Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Only Fools and Horses)
Encyclopedia
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" is an episode of the BBC
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the final episode of series 5, and was first screened on 5 October, 1986. This is also the last episode to be 30 minutes long with all the subsequent episodes lasting 50 minutes or more.
is surprised to see his old friend and business partner from the 1960s, Jumbo Mills, back in Peckham
after emigrating to Australia
in 1967 with Del's last £200. As a way of returning the favour, Jumbo offers Del a chance to renew their old partnership by helping to run Jumbo's new car business back in Australia. After Del tells Rodney
and Albert
about the offer from Jumbo, and that this time next year, they will be millionaires, everything is set.
But just when things are going well, Albert refuses to go because he's travelled around the world his entire life, and he just wants to spend his final years in Peckham. Rodney can't go either because of his criminal conviction for possession of Cannabis
. Regardless of all this, Del still seems keen to go, and he hands ownership of Trotters Independent Traders over to Rodney. But Rodney does not agree with that, and reminds Del Boy that the real opportunity lies here in Britain, and people who are looking for bargains turn to men like the Trotters, as all the times that Del had denied Rodney golden opportunities for success, such as Rodney wanting to become a window cleaner (which was described by Del as "hardly end of the rainbow stuff"). But Del, after telling his younger brother that he stood by him when their mother died, says he still wants to go to Australia and live out his dream of becoming a millionaire. Emotionally shattered by his older brother's harsh words, Rodney exits in tears. After hearing the row, Albert is completely disgusted by how Del's golden opportunity has started a family feud between the Trotter brothers similar to the one between the Ewing brothers from Dallas
.
Later that night, after receiving advice from Albert that he should go to Australia which means that Rodney will have to learn to grow up, Del phones Jumbo to confirm what time he'll be arriving, but instead, Del turns down Jumbo's offer, reluctantly admitting that he can't leave his family behind. As Albert goes to bed a very happy man, Rodney returns home to apologize to Del for the argument they had earlier, and to tell Del that he has to go to Australia. But Del tells Rodney that he's already turned down the chance, and they talk about how Rodney was right when he said "The real opportunity lies here." Britain is in a bad way, people want a good bargain, and they turn to men like the Trotters. The country is on the eve of a golden age in the black market, and the Trotters will be there, and that this time next year, they'll be millionaires. The Trotter brothers make up, Rodney goes to bed happy, and Del laments his lost opportunity for wealth.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. It was the final episode of series 5, and was first screened on 5 October, 1986. This is also the last episode to be 30 minutes long with all the subsequent episodes lasting 50 minutes or more.
Plot
Popping into the Nag's Head for a drink, Del BoyDel Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
is surprised to see his old friend and business partner from the 1960s, Jumbo Mills, back in Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
after emigrating to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1967 with Del's last £200. As a way of returning the favour, Jumbo offers Del a chance to renew their old partnership by helping to run Jumbo's new car business back in Australia. After Del tells Rodney
Rodney Trotter
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.-Personality:Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and...
and Albert
Uncle Albert
Albert Gladstone Trotter is a fictional character from the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was introduced during the fourth season as a replacement for the character of Grandad due to the death of actor Lennard Pearce...
about the offer from Jumbo, and that this time next year, they will be millionaires, everything is set.
But just when things are going well, Albert refuses to go because he's travelled around the world his entire life, and he just wants to spend his final years in Peckham. Rodney can't go either because of his criminal conviction for possession of Cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
. Regardless of all this, Del still seems keen to go, and he hands ownership of Trotters Independent Traders over to Rodney. But Rodney does not agree with that, and reminds Del Boy that the real opportunity lies here in Britain, and people who are looking for bargains turn to men like the Trotters, as all the times that Del had denied Rodney golden opportunities for success, such as Rodney wanting to become a window cleaner (which was described by Del as "hardly end of the rainbow stuff"). But Del, after telling his younger brother that he stood by him when their mother died, says he still wants to go to Australia and live out his dream of becoming a millionaire. Emotionally shattered by his older brother's harsh words, Rodney exits in tears. After hearing the row, Albert is completely disgusted by how Del's golden opportunity has started a family feud between the Trotter brothers similar to the one between the Ewing brothers from Dallas
Dallas (TV series)
Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
.
Later that night, after receiving advice from Albert that he should go to Australia which means that Rodney will have to learn to grow up, Del phones Jumbo to confirm what time he'll be arriving, but instead, Del turns down Jumbo's offer, reluctantly admitting that he can't leave his family behind. As Albert goes to bed a very happy man, Rodney returns home to apologize to Del for the argument they had earlier, and to tell Del that he has to go to Australia. But Del tells Rodney that he's already turned down the chance, and they talk about how Rodney was right when he said "The real opportunity lies here." Britain is in a bad way, people want a good bargain, and they turn to men like the Trotters. The country is on the eve of a golden age in the black market, and the Trotters will be there, and that this time next year, they'll be millionaires. The Trotter brothers make up, Rodney goes to bed happy, and Del laments his lost opportunity for wealth.
Episode cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Jason David Jason Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack... |
Del Boy |
| Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies... |
Rodney |
| Buster Merryfield Buster Merryfield Harry "Buster" Merryfield was an English actor best known for starring in the BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses.-Early life:... |
Uncle Albert |
| John Challis John Challis John Challis is an English actor.-Career:He is probably best known for his role as Terrance Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in the long running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass.... |
Boycie |
| Kenneth MacDonald | Mike |
| Nick Stringer Nick Stringer Nick Stringer is an English actor.In a thirty year career, Stringer has appeared in numerous well-known British television shows, including The Bill, Open All Hours, Only Fools and Horses, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Coronation Street, Family Affairs, Minder, Johnny Jarvis, Butterflies and My Family... |
Jumbo Mills |
Episode concept/production
- This was originally planned to be the final Only Fools and Horses episode with Del Boy leaving to go to Australia after David JasonDavid JasonSir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack...
had stated his intention to leave the series to John SullivanJohn Sullivan (writer)John Richard Thomas Sullivan OBE was an English television scriptwriter responsible for several popular British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends....
. This would have resulted in a planned spin-off series called Hot-Rod with Rodney and Mickey Pearce taking over Trotters Independent Traders, as well as feature all the other regular Only Fools and Horses cast members, and an option of Del returning at a later date. However, Jason, worried that the series would fall apart without Del, ultimately changed his mind and decided to stay on, and John Sullivan had to change the ending so that Del turns down Jumbo's offer. - Nick Stringer, who plays Jumbo Mills, also appeared in another episode, "Go West Young ManGo West Young Man (Only Fools and Horses)"Go West Young Man" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of series 1, and was first screened on 15 September, 1981.-Synopsis:...
", but not as Jumbo, but rather as a naïve Australian who buys a faulty car from Del with no brakes, and later smashes it into the back of Boycie's car. - Jumbo Mills would later become a major character in Rock & Chips, as a member of Del's gang.