A collection of previously unseen clips from the iconic British sitcom *Only Fools and Horses* has been uncovered, shedding new light on the characters and moments beloved by fans. The newly found footage will be featured in a two-part documentary set to air on the Gold channel on October 20 and 27.

The recovered material includes 66 clips from ten episodes, previously cut due to time constraints and subsequently stored in BBC archives, thought to be lost. Among the highlights are scenes explaining why Del Boy narrowly avoided jail following an incident involving a policewoman’s blouse, Rodney expressing his concerns about Del’s son Damien, and Trigger delivering one of his signature dim-witted lines referencing the rainforest. The footage also introduces an undisclosed character and reveals previously censored jokes involving Del Boy’s risqué humour. Uncle Albert’s well-known war anecdotes also make a return in this collection.

The lost archives were discovered on vintage 16mm film used during the original production of the series, which aired on the BBC from 1981 to 2003. Richard Latto, a former BBC producer and comedy archivist, was responsible for unearthing the material. Latto attributes the discovery in part to having extensive knowledge of the BBC’s holdings and access to production team members who had preserved unused content.

Latto described how many of the erased scenes were removed to meet broadcast time limits rather than for content concerns. He explained that during script read-throughs, segments were routinely timed and edited to fit specific time slots, which resulted in many comedic moments being cut. “John [Sullivan] wrote a lot, and many jokes had to be removed to keep the episodes within their allotted 35 minutes,” Latto said.

David Jason, who portrayed Del Boy, reviewed the footage and expressed delight at the rediscovery. At 86 years old and now knighted, Jason commented on the abundance of humour that had been excluded from the original broadcasts. He noted that the show’s tight scheduling often necessitated trimming “very funny moments” that writer John Sullivan had created.

Co-stars also reacted to the archive footage. Tessa Peake-Jones, who played Raquel Turner, admitted she was unaware that so much material had been cut or lost. She confessed that she did not always watch herself on screen and was surprised by how much of her work for the show had been edited out. Similarly, Sue Holderness, known for her role as Marlene, expressed astonishment at the volume of content rediscovered, acknowledging that Sullivan’s scripts were often lengthy, and many jokes were sacrificed to maintain the plot’s flow.

The newly digitised clips provide fans with a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of one of Britain’s most enduring comedies and offer previously unseen moments that add depth to the Trotter family and their friends. The forthcoming documentary promises to present these findings in detail, celebrating the breadth of material that helped make *Only Fools and Horses* a cultural staple.