David Jason's fury with BBC bosses over Only Fools and Horses 'sabotage'

Only Fools and Horses is now a household name, with its star Sir David Jason being knighted by the Queen for his outstanding work. However, back in 1981 when the BBC was putting together the show's inaugural episode, its success was far from guaranteed.

To the Del Boy star, 84, it reportedly seemed as if things were already going downhill before the pilot aired.

The episode titled 'Big Brother', where Del and Rodney collaborate for Trotters' Independent Traders and move in with Grandad for the first time, set the template for the rest of the series.

Like any pilot, this episode has a slightly different tone compared to later ones which could be attributed to the tumultuous production behind the scenes.

The filming and compilation of the 30-minute episode is said to have been riddled with drama and indecision. The initial director was replaced, and his successor also moved on.

The episode was eventually directed by the third person brought in, Martin Shardlow, who was later famed for his work on Blackadder (1982) and Alas Smith and Jones (1984).

This chaotic episode led David Jason to privately question whether BBC executives, who had initially been hesitant to approve the show, were now attempting to sabotage it before it even started, reports MyLondon.

Luckily for all Only Fools fans, this wasn't the case. After a few seasons of gaining momentum, the show found its footing and became the iconic sitcom it is today.

A total of 64 episodes were produced, with the final airing in 2003. However, the series nearly ended after five series when David Jason planned to quit.

David’s final appearance was intended to be the episode, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, which aired in 1986.

The episode saw Del Boy presented with an opportunity to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a millionaire.

Del's old business partner, Jumbo Mills (Nick Stringer), returns to South London from Australia to negotiate a deal with second-hand car dealer Boycie (John Challis).

After amassing wealth using Del's last £200, Jumbo proposes that Del become the new face of his business, thus leaving his family behind for a prosperous life abroad.

Del initially accepts the offer but later changes his mind when Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) expresses his wish to spend his final days in Peckham.

The script was crafted with David Jason in mind as an ending for Del Boy, leaving his brother Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and friend Mickey Pearce (Patrick Murray) to continue the legacy.

A spin-off series was even envisioned where Rodney and Mickey would take over the company known as Hot-Rod.

Fortunately, two more seasons of Only Fools were commissioned as well as the iconic Christmas specials that followed.

Only Fools and Horses is available to watch on NOW.