Only Fools and Horses Unearths Lost Footage for 45th Anniversary

Never-before-seen footage from the archives of the British sitcom "Only Fools and Horses" has been released to mark the show's 45th anniversary. The material is featured in a new documentary, "Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive," which reunites cast and crew members to discuss the unearthed clips.

The documentary includes 66 previously unreleased items, such as rushes, behind-the-scenes footage, and outtakes. Among these is a cut scene from the seventh series episode "The Class of '62," which depicts Raquel's disastrous audition to become a nightclub singer.

In the unaired scene, Raquel, played by Tessa Peake-Jones, attempts to perform Morris Albert's "Feelings" and "Chapel of Love" for a nightclub audition, much to the chagrin of a reluctant Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), who had been dragged along by Del Boy (Sir David Jason). The nightclub owners are unimpressed with the prospect of hiring a heavily pregnant singer, leading to their rejection.

While the aired version of "The Class of '62" only referenced the audition, the newly found footage shows it in full. The scene was ultimately cut and the episode began with Del Boy, Rodney, and Raquel returning to their flat, discussing the failed audition.

Peake-Jones and David Jason, who reunited to watch the clip for the documentary, admitted they had no recollection of filming the audition scene. "Laughing away, Tess admitted she 'didn't remember' filming the scenes, with David confessing he also couldn't recall it," the notes state.

"The Lost Archive" also features interviews with other cast members, including Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra), Sue Holderness (Marlene), Steven Woodcock (Jevon), and Denis Lill (Alan), as well as director Tony Dow and editor Chris Wadsworth.

One revelation from the documentary is that the show's creator, John Sullivan, had been planning another special before his death in 2011. Peake-Jones speculated that this could have been the episode where Del Boy and Raquel finally married.

The unearthed material also sheds light on other episodes. A deleted scene from "The Jolly Boys' Outing" reveals a subplot involving Del Boy potentially orchestrating rail strikes through Marlene's brother, Kenny, who was a union official. This scene, which was cut, would have explained why the characters were stranded in Margate.

Cast members also reflected on filming iconic moments, including the rollercoaster scene from "The Jolly Boys' Outing," which required multiple takes. David Jason recalled the ride being far from enjoyable, despite appearing so on screen.

Additionally, the documentary touches upon Uncle Albert's trimmed "during the war" stories and deleted scenes from the 1996 Christmas special "Time on Our Hands," which explored themes of grief and loss.

The documentary showcases restored footage in HD, with many of the unused scenes previously thought lost. "Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive" is a two-part series airing on U&Gold.

Among other revelations in the program, it was noted that several well-known actors were considered for roles, including Jim Broadbent as Del Boy and Elizabeth Hurley as Cassandra. Sir Anthony Hopkins was offered the role of gangster Danny Driscoll but declined due to a conflict with filming "The Silence of the Lambs."