Rock & Chips: Five Gold Rings (BBC-1 29 Dec 2010)

Five Gold Rings is a second helping of the prequel to Only Fools and Horses in the shape of an hour long Christmas special. The episode picks up the story of the Trotters just after the birth of baby Rodney to Joan Trotter at Christmas 1960. Joan and work shy husband Reg have just moved into the iconic flat in Sir Walter Raleigh House in Peckham and Joan has just got her job back selling ice creams at the local odeon.

Delboy is now 16 and has just left school and is already learning a bit about the art of ducking and diving, not least with his latest “opportunity” selling hooky 45’s just off the boat from America, he is also desperate to learn a few things about sex and decides that getting engaged is the best way to explore more of the world of women. Meanwhile safe cracker Freddie Robdal (the real father of Rodney) is out of jail on bail and keen to rekindle his relationship with Joan.

Always good to spend time with the Trotter’s no matter what era we might be in, there is definitely plenty of milage in these early days tales. This new episode has some new cast members too not least the fab Paula Wilcox as Reg’s mum Violet. Mel Smith also turns up as Freddie Robdal’s nemesis Detective Inspector Thomas. See also Rock And Chips and The Frog and the Pussycat.

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast Wednesday 29 December 2010 @ 9.00pm

Writer: John Sullivan

cast
NICHOLAS LYNDHURST as Freddie Robdal
KELLIE BRIGHT as Joan
JAMES BUCKLEY as Del
PHIL DANIELS as Grandad
SHAUN DINGWALL as Reg Trotter
ROBERT DAWS as Ernie Rayner
PAULA WILCOX as Violet Trotter
MEL SMITH as Detective Inspector Thomas