? Because after all these years, people are still fascinated by it, people still love it. The fandom is huge.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

Absolutely. I'm so proud. I mean, I I am, you know, it it as I say, it was it was sort of random by nature getting it in a way, and random doing it, but I am so proud. And it's been the fact, as I say, you know, that the fact that something I did all that time ago and literally was was you know one day out of out of my career is still going now and has been, you know, has been shown. I mean, I I I literally I get um you know uh small residual payments for worldwide sales. And the places that this show hasn't you know hasn't been, uh you know, I mean if I had a if I had a map and sort of probably it'd be pins everywhere because it's been shown in every country in the world, you know, and it it's amazing. It's got such a following. And as you say here, and you know, like like Chris said about my that line, I mean, you know, I've had I've had conversations with people where you know it comes up and you say, Oh yeah, I was in Fools and Horses, and and then I say the episode, and you know, I played Gary, and and I've had a couple of people say that line to me, that they know it so well that they know my you know one line from it, which is it's it's incredibly flattering, and very but really flattering for the series because of course that's how how much it means to people and how iconic it is that people really you know really really love it.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Yeah, you get recognized a bit so, Steve, do you still like for the role? You know, you someone will bump into you and say, Were you in fools and horses?

SPEAKER_00 19:02

Yeah, well, as I say, I was I mean, uh yeah, I mean, um only they don't recognize me as such, but if they if if AF it came up in conversation, but also I mean, I was working with a guy, I was doing a job a few years ago. Um uh in uh I was directing a show, a panto at uh Butlins, and one of the red coats there, uh Jake, is a big fan of the show, and Jake knew every episode and he knew my line and knew all about it, you know. And as we started, he went, Oh god, you're in this, and you know, and when I was doing the mousetrap, um at stage door, quite often there was there would be fans of the show outside with you know with books, with pictures to sign, and they they knew everything about it, absolutely did, and you know, and of course, because Josephine was in it as well, so they were you know it's the two of us, but right. I remember I remember Gwynneth Strong was in Mousetrap, but it must have been a different No, she was actually in the it's in the tour just before the the West End. Because the interesting thing is um my son is also an actor now, um, and he was in the he was in the tour with Gwynneth, and uh and then he was in it came into the West End production and I and was working with him. So um, so uh yeah, I'm quite looking forward to I I've never met her, but um obviously at the uh at the event it'll be nice to say hi and introduce myself really because yeah, she worked with Jack.

SPEAKER_02 20:33

And speaking about theatre shows, I think um Tessa Pete Jones and um Cassandra uh did a show together, didn't they? I believe, a theatre show. Did they?

SPEAKER_00 20:45

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 20:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 20:47

I think it was a play, I don't think it was a musical or they both had quite good careers. And um and I think, you know, I think they yeah, could well have could well have appeared together. Um they've done a lot of you know, both of them have done a lot of work both you know before and since, I think. But but yeah, um it'll be nice to to actually meet them and say hi. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:10

I think Tessa Pete Jones, is it Grandchester she's in or she was in? Something like that.

SPEAKER_00 21:16

Yeah, she's been really good in it as well, actually. She's wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 21:19

So I saw a trail, I don't know if anybody saw this. Chris, did you see this um trailer? You might have seen it, and I noticed Tessa was in it, and it was kind of a uh funny story. It was like um it was um the neighbor was getting an extension and on their house, and uh there's a murder over it, and she was in the trailer.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Did you see that, Chris? I've I've seen that. It was on about a year ago, was it that? I've I've seen that series, I'm sure I have.

SPEAKER_00 21:45

Yeah, it's the thing, uh yeah, I forget what it was called now, but it was about that. Yeah, it was it was about yeah, it was quite dark, wasn't it? I didn't actually watch the series, but I remember the um yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

I remember it quite funny though, because of what the subject was, uh, you know, building a Extension on a house. It was recently I saw it, um but it was on it was on one of these apps, so maybe republicising it or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 22:08

Yeah, there's a bird, there's a bird like got killed, wasn't there? They kept putting a bird in the garden things or something, like a killed a dead bird, I'm sure it was that, yeah. But it's quite good. Quite it was a bit of a dark comedy, I suppose, wasn't it? As well as a okay, I'll have to watch it now. Yeah, it's just it was quite good. Yeah, it was quite good. Um tell us about the convention then, Steve. When is it and uh where?

SPEAKER_00 22:30

It's in you got me not in May and uh um May the 10th, I believe, 10th and 11th, and it's in Milton Keynes um at the uh at the Hilgs and Doubletree um hotel, uh I believe. And um my first one, so I you know it's um it'll be very interesting to to go there and and meet people, you know. Um I mean I I um I was invited very kindly a couple of years ago, and I I have to say I've I turned it down because I I felt I was actually being a I would be would have felt a bit of a fraud, having only done one day in one line. I I really didn't think I thought, well, you know, it's very nice to be asked, but I I honestly and then um I was you know I I got a lovely reply back saying, well, we understand, but actually we don't feel like that. And then I was approached again, you know, this year and uh and saying, you know, I know what you what you said, however the fans would love to meet you. So I you know uh I'm I'm sort of virtually retired now living living by the seaside up here in the northwest. So I thought, well, that'll be rather nice, you know. It's something something would be quite nice to to do. So um yeah, I'm really looking forward to it, actually.

SPEAKER_02 23:54

Well, the other Chris can speak about this. He's been to quite a few of the conventions. Uh the first one's always the best, though, isn't it, Chris?

SPEAKER_01 24:01

Well, I think with my first one, I did meet, I was lucky enough to meet Sir David as well. So that was the icing on the cake. So uh yeah, it was great. I felt so nervous meeting him though. I felt like a 10-year-old boy, you know, meeting you meeting your hero. Um, but I would say to that, Steve, I always think that if you're gonna go to another convention, you want to meet different actors, don't you? You know, it's no disrespect. Once you've met an act, some of the actors, you want to then go again and meet meet meet as many as you can, I suppose, don't you?

SPEAKER_00 24:30

Oh well, I do know that you know, for a lot of fans as well, it you know, they're I mean, I know that there's a sort of desire to build up a kind of you know, to get autographs and pictures of every single person as bit, which is fantastic. I mean phenomenal. Some of the some of the things I've seen, some of the people I've met, you know, who've got signatures from almost everybody that's ever been in it. And you know, and I know Josephine told me that you know people have some quite unusual things like car bonnets that they get signed as well and things like that. So which you know it's brilliant. It's um it's fantastic. So it will be yeah, it'll be very nice actually to meet the meet the fans and meet the people. And and also I notice, you know, I mean, um, I notice you've got quite a sort of team there um on the Sunday, well, and the Saturday, you know, and of and they so David's there for both days, I notice, and Tony Dow. Um so you know, it's quite uh it's quite an event, really, which should be fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

One person don't think that they're this year, that always goes, but she must be busy. Sue Holdeness, Marlene, I think she's there this year. She normally goes.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

I've got a feeling she's away in Malta, I heard. Is she? So that's the reason.

SPEAKER_00 25:44

Because she's always there everywhere. I noticed Roy Marsden is on the day on there and because we asked her um because we're going to be doing a green green grass special um with a couple of the actors, the spin-off of Any Fools and Horses.

SPEAKER_02 26:00

And we asked Sue if she'd like to be involved, but she's she said she's away in Malta, so that might be the reason.

SPEAKER_00 26:05

Oh right. Uh well she has because she's in um she is in the Madame Blanc mysteries, and they film in Malta, so that's probably what she's doing there. That rings. Yeah, they it's meant to be the south of France, but they film it, they film it in Malta. Um, so or it's meant to be France somewhere, yeah. So that's what she'll be doing more than likely is filming unless she's moved out there to enjoy the weather.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

Anyone been to Malta before? I've been, it's quite nice actually. Valletta I haven't.

SPEAKER_00 26:36

No, my son went son went when he was young, he loved it, but I no, I've never never been.

SPEAKER_02 26:41

It's a very short flight, it's like two hours and a half. It's like before you get it's an island off of Italy, I believe. Yeah. And um, yeah, very, very nice place.

SPEAKER_01 26:49

Yeah. Have you ever been to the Seychelles?

SPEAKER_02 26:55

Malta is not the Seychelles, but it's very nice.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

And also the Seychelles is a much longer flight. Um four hours is about the limit now. I don't want I don't want it six or eight hour flights. No.

SPEAKER_02 27:11

That's where my granddad lived, actually, the Seychelles.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_02 27:15

He's a horticulturalist. He used to grow flowers for all the hotels out there, and yeah. Oh wow. I never met him, but um, yeah, I know a bit about him, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:24

Yeah, lovely.

SPEAKER_01 27:26

I was I was just looking at you, Cast. I know you mentioned, yeah, Roy Mars and Driscoll brothers, and and the other uh brother, Christopher Ryan, he was in the young ones, wasn't he? He's there on the Sunday. Um Lennox Gilby. Yeah, that's Blackwood.

SPEAKER_02 27:40

That's a really good one.

SPEAKER_01 27:42

Yeah, Bass Blackwood, Raquel and Cassandra, as you said, um Alan Perkins, he was he was in series six as well, wasn't he? And the unlucky winner is the travel rep.

SPEAKER_00 27:51

Oh wow. Your knowledge is your knowledge is phenomenal. You guys, you really know. I mean, I I I I I watch it and I've I've probably watched a few of them, but my goodness, you know. And looking at your lovely backdrop there, you you know it's Chris has got everything. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:08

Yeah. Um, yeah, it's uh quite a collection. Oh my goodness. I don't I think it's a a collection or an illness. I'm not sure, Steve, to be fair, but um yeah, I've got quite a bit, yeah. How long have you done that? How long have you been drop collection then? Probably about 30 years, I would say. Probably started when the you know the last um when they won the the millions. Um when it sold the clock of the watch, yeah. 96, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_02 28:34

97.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

Yeah, 96, 97, yeah. I think as things have gone on, though, there's there's I blame Perry a lot of it because he keeps bringing out these different memorabilia things, doesn't he? That I have to keep buying, you know. Um you can buy anything, anything, anything you wish for, you can buy really. Yeah. But when you said about treasured possession, what's your most treasured my most well I'm gonna shop Chris now? I had a trotter van, but I've sold it. What? Oh I know you sold it. Did you get a good deal? Money as much as anything. So that would be my most treasured possession, but I think now I do have a soft spot for the cookie jar. I've got four of them. You know where he stores his cigars? Yeah, so I've got I don't know if you see that on the bar there, there's one there. Yeah. Or or the bar itself, really, from the flat. And then I've got the curtain, so I don't think.

SPEAKER_00 29:24

Is that the that's the original bar, is it?

SPEAKER_01 29:27

Well, it's it yeah, it's the same bar, yes. What the same bar as he has it to be fair, his bars do um you know, s they change over the years, because I think the idea is that the wheel of dealers will sell anything, won't they? So they'll sell one bar and get another one, you know.

SPEAKER_00 29:42

Well, and they were very much as well reflecting the time, wasn't it? It's very interesting. That sort of yuppie, the yuppie time, you know, of 1960s when Thatcher's Britain, everybody was, you know, with uh yeah, exactly. He had he had all of those things, it really did reflect what was going on in in the UK at the time, you know. It was everybody, yeah, everybody walk around with their file effects.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

And I think at the convention, uh the lady who Delboy chats up at the bar in that scene, Yuppie Love, um where she says, uh he says, Um, how do you spell Harrods? And then she replies, Capital A. I think she's at the convention, isn't she? Chris, is she at it?

SPEAKER_01 30:27

I think she is. She might be on the Saturday. I didn't see her on the Sunday, but yes, she is actually.

SPEAKER_02 30:32

I haven't I haven't seen her at the convention before.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

So I could pick I could picture on the Saturday now. She is there on the Saturday, you're quite right. Yeah. And then he says beat me up snotty, doesn't he? Then I must admit, I've said it many times, Steve. I think it's the best series, series six, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:50

I do think, I mean, I I I I'm slightly biased, but I don't I think I think Tony Dow really kind of as a director on it, I think he really you know did some wonderful. He had a great great experience, previous experience in comedy, working with people like Susie. And I mean, I think you know, she was back on things like porridge and stuff like that. You know, she had a real and and I think he uh had absorbed all that being part of it, and then it and then with his own mind, and he was a brilliant director. And when you watch his scenes, they're superbly shot. They're brilliant. I mean, you know, I believe you um he did the the Batman and Robin Christmas special as well, you know. I mean, that's just it it's just incredible. You know, he really and that's why it's still being shown now. I think that's why people still love it, because it's such a such a clever series.

SPEAKER_02 31:45

We um recreated that scene in Bristol. We went on the Only Fools and Horses tour, and halfway through the tour, you get to dress up as Batman and Robin and run down the same street. So that was a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_00 31:59

Yeah, I'll bet it's just so clever, isn't it, though, with the smoke and everything, and it and it uh and I was watching that again recently, and because the young the young girl who is um one of the gang, I mean, she's gone on to be quite a quite a uh famous, well-known actress, you know. And it's it's I mean, again, it there's probably a lot of that in it, you know. People who had very small parts have gone on to do a hell of a lot in their career, but it's it's fascinating.

SPEAKER_01 32:26

Yeah, Shelly Mur Shelly Murphy, Emmerdale, I think, was a big role, wasn't it? She tricked her in Emmerdale, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:32

Yeah. Married Marla. I think I think she traged tragically passed away in the soap, but they all go the same way, I think, don't they? In Soapland, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:39

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. Blown up by a plane crash.

SPEAKER_02 32:44

We spoke to um Angela Murray, though. That was good. Um, sorry, not Angela Murray. Counselor Murray. Counselor Murray, Angela Bruce, yeah. Angela Bruce, yeah. That was good, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:58

Yeah, the the the Batman and Robin one, they had to keep that under wraps for Christmas, didn't they? I know Tony Dow says they had to hide him in a coach or a you know, a van or something, and then right, take and then they ran out, didn't they? And then they had to go back in the van. They didn't want the press to get hold of the the episode before.

SPEAKER_00 33:15

Oh, yeah, well, I suppose I mean, yeah, that's right. People were so you know keen to to find out. I mean, I I dread to I mean these things, what they would be like now would be interesting because um, you know, obviously that was pre-mobile phones and mobile cameras and everything. So, you know, if people did see you, they they didn't necessarily have a camera with them. Whereas, you know, everybody nowadays, if you're trying to film, I mean, even like our our day, we it's quite a busy sort of area, so everybody would have been there, I think, with their mobile phones, wanting to take selfies, and you know, it would it must be much harder now doing things like that, definitely.

SPEAKER_02 33:53

Yeah. Uh we've got five minutes to go, so yeah, just a few more questions. What's your favourite episode of Only Fools and Horses, do you think? Yeah, I I guess you would what you used to watch it back in the day.

SPEAKER_00 34:04

I did, I I did, and um uh but and I don't know them anywhere near as well as you guys, but I um I do think that the um Yeah, I think the one um the one with um the one with the the the the inflatable dolls and all that's gone on before that I think is is hysterical. As I say, that the the moments I remember more than the falling through the bar is a classic moment of comedy, and I think the Christmas specials, yeah, you know, particularly that that Batman and Robin one, just because it it just so brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

SPEAKER_02 34:41

I think you've said that before, Chris. People remember the moments more, don't they, than the actual episodes or you know, it's like Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_00 34:47

I mean I think I mean obviously, you know, true fans like yourselves watch it and probably you know and would know so much about it. But I and I I I mean they're always on, and I've watched so many of them more than once. And you don't really, but you do remember those moments, and and of course the characters, you know, the fantastic people, you know, granddad and uncle, and you know, some of Nick Lindhurst's lines over the years, some of the you know, his his brilliant delivery as well is absolutely superb, you know.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

It depends how in-depth you want to look at it, really, because my dad loves the show. Um, but sometimes he's a bit like, oh, well, that happened then, like, no, that didn't. And but it doesn't matter because you're there for the laughs, aren't you, at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_00 35:31

Yeah, it's entertainment, which is you know what it what it was did so well, you know, it was it was prime time entertainment, but it was, you know, the whole family, people loved it, um, and still do. I mean, it's that's that's what I say. The fact that it's you know it's still being shown somewhere at some point on probably any given day. You know, there's there's that's one of the channels or somewhere where you'll be you'll be watching it, and uh, and it and that is amazing. As I say, if you'd have if you'd have said to me back in in 1996 that you know I would be sitting here 40 years later still talking about it, I'd have been, you know, I'd have been absolutely amazed. Uh, you know, and and yeah, it's incredible, really. Absolutely incredible, really.

SPEAKER_02 36:17

I've noticed your Dell boy bobblehead in the background. Is that yeah, I can see him. Chris, have you got any of them?

SPEAKER_01 36:24

I've got a few, Chris.

SPEAKER_00 36:27

You see a bottle. Well, it was actually my wife bought me that at Christmas time because we we kept going into um the I think it was home bargains, and I just said, that is is incredible. I said it's just really funny. And uh and she she then thought, oh that's great, I'll give him that for Christmas. That's the only I think that's the only piece of uh Bulls and Horses memorabilia I've got, but yeah, I I love him. It's very funny.

SPEAKER_01 36:53

They've created so many of those bobbleheads. I've got quite a few collections, they keep bringing out new, you know, like new, like they've done a Jolly Boys outing one or they're bringing a Jolly Boys outing set, and you have to keep collecting, don't you? That's the thing, yeah. It's cost of me a fortune.

SPEAKER_02 37:07

That's that's gonna be our next weekend away, me and Chris, because we did the Bristol tour. The next one we're gonna do, they're doing a Jolly Boys outing of Margate where they go to all the locations. So that's our next one we're gonna do.

SPEAKER_00 37:19

Oh wow, brilliant. Yeah, we got that. Where are you? Are you are you guys based in London or are you?

SPEAKER_02 37:27

I'm based I'm based in West Sussex. Um Chris.

SPEAKER_01 37:31

I'm not far from you because when you mentioned Northwest, I'm in Crew, so I might be reasonably near to you, Steve. Oh right, I'm in Lincoln St. Anne's now. St. Anne's, yeah, you're not yeah, Blackpool way, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, not in fact Emily's from Blackpool, isn't she, Chris? Our other colleague.

SPEAKER_02 37:47

Yes, yeah, she's from Blackpool, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:48

She'll she'll be down the road, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:51

Yeah. And uh are you near Chichester then, Chris?

SPEAKER_02 37:55

Um, I live in East Grinstead, but no one ever knows where that is, so I say West Sussex. Yeah, it's not too far away from London if you hop on the train, yeah. So yeah, but my dad's a Londoner as well, so I've got that connection to the show, I like to think, anyway. Well, it's been lovely to speak to you. Sorry, we've run out of time now.

SPEAKER_00 38:15

Sorry, I was I was a little bit late, but I'm glad we uh glad it worked in the end. No problem, yeah. Sorted and pleasure to speaking to you, Steve. Nice to and will you be at the at at the um uh event or uh I'm not at not at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 38:31

Never say never, but I'm not at the moment going this year. But um hopefully you'll go and if I don't, I'm definitely gonna go another one. So hopefully I'll if I don't meet you this time, I'll meet you another time.

SPEAKER_00 38:39

Yeah, very nice to have met you and talked to us to your fantastic rooms, brilliant. Thank you, thank you very much. Yeah, it's been a pleasure. Thank you.