10 things you didn't know about Only Fools

1: Readies or not

The original title for the show was "Readies", but after writing the first few scripts, series creator John Sullivan decided to call it Only Fools and Horses, deriving from an obscure saying ("Why do only fools and horses work?") that goes back to the 19th Century. This had also been the title of an episode of Citizen Smith – Sullivan's earlier sitcom.

2: Inauspicious beginnings

It may now be one of the BBC's most beloved shows, but Only Fools and Horses was a total flop to begin with. Despite the low ratings for the first series, the Beeb decided to nurture the show by commissioning a second series.

When this failed as well, it was on the verge of being axed altogether. It was only after the first two series were repeated that people started to talk about the show, and snowballing success ensued.

3: Defining Del

It may now seem unthinkable that anyone else could have played the part, but David Jason was actually pretty low down on the list of potential Del Boys. A character actor by the name off Enn Reitel – who's worked on everything from The Bill to the Da Vinci Code movie – was considered, but he was busy making another series.

Jim Broadbent was then asked, but he was in a West End play at the time. It was only then that David Jason was approached (after producer Ray Butt caught a repeat of Open All Hours on telly one night).

4: Viva Hooky Street

People often think it's Nicholas Lyndhurst singing the theme song, but it's actually series creator and writer John Sullivan.

The first series actually had an instrumental theme tune, but Sullivan decided to write and sing an opening song to explain what the phrase "Only fools and horses" actually meant. (Sullivan also sings the closing "Hooky Street" song.)

5: As if one wasn't enough...

The series certainly popularised Reliant Robins (although technically the Trotters' van is called a Reliant Regal – true Robins are smaller). Ever since the show became huge in the 80s, second-hand car dealers have sold the Regals at inflated prices – particularly after respraying them yellow.

By the way, it wasn't just one car that we saw in the series. No fewer than twelve of these infamous three-wheeled vans were used.

6: Wat shuift't?!

Only Fools and Horses has been re-made in two other countries – the Netherlands and Portugal (why these countries in particular? Who can say?)

The Netherlands version was called "Wat schuift't?", meaning "What's it worth?", and had the Aarsmans instead of the Trotters. Portugal, meanwhile, turned the Trotters into the Fintas family for "O Fura-Vidas", which derives from an expression for people who live illegally.

7: The real Nelson Mandela House

This may shatter some illusions, but Only Fools and Horses wasn't actually filmed in Peckham. The main locations were actually Acton (in Ealing) and Bristol.

Indeed, Harlech Tower – the block of flats which was used as "Nelson Mandela House" – is in Acton, while the famous bit where Del and Rodders run down the street as Batman and Robin was filmed in Broadmead Shopping Precinct in Bristol.

8: Licensed to drill

There are two very "special" short episodes of Only Fools and Horses which we're likely never to see on TV.

One was centred around the Gulf War of the early 90s and specially shown to boost the morale of British troops serving there in 1990. Called The Robin Flies at Dawn, it's shot in home-video style and sees Del Boy, Rodney and Albert addressing the troops from a "secret location" where they've decked out their van with a Union Jack and a gun – and suggest its use as a "secret weapon". For some reason the Ministry of Defence never took Del up on the offer.

Back in 1984 there was also an special half-hour episode made for schools by the BBC, in which Del, Rodders and Grandad discuss oil drilling and the way crude oil is used in everyday life. This was actually the last time Lennard Pearce played Grandad, as he sadly died shortly after.

9: The first last episode ever

John Sullivan initially planned to end the series back in 1986 with the episode titled "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" (the one in which Del almost leaves Britain to begin a new life in Australia). David Jason had said he wanted to leave the show, so Sullivan decided to write Del out and create a spin-off called "Hot Rod" which would have had Rodney taking over Trotters Independent Traders.

However, David Jason then had a change of heart, so Sullivan changed the ending of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" with Del deciding against going Down Under.

10: Lovely jubbly!

Writer John Sullivan was actually inspired to come up with Del's catchphrase "Lovely jubbly!" by an old advertising slogan for a 1960s orange drink called Jubbly, which had since been forgotten, although the Jubblies did come in rather interesting pyramid-shaped cartons.

Reckoning that the old jingle "lovely Jubbly" would be just the kind of thing Del would say, Sullivan made it the man's catchphrase.