David Jason claims Only Fools And Horses was CURSED after four of the cast and writer John Sullivan died early
David, 77, revealed his quirky theory in his new memoir. He likened the tragic death rate among the BBC crew as akin to that of Dad's Army, a sitcom where many actors died shortly after it wrapped in 1977
DAVID Jason believes he’s had a narrow escape from the Only Fools And Horses DEATH curse.
The veteran telly actor, who starred in the hilarious BBC sitcom as wheeler-dealer Del Boy Trotter, has confessed he thinks the long-running British show was struck by something sinister after four of its stars, in addition to writer John Sullivan, sadly passed away.
The hit comedy aired for 10 years between 1981 and 1991 but sadness struck in 1984, after ‘Granddad’ Lennard Pearce passed just 23 episodes in, and was replaced by new character Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield).
In his memoir Only Fools and Stories screen star David wrote: “As well as John Sullivan, the genius who wrote the show and was the greatest writer I ever knew, who died in 2011, and the properly clever Roger Lloyd Pack (Trigger) who died in 2014, dear old Buster Merryfield, our Uncle Albert, had died in 1999.
“And Kenneth MacDonald, that sweet, kind man who was Mike, the landlord of the Nag’s Head, died of a heart attack on holiday with his family in 2001 at the unfairly premature aged of 50.”
He added: “People talk about the curse of Dad’s Army, but surely the less noticed ‘Curse of Only Fools’ runs it a close second.”
Many of the Dad’s Army cast passed away soon after the show wrapped, in 1977.
Meanwhile Time On Our Hands, the last episode to feature Uncle Albert, holds the record for the highest UK audience for a sitcom episode at 24.3million viewers.
Meanwhile David has seen security around his latest TV project beefed up in response to a “credible threat” made against him.
The telly legend was seen getting out of a car as the two men in suits walked closely behind him as he made his way to the Open All Hours set, already in costume.
Images showing him flanked b y assistants came shortly after The Sun revealed that the actor is being guarded round the clock after a “credible threat” was made against him, and has two minders directly assigned to him.
Security vehicles tail him on and off the set of BBC’s Still Open All Hours.
Bosses have also put up a cordon after word went around film crew that his safety was at risk.
The threat is thought to have come from a rogue nutter.
It is not known why they have targeted the Only Fools and Horses stalwart.
Sir David, who plays grocer Granville in Still Open All Hours, has been filming in Doncaster, South Yorks, where the sitcom is set.
An on-set source said: “Production and security have been told there has been talk of a real threat.
“No one is taking any chances.”
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