I hope you’re enjoying this series of photo discoveries from Perry. Today we look Behind The Scenes of Only Fools and Horses : A Royal Flush.
A Royal flush was the episode that divided opinion. Is it because for the first time we see the true Del Boy. He appears to let himself down along with embarrassing his family. Or is this Christmas Special produced to just show how kind and soft Del Boy becomes once he moves into a steady family life with Raquel.
If you missed them already we have had some amazing behind the scenes photos from Dates and Yuppy Love, so before you go any further get your peepers on them first.
A Royal Flush Overview
This 75 minute episode has been cut to death sadly. It was originally shown in full in 1986 as a Only Fools and Horses Christmas Special. With 18.8 million watching the episode it became as usual, one of the biggest comedy viewing of the year. The Royal Flush episode shows how Rodney bumps into the daughter of the Duke of Maylebury (Called Vicky or Victoria) while working at the market with Del.
The episode has some lovely continuity connections that include June the mother of Debbie from Zimbabwe House who turns up as Del’s bird to the delight of Rodney (see Happy Returns for why this is so embarrassing for Rodney). Timeless comedy.
Man in Market. They can’t be top quality, they’re too cheap!
Del. How can anything be too cheap, you plonker?
Man in Market. Listen, I’m not a plonker!
Del. No? So what you doing, an impression?
Del sees an opportunity to get in with Royalty and so goes out of his way to project Rodney. He remarkably obtains a pair of tickets to the sold-out production of Carmen. If you ever go to the opera to watch Carmen, it’s very hard not to want to whistle along to the parts Del Boy infamously whistled too.
A Royal Flush Behind the Scenes
So lets look in detail at the market scenes. Weather there is any truth in the rumour that the market scene has an famous extra in the background. Apparently in a green woolly hat and glasses is Norman Pace from the comedy duo Hale and Pace. I can’t confirm that one. But what can be confirmed is the Market scene was not filmed at a market!
Market Before Filming A Royal Flush
The Market After Filming A Royal Flush
Before Rodney reveals his name to Vicky, the scene plays out this way. The timing of Trigger is a gem….
Vicky. I’m sorry…?
Rodney. Rodney.
Trigger. (Calling across) Wotchyer Dave.
Rodney. (To Vicky) No. My name is Rodney, he’s just very thick!
It’s amazing to think that the market scene is totally made up by the production team
Perry Aghajanoff
A Royal Flush Script
Feel free to download the A Royal Flush Script here. But lets just remind ourselves of the superb script where Del and Rodney are at the Carmen show have pre-show drinks…. Rodney, being the tallest, spots June over the heads of the crowd. He doesn’t recognise her immediately.
Rodney. I don’t believe it!
Vicky. You don’t believe what?
Rodney. This is the Royal Opera House and someone’s ordered a kissogram!
Del. Never! Where? (Del peers through the bodies and spots June.)
Del. (To Rodney) You saucy little… That’s my bird!
Rodney. (Horrified) No! Please Del, it’s not!
Del. It’s Junie! You remember June! Lives over in Zimbabwe House!
Rodney. (Feels like crying) Del, I used to go out with her daughter.
Only Fools And Horses A Royal Flush Outtake
Del. (Calling to Loader) Ready when you are, John!
Loader. (Calling back) Do you mean ‘pull?’
Del. Sorry, Paul! In your own time, son!
However with so many outtakes and cuts floating around, we don’t want to forget the best parts of the script. Sometimes you can stop watching an episode and forget its where some of the most classic parts are shown. So let’s just enjoy a few parts of the script again. Here is a joke that today wouldn’t make much sense unless you remember the days when banks wouldn’t open on Saturdays
Rodney. Where d’you get that gun from?
Del. I borrowed it from Iggy Higgins.
Rodney. Iggy Higgins? But Iggy Higgins robs banks!
Del. I know! But it’s Saturday!
Only Fools and Horses A Royal Flush Uncut
This episode was cut to shreds. If you want to see all the uncut parts head over to our Only Fools cut guide part 9 then part 10 and finally part 11. A Royal Flush is one of the most edited episode in the series. In all, 18 minutes are cut. Even the sound has been messed about with as it was recorded without a studio audience laughter track originally.
Worst or Best Only Fools Episode?
In conclusion, I still hear a few fans say they love this episode. It isn’t everyone favourite though. Writer John Sullivan was asked If he would of changed anything about Only Fools and Horses. His reply was he wouldn’t of made A Royal Flush BBC episode.
Above all, what are your thoughts? He isn’t alone, additionally David Jason who played Del Boy, and Only Fools director and producer Ray Butt all consider this to be the worst episode made.
Have your say in the comments below.
I always wondered if the guy in the wooly hat was Norman Pace… it really does look like him. A Royal Flush has always been one of my favourite episodes too – the full uncut version though. It became available on DVD as part of the magazine+DVD series from years ago
Some sad news to report – last week on the 11th December 2021, we sadly lost Jack Hedley, who played Vicky’s father Henry.
Jack was awesome in the episode ‘a royal flush’ he passed away at the age of 92, after battling a short illness.
This is the only OFAH I remember watching when it was sired on Christmas Day. We were invited to a friends for Christmas Dinner for a change and my husband to be and I were the only ones laughing. We laughed so much we cried! The scene where Del turns up in his three wheeler at the shoot is hilarious. Happy Days
Only Fools and Horses shouldve finished with Tiemon Thier Hands the supposed last ever episode and i feel sullivan ruined it by bringing it back for the specials years later losing their fortune…It shouldve been left as ir was and never come back like it did in 2001
This is actually my favourite ever OFAH episode… I’ve watched this more than any of the others. I will never get tired of watching it over and over.
Yes, Totally agree with you Gracey; it is one of my favourite episodes too and I also never tire of watching it but I am referring to the 1986 Original and full uncut version as shown on TV and not that dreadful and heavily edited 2004 version.
Yes, great classic episode!
Yes, Totally agree with you Gracey; it is one of my favourite episodes too and I also never tire of watching it but I am referring to the 1986 Original and full uncut version as shown on TV and not that dreadful and heavily edited 2004 version.
Yes, great classic episode!
I think the worse episode ever made is “If They Could See Us Now”. Was a bit slow and boring. The livingroom scenes felt like a staged pantomime with all the characters waiting for their lines. Then the following episode ‘Strangers on the Shore…!’ was ruined when Boycie stayed overnight in the flat with Gary. So contrived. Pantomime acting again. “GARY!” “GARY!” “GARY!” The writer obviously thought: “How do I get Boycie to stay overnight in their flat when Gary just happens to be staying there?” Then it gets more ludicrous. The following and final episode ‘Sleepless in Peckham…!’ we have Delboy believing that Boycie had killed Marlene! And that subplot went on for ages. Give me ‘A Royal Flush’ anytime.
Yes, totally agree Rhill.
The 2001 “If They Could See Us Now” was not proper “Only Fools And Horses”. It is nothing like the classic “Jolly Boys Outing” and “Dates” and all of the many other great episodes.
True that “A Royal Flush” isn’t the best episode ever but it is certainly not the worse.
“If They Could See Us Now” and the “Beckham In Peckham” 2014 Sport Relief sketch are the worse.
No, I disagree.
The worst ever episode to be made was “If They Could See Us Now” from 2001.
This is the only episode that is awful and dreadful.
Can’t watch this episode, it’s too boring.
Oh and by the way “A Royal Flush” is actually one of my favourite episodes but only the original 1986 uncut version and not that dreadful 2004 edited version also I love the original “Miami Twice” in 2 parts and not the edited vhs and DVD versions.
Yeah when Del finally turns up at the flat after the gameshow totally inebriated – then he’s sober a minute later. Was the director asleep?