Rock And Chips (BBC-1 24 Jan 2010, Nicholas Lyndhurst)

In Rock And Chips a fun prequel to Only Fools and Horses we travel back to February 1960 when Joan Trotter (Del and Rodney’s mother), unhappy with her lot married to loafer Reg, meets crook Freddie Robdall who promises her the life she yearns for. Delboy meanwhile, thanks to Denzil who works at the dockyards, is making inroads into his new career as a supersalesman, convinced that one day he will be a millionaire.

Fabulous idea this, great to see all the back room boys from OF&H working on this and especially good to see Rodney ie Nicholas Lyndhurst playing his own father Freddie Robdal. The time period is spot on too, so many times in the original Fools and Horses is there talk of the good old days and when Del was a lad that it already feels like we know what the gang were upto in their youth. See also Five Gold Rings and The Frog and the Pussycat.

production details
UK / BBC One – Shazam Production / 1×90 minute episode / Broadcast Sunday 24 January 2010 @ 9.00pm

Writer: John Sullivan / Executive Producers: John Sullivan, Mark Freeland / Producer: Gareth Gwenlan / Director: Dewi Humphreys

cast
NICHOLAS LYNDHURST as Freddie Robdal
KELLIE BRIGHT as Joan Trotter
PHIL DANIELS as Ted Trotter
SHAUN DINGWALL as Reg Trotter
JAMES BUCKLEY as Del Trotter
STEPHEN LLOYD as Boycie
LEWIS OSBORNE as Trigger
ASHLEY GERLACH as Denzil
LEE LONG as Jumbo Mills
CALUM MACNAB as Roy Slater
JONATHAN READWIN as Albie Littlewood
PAUL PUTNER as “Jelly” Kelly
EMMA COOKE as Reenie Turpin
ROBERT DAWS as Ernie Rayner
ROGER GRIFFITHS as Clayton
JODIE MOONEY as Pam
KATIE GRIFFITHS as Glenda
BILLY SEYMOUR as Raymond
COLIN PROCKTER as Mr Johnson
BOBBY BRAGG as Don
ALISON PARGETER as Val