AS wheeler-dealer Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses, Sir David Jason famously predicted: “Next year by this time we’ll be millionaires.”
But while his get-rich-quick plans failed spectacularly in the sitcom, the legendary actor easily achieved his dream in real life.
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Sir David Jason was earning £100k per episode at the height of his fameCredit: BBC
The 83-year-old has amassed a staggering £8million since rising to fame as a legendary market trader.
Documents filed with Companies House this week revealed that his Peglington Productions business still makes more than £1m a year.
The actor’s star power has grown significantly since his 1981 debut as Peckham’s legendary wheeler-dealer in the BBC sitcom.
At the height of his fame, David was reportedly earning £100k per episode for Only Fools And Horses.
The 83-year-old – who was knighted in 2005 for his services to acting and comedy – has starred in a string of major TV shows including Open All Hours and A Touch Of Frost.
And his newly filed accounts show that Sir David is still making a modest profit – earning more than £2.1million in two years.
Nice Jubbly!
But even though he’s at the top of the “nice little earners” list, Sir David isn’t the only star of the beloved show rolling in it, as our rich list reveals…
Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) £3.6m
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Actor Nicholas Lyndhurst in a scene from Only Fools and Horses Credit: Getty
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Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter in the BBC sitcom Credit: BBC
Nicholas’ fortunes are far from his character Rodney Trotter’s who struggles to make ends meet as a market trader alongside his brother Del Boy.
He went on to star in other major sitcoms, including Goodnight Sweetheart and Butterflies, and is currently starring in the Frasier reboot.
The 61-year-old actor reportedly has £3.6m in his Enigmania Limited business account after denying he plans to retire from acting following the tragic death of his son.
In September 2020, beloved Archie tragically passed away from acute lymphoblastic leukemia
In a statement, Lyndhurst said he and his wife were “absolutely devastated.”
Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong) £700k
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Tessa Peake-Jones, David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst with Gwyneth StrongCredit: BBC
She is known for her role as Cassandra Trotter, Rodney’s wife and Del Boy’s long-term sister-in-law.
Unlike her husband, Cassandra is reasonable and skeptical of Del Boy’s devious plans.
Since her last appearance on Only Fools almost 20 years ago, Gwyneth, 63, has amassed a long list of television roles including roles in Silent Witness, Casualty, Midsomer Murders, New Tricks, Doctors, A Touch Of Frost, The Great Train Robbery and many more.
In September 2016, she landed a starring role in the TV soap EastEnders playing Geraldine Clough, manager of the ladies’ darts team from The Feathers pub.
It is estimated to be worth around £700,000.
Raquel (Tessa Peake Jones) £2.5 million
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David Jason, Tessa Peake-Jones, Gwyneth Strong, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Ben Smith as Damien in the Christmas special Credit: BBC
After joining the show in 1988, the London-born actress was the love of Del Boy’s life for 15 years and mother to his only son, Damien.
After Only Fools she was a regular on Doctors and also played grumpy housewife Mrs Maguire in Grantchester for eight years from 2014.
Tessa bought her first home in Cricklewood, west London, for £23,000 when she was 23.
She was married to fellow actor Douglas Hodge for 27 years, before splitting in 2013. The couple share two children.
Tessa recently revealed that her Only Fools character earned a hefty repeat fee, with 80 per cent of her original fee each time it was shown on the BBC, but that deal was scrapped when UK Gold picked up the episodes.
She said the show paid well enough “to pay the mortgage and the bills… but you weren’t on stupid money”, adding that Grantchester gave her “more security”.
Now 66, she also revealed that she is part of WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality), as she is in the age group left out of pocket by the pension changes.
Trigger (Roger Lloyd-Pack) £1.5m
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Actor Roger Lloyd-Pack as ‘stupid’ road sweeper TriggerCredit: BBC
The late actor may have played “crazy” Trigger in the popular BBC sitcom, but he was actually pretty smart off-screen.
Roger, who also starred in Vicar of Dibley, was one of the list’s higher earners with a fortune of £1.5million.
Unfortunately, he died in 2014 at the age of 69 from pancreatic cancer.
As he left no will, his estate – worth £1,464,636 – was divided between his widow Jehane Markham and his four children – actress Emily Lloyd and sons Spencer, Hartley and Louis.
The large sum would be enough to buy 150,000 new brooms that his character famously recycled during his long career as a road sweeper.
Boycie (John Challis) £497,000
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Legend John Challis (Boycie) sadly died of cancer in 2021. Credit: Rex
Only Fools And Horses legend John Challis died of cancer in September 2021.
Probate records show he left a gross estate of £497,000.
After his affairs were settled, the remaining £469,000 went to his fourth wife Carol.
John became a household name as cigar smoking, used car dealer Terrance Aubrey Boyce.
His antagonistic relationship with Del Boy and Rodney Trotter often saw him in the Nag’s Head sipping cognac, and he was given his own spin off series, The Green, Green Grass, in 2004.
The number of deaths associated with the series led Sir David Jason, who played Del Boy to write that he was “infected” with the death curse.
Grandfather (Lennard Pearce) £40k
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Lennard Pearce’s unexpected heart attack destroys the cast Credit: BBC
He was one of the original cast of the BBC sitcom and starred in three series.
Sadly, the 69-year-old died unexpectedly of a heart attack halfway through filming the fourth series in 1988 – leaving the entire cast and crew devastated.
Historic probate documents show that Lennard Pearce, who played the grandfather, died on December 15, 1984, with assets “not exceeding” £40,000.
The star’s death shocked the cast at the time and was even written into the series with Del Boy and Rodney attending his funeral.
Uncle Albert (Harry Merryfield) £591,000
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The late actor Buster Merryfield (Uncle Albert) died in 1999. Credit: Alamy
The funeral episode featured Harry “Buster” Merryfield, who played Grandpa’s brother Uncle Albert on the show for many years before his death in June 1999.
Buster did not pass a will, but his earnings were inherited by his wife, Iris Merryfield.
She died in November 2002 and public records show the estate totaled £654,304, but with a net worth of £590,978 which was split between her family members.
Mike (Kenneth Macdonald) £106k
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Actors John Challis (left) and Kenneth MacDonald in the pub scene from the episode The Sky is the LimitCredit: Getty
Another of the flopped stars is Kenneth Macdonald, who played Mike, the bartender at the Nag’s Head for years.
He died suddenly of a heart attack in August 2001 while on vacation in Hawaii. He was only 50 years old then.
The documents show that he did not make a will but the estate was awarded to his wife Sheila.
He left behind an estate of £106,030, with a net worth of £89,740.
In David’s book, Only Fools And Stories, Jason paid tribute to Kenneth, calling him a “sweet and kind” man.
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Source: HIS Education