Fans of the classic British comedy featuring the Trotter family will be happy to know that a previously unaired episode of Only Fools and Horses will finally hit British Television for the first time. The 1984 short episode is titled “Licensed to Drill” and revolves around Del Boy attempting to pull another ‘fast one’ by purchasing an oil rig for just £400, but as always with the loveable con man his plans don’t quite work out the way he had hoped.
Originally the episode was produced as an educational video for Science lessons in schools throughout the UK in the 1980s to teach children about the oil industry, but had apparently been forgotten about not long after. The rare episode has since shown up in a few official and unofficial releases but has never been shown on British television. The rarity of the episode isn’t the only special thing about “Licensed to Drill” though, as it’s also the last ever performance from Lennard Pearce as Grandad before his sudden passing in December 1984.
The episode does not feature a laugh track which is something that is common in ‘one off specials’ of the show and there are no scenes outside of the famous flat in Nelson Mandela House that Del, Rodney and Grandad live in other than those shown on the TV programme that fuels Del Boy’s interest in the oil industry as a get rick scheme. A one off theme song was also composed and performed by series creator John Sullivan and is featured in the episode.
UKTV Gold will be airing scenes from the ‘lost’ episode, bloopers, behind the scenes clips and cast interviews for their The Story of Only Fools and Horses which will run Tuesdays at 8pm until October 3rd.