Lost Only Fools and Horses Footage Revealed in New Documentary

A new documentary, Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive, will present previously cut scenes from several episodes of the British sitcom, among them The Jolly Boys' Outing, the 1989 Christmas special filmed and set in Margate. Comedy archive specialist Richard Latto, who unearthed part of the material, told the BBC that the Jolly Boys' Outing footage was "absolutely amazing to find" and recalled watching the episode with his family on Christmas Day. Much of the recovered material consists of scenes trimmed to fit broadcast time limits but still of good quality, he said. Among the new scenes are an extended view of the coach journey to Margate and complete footage of the group's rollercoaster ride at Dreamland. In the episode, Del Boy, Rodney and Uncle Albert — played by Sir David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Buster Merryfield — join the Nag's Head regulars on a chaotic coach trip from Peckham, south-east London, to the coast. Latto said the additions reveal greater depth and texture in the characters and that he hoped the scenes might be used in extended episodes. New shots for the documentary have been fully digitized, which he believes could support high-definition restoration of the show. The episode drew more than 20 million viewers and has inspired Margate tours based on the programme.