Only Fools and Horses

Only Fools and Horses: Real-life Cockney businessman who inspired David Jason’s Del Boy

Only Fools and Horses has built up a legion of fans over the last 30 years.

The comedy (which follows the pursuits of Derek Trotter and his family, living on a Peckham housing estate) wasn’t well-received when it was first aired in the 1980s, but later gained constantly high ratings for BBC 1.

While fans loved watching Del Boy try out various “get rich quick” schemes in his bid to become a millionaire (including selling blow-up dolls and water from the tap of his flat), some ideas weren’t entirely fictional.

Sir David Jason, who played Del Boy himself, revealed show writer John Sullivan actually based the character on an east London businessman with a “gorblimey cockney” accent.

Only Fools and Horses
The trotters lived on a housing estate in south London, one of the key differences to real-life businessman Derek Hockley

He said that Derek Hockley, who ran a building firm and had “contracts to do up pubs all over east London” provided the inspiration for Del Boy’s character, albeit with a few key tweaks.

The actor even visited his real-life office “at his yard” to research the part.

“He looked like he could have been an accountant or an army officer or even a member of the Royal Family but he spoke like a barrow boy with an East End accent you could cut with a knife, very similar to Del Boy’s,” Sir David told The Mirror.

“He was a great character and as I got to know him more it became clear that he was very much a ducker and a diver and his watchwords were very much ‘What costs you nothing can’t be dear’ and ‘Don’t ask where it came from’.”

Only Fools and Horses
Del Boy and Rodney have become two of the most recognisable faces in British comedy (Image: BBC)

He said Hockley was always “well turned out” and “looked the business” in a sharp suit and camel-haired coat.

The actor said their meeting left a “great impression” and he couldn’t get it out of his head how someone so elegantly dressed spoke like a “gorblimey cockney.”

He added: “They say ‘Clothes maketh the man’ and I think he was very wise to do that and other rival builders hadn’t quite got that panache.

“When Derek went people would remember him. He looked like money, he’d make an impression and I think that’s why he did it.

“So when I came to do Only Fools and Horses I decided to use some of Derek Hockley’s attitudes and his dress-sense and I’d apply it to Del Boy.

So even though Del, Rodney and Grandad were living in a Peckham council flat it seemed to be quite funny to find the head of the family spending a lot of money on his image.

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