EXCLUSIVE:
With Rock and Chips: Five Gold Rings about to get its first screening on Wednesday, December 29th, 2010 from 9:00pm to 10:00pm
You would expect Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society president Perry Aghajanoff to have some inside information about the new episode.
Perry hasn’t disappointed us, as he caught up with Only Fools and Horses and Rock and Chips creator John Sullivan on set.
Perry asked John Sullivan about the new Rock and Chips shows. John confirms these should be viewed as episodes in their own right with their own plots and story lines. We know the characters, we know their personality, so we are now being treated to some great story lines in each episode of Rock and Chips.
Perry asked what challenges John has faced writing and producing Rock and Chips. John spoke of how tricky it had been controling the stories to fit in with the established history of Only Fools and Horses. It’s worth taking into account that Sullivan has been laying the skeleton of the Trotters story for over 30 years almost as if whilst writing Only Fools he was aware of a parallel universe going on for a future story that he had in mind namely Rock & Chips.
Perry asked what made him take the jump and finally put pen to paper and write the initial script for Rock & Chips and why now ?
John modestly gave credit to Mark Freeland from the BBC. He explained to Mark, that he had been writing a book on the early years of the Trotters. Mark suggested that he brought them to life. So it appears that we have Mark to thanks for this current helping of Rock and Chips.
Perry then dug deeper into some real specifics that all Only Fools and Horses fans must be itching to have answers too.
Some real nitty gritty questions from the early Trotter years included:
- What did Joan die of ?
- What did she really say on her death bed?
- When does Freddie die ?
- Does Rock & Chips have to end when Freddie dies?
So how did Joan die?
John told Perry that it hasn’t been decided what Joan dies of – it could well be cancer but it’s not confirmed – we’ll have to see how possible future stories develop.
Here’s a good one…What did Joan really say on her death bed?
Del Boy obviously embellished what she said on her death bed, that we all know. But John tells us, we could get to see those moving scenes should the show run that long.
Perry asked him about the death of Freddie
Particlularly remembering the detailed story we hear in Only Fools and Horses Episode The Frog’s Legacy told by Aunt Renee.
John confirmed we all know how Freddie dies, but John also confirmed that he dies BEFORE Joan in 1963. This really effects Joan, hence Del and others have mentioned Joanie in bars with different men. Del talked in one episode about an earring of his mothers being found in the back of an Italian blokes car. Del being naive thought the guy had stolen it. Clearly Joan struggles to come to terms with his death.
This leads us to Perry’s question on Rock & Chips ending when Freddie dies or would it continue thereafter?
John said no, it can carry on. He’s already thought of the clever use of flash backs, like in the US show ‘Damages’ the stories this way can run and run.
Perry finally brought up the subject of Uncle Albert and his rift with Grandad. We all remember how this was referenced throughout the Fools and Horses episodes. John confirmed that would be something he’d like to explore in the future episodes. He mentioned their clash over Ada. Remember In “Tea for Three” Albert said that he and Grandad didn’t speak to each other after they met and fought over Aunt Ada. Aunt Ada’s ended up marrying Albert and he sang the song about her in the Nags Head. Sullivan laughed at the thought of casting an Uncle Albert, that would be hard but again it’s something he would like to do if the show ran for more episodes.
Rock and Chips may well be hear to stay. It sounds like John Sullivan has some great episodes in the pipeline and Five Gold Rings sounds like it won’t disappoint Only Fools fans.
We are greatful to John Sullivan for giving us some great glimpses into this new episode and for Perry sharing the details with us fans.
30 years on, Only Fools and Horses is fresher than ever!
Wed 29 Dec 2010 21:00 BBC1
We now want to here your reviews – What did you think of Rock and Chips : Five Gold Rings?
what was the comment del made in french that offended his birds family?????
it wasnt to do with a meal lets put it that way
Hahaha. Good answer buddy.
lol i no that now as u can tell me french is crap so i googled it :)
Haha, well the final part of the sentance “soixante-neuf” translates into 69, so I believe Del told her French teaching Mother that he “Really enjoyed a 69!!” Quality.