Del Boy
Encyclopedia
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. He was played by David Jason
in the original series and was portrayed as a teenager by James Buckley
in the prequel.
of the late 1980s, pretending to be a lot more financially successful than he really is, which fitted in well with him always trying to associate with the higher classes of society but clearly being rooted as working class
.
Derek is a habitual liar, he lies as a matter of course to girls, customers, policemen and even his family and doctors. Del lies even when to do so is against his best interests, on one occasion, he claimed to be a health freak when suffering from stomach pains, meaning he spent several days under observation in hospital, when telling the truth would have allowed him to be diagnosed almost immediately.
Derek also has a rather sensitive side to his personality, particularly for his family. He is not always so keen to express his love for his family and loved ones, but in numerous episodes this side is brought out, such as in Diamonds Are for Heather
, Strained Relations
, Dates
, The Yellow Peril
, and Little Problems
.
His caring side is brought out towards Grandad (Lennard Pearce
) in "The Second Time Around
", when Grandad confesses to setting Trigger
up to phone and tell Del that his fiance, Pauline Harris, killed her dead husband Bobby Finch by poisoning him.
Although he has been engaged many times, and never got married, Del has had many girlfriends, which have been mentioned by Rodney
numerous times, such as in "Yesterday Never Comes
", when Rodney sarcastically tells Del "he has been out with enough antiques", and Del's ex-fiance Pauline Harris appears in one episode "The Second Time Around
", plus when Rodney mocks Del's many girlfriends in "Happy Returns
", after Del mistakes Rodney's girlfriend Debbie to be his daughter as she was born in the same year as he broke up with her mother, June Snell, who appears in two episodes - "A Royal Flush
" and "Happy Returns
". He finally meets his partner, Raquel Turner (whom he calls his "significant other") in the 1988 special "Dates
".
Derek lives with Rodney, his "significant other" Raquel and their son Damien at door 368 on the twelfth floor of the fictional Nelson Mandela House on the Dockside Estate, Peckham
, London
.
, Denzil
, Boycie
, Marlene and Mike. His greatest enemy is DCI Roy Slater
. Derek is optimistic but although not intellectual he is quick witted, and frequently gets Rodney into trouble. In "Wanted
", when a mentally unstable woman accuses Rodney of attacking her, Del makes a joke of it and says that the police have named Rodney "The Peckham Pouncer". Del is afraid of doctors and dentists. His favourite song is "Old Shep
", as heard in "Diamonds Are for Heather
", while his favourite band is The Who
as referenced in "Yuppy Love
". Del hints in "Rodney Come Home
" that he supports Millwall FC
, though in "The Long Legs of the Law
" he implies he is a supporter of Chelsea
. He believes he is fluent in French when in fact is hopeless at it (he gets bonjour and au revoir mixed up). Del can't swim (he has a certificate, but it doesn't belong to him) as revealed in "Miami Twice", or fly a hang glider very well as seen in "Tea for Three
". Despite being not very bright, Del Boy does have a heart of gold at times, such as when he tried to help Rodney get over his wife Cassandra's miscarriage, which resulted in the loss of their first attempt to have a baby. He never hesitates to remind people about how he practically brought Rodney up on his own after their mother died and father left, often using this fact against Rodney to gain the moral high ground whenever the two of them have an argument about anything.
Del and Rodney often teased Uncle Albert
about his appearance, and his resemblance to Captain Birdseye
- although they showed their feelings for him when he died in "If They Could See Us Now
". Rodney apologises for the way he treats Albert in "Sickness and Wealth
".
In Rock & Chips, Del is shown to have a particularly strong relationship with his mother, Joan, whom he loves dearly (Joan also loves Del most from her whole family, to the point that she refused to run away from Peckham with Freddie Robdal until she was certain of Del's financial security). His relationship with Grandad is more or less the same as in Only Fools and Horses, but he has a strained relationship with his father, Reg. Though it is clear that Del and Reg love each other, they have been shown at odds more than once, particularly when Reg verbally abuses Joan and Del threatens to hurt him if he does it again, and due to Reg's lazy lifestyle. Del is also visibly disgusted upon hearing that Joan is pregnant with Reg's second child (unaware that Reg is not the real father). By the end of the pilot episode, their relationship begins to heal, although there is still some tension between them at times. By the time of Only Fools and Horses, it is clear that Del has still not forgiven Reg for walking out on him and the rest of the family after Joan's passing, demonstrated when he nearly throws Reg out of the flat in "Thicker than Water", but Del still appears to have a slight feeling of familial loyalty to Reg, shown when he gives Reg a bit of money just before his departure and even chastises Rodney for referring to him as a "lousy bastard" (Del was unaware at the time that Reg was not Rodney's real father). Furthermore, Del appears to be closest to Jumbo Mills than the rest of his gang, and seems to be quite promiscuous when it comes to women, shown when he gets "engaged" to several girls by presenting them with fake diamond rings to win them over.
His relationship with Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal is not elaborated on much in the series, as they share little scenes together, and in their first scene together, Robdal threatens to castrate Del if he catches him driving his car, only for Del to retort with a smart remark about the car, and in their second, he invites Del and his gang to join him and Jelly Kelly on a real Margate beano. Throughout the series, Robdal becomes closer to the Trotters, mostly Joan, but it is not shown how close Del was with Robdal, although at one point, Robdal openly believes Del can look after himself, implying that in contrast to the contempt he generally held for the Trotter family (sans Joan), he respected and had faith in Del for his hard work and the devotion he showed his mother. In Sleepless in Peckham, Del goes on to tell Raquel that he never knew who Robdal really was, but was told to call him "Uncle Fred", and did not know until years later that Robdal was Rodney's father. In the final scene, Del labels Robdal as "a professional burglar, disloyal to his friends, a womaniser, a home-breaker, a con-man, a thief, a liar, and a cheat", and since this was long after he realised Robdal was Rodney's real father, it apparently caused him to resent Robdal greatly.
" (2003), Rodney shows Cassandra a photo of the 1960 Jolly Boys' Outing, and says Del was aged 15, making his date of birth around 1945. In "Go West Young Man
" (series 1, 1981), Del is implied to be 35, giving him a birth year of 1945/46. In "A Losing Streak
" (series 2, 1982) and "Thicker than Water
" (series 3, 1983), Del claims their father left in 1965 on his 16th birthday, making his birth year 1949. In "Tea for Three
" (series 5, 1986), Rodney tells Trigger's niece Lisa that Del's 46th birthday is coming up, making Del's year of birth 1940, however in the context of the scene it is possible Rodney was lying to make Del appear older. The episode "The Class of '62
" (series 7, 1991) sees Del and friends attending a class reunion, suggesting a birth year of 1946 or 1947.
The prequel drama Rock & Chips set in 1960 shows Del at 15 years of age, before Rodney had been born. This is confirmed in the dialogue between the PE teacher and the boys. The teacher complains about the boys having to stay on another year due to a change in the law, a reference to the change in school leaving age of 1960 when it was raised to 16. This, however, is at odds with "Big Brother
" (Series 1, 1981), when Del states he is thirteen years older than Rodney. If this had been the case, then Del should have been 12/13 in Rock & Chips, suggesting a birth year of 1947/1948, as opposed to fifteen.
trader, running his own company — Trotters Independent Traders (T.I.T.) - either from out of a suitcase
or out of the back of his bright yellow Reliant Regal
Supervan. With a never-ending supply of get-rich-quick schemes and an inner belief in his ability to sell anything to anyone, Del embroils 'the firm' (as he calls the family business) in all sorts of improbable situations. It is this unwavering confidence that led to his oft-proclaimed but rarely realised ambition "This time next year, we'll be millionaires!" Del's business acumen is probably best described by Rodney
in the episode "Mother Nature's Son
". During a time when Del is feeling depressed about his financial
situation, Rodney states that "The old Derek Trotter could smell a fiver in a force 9 gale
. They used to say that if Del Boy fell into a Viper's Pit
, he'd come up wearing snake skin shoes."
Although he maintains a tough exterior, family means a lot to Del. He still mourns the death of his mother and runs T.I.T.CO with his younger brother, Rodney. Del takes great pride in having raised Rodney after their mother's premature death and has never forgiven his father for running away when Rodney was just an infant. Despite their often minimal income, Del insists on caring for his elderly Grandad
. When Grandad dies, his role in the family trio is taken up by his younger brother Albert
, who received the same level of respect (and light-hearted abuse).
Del is a petty criminal and makes no attempt to hide it unless directly confronted by the authorities, on one occasion he claimed that at least half his possessions are illegal, including the furniture. Del also dabbles in theft, but mostly receives and sells on stolen goods. Del does not pay any form of tax, justifying it as, since he and his family do not benefit from the Welfare State, they should not have to contribute to it, it was lightly implied in an early episode that Del is legally dead, and therefore does not pay tax.
In the feature length episode 'If They Could See Us Now' the Trotter's business is almost liquidated, until Rodney becomes the Managing Director; this doesn't stop Del acting as if he runs the business.
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...
and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips. He was played by 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...
in the original series and was portrayed as a teenager by James Buckley
James Buckley (actor)
James Patrick Buckley is an English actor, best known for his roles as Jay Cartwright in the British comedy The Inbetweeners and Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in Rock & Chips.-Early life:...
in the prequel.
Personality
Derek is a lively character, most noted for his happy-go-lucky, confident persona. Whilst not always being successful, his general confidence and often forcefulness often convinces people to believe in him. Starting with the Sixth series, he became a stereotypical yuppieYuppie
Yuppie is a term that refers to a member of the upper middle class or upper class in their 20s or 30s. It first came into use in the early-1980s and largely faded from American popular culture in the late-1980s, due to the 1987 stock market crash and the early 1990s recession...
of the late 1980s, pretending to be a lot more financially successful than he really is, which fitted in well with him always trying to associate with the higher classes of society but clearly being rooted as working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
.
Derek is a habitual liar, he lies as a matter of course to girls, customers, policemen and even his family and doctors. Del lies even when to do so is against his best interests, on one occasion, he claimed to be a health freak when suffering from stomach pains, meaning he spent several days under observation in hospital, when telling the truth would have allowed him to be diagnosed almost immediately.
Derek also has a rather sensitive side to his personality, particularly for his family. He is not always so keen to express his love for his family and loved ones, but in numerous episodes this side is brought out, such as in Diamonds Are for Heather
Diamonds Are for Heather
"Diamonds Are for Heather" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second Christmas special, and was first screened on 30 December, 1982.-Synopsis:...
, Strained Relations
Strained Relations
"Strained Relations" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of series 4, and was first screened on 28 February, 1985.-Synopsis:It is a day full of sorrow for Del Boy and Rodney, as their Grandad has died...
, Dates
Dates (Only Fools and Horses)
"Dates" is the seventh Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1988.-Synopsis:The Trotters have been earning a lot of money recently, and Albert's birthday is coming up, though Del Boy and Rodney pretend to have forgotten...
, The Yellow Peril
The Yellow Peril
"The Yellow Peril" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fifth episode of series 2, and was first screened on 18 November 1982.-Synopsis:...
, and Little Problems
Little Problems
"Little Problems" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of series 6, and was first screened on 12 February, 1989...
.
His caring side is brought out towards Grandad (Lennard Pearce
Lennard Pearce
Lennard Pearce was an English actor who worked mostly in the theatre, but also appeared in a number of British television programmes. He landed his most notable TV role during the final few years of his life, starring as Edward "Grandad" Trotter in the popular sitcom, Only Fools and Horses from...
) in "The Second Time Around
The Second Time Around (Only Fools and Horses)
"The Second Time Around" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 1, and was first screened on 29 September, 1981.-Synopsis:...
", when Grandad confesses to setting Trigger
Trigger (Only Fools and Horses)
Trigger is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by actor Roger Lloyd Pack....
up to phone and tell Del that his fiance, Pauline Harris, killed her dead husband Bobby Finch by poisoning him.
Although he has been engaged many times, and never got married, Del has had many girlfriends, which have been mentioned by Rodney
Rodney
-Surnames:* Caesar Rodney , lawyer and signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware* Caesar A. Rodney , lawyer and U.S. Senator from Delaware* Caleb Rodney , merchant and Governor of Delaware...
numerous times, such as in "Yesterday Never Comes
Yesterday Never Comes
"Yesterday Never Comes" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 3, and was first screened on 1 December, 1983.-Synopsis:...
", when Rodney sarcastically tells Del "he has been out with enough antiques", and Del's ex-fiance Pauline Harris appears in one episode "The Second Time Around
The Second Time Around (Only Fools and Horses)
"The Second Time Around" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 1, and was first screened on 29 September, 1981.-Synopsis:...
", plus when Rodney mocks Del's many girlfriends in "Happy Returns
Happy Returns
"Happy Returns" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 4, and was first screened on 21 February, 1985.-Synopsis:...
", after Del mistakes Rodney's girlfriend Debbie to be his daughter as she was born in the same year as he broke up with her mother, June Snell, who appears in two episodes - "A Royal Flush
A Royal Flush
"A Royal Flush" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1986. It was the second feature-length edition of the show, and the fifth Christmas special. It was re-edited into a shorter version with added laughter track and released on DVD in 2004...
" and "Happy Returns
Happy Returns
"Happy Returns" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 4, and was first screened on 21 February, 1985.-Synopsis:...
". He finally meets his partner, Raquel Turner (whom he calls his "significant other") in the 1988 special "Dates
Dates (Only Fools and Horses)
"Dates" is the seventh Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1988.-Synopsis:The Trotters have been earning a lot of money recently, and Albert's birthday is coming up, though Del Boy and Rodney pretend to have forgotten...
".
Family
His mother Joan died on 12 March 1964 — after an apparent long string of illnesses. Three months afterwards, his lazy father Reginald left, taking most of their money and even Del's birthday cake, left a teenage Derek as the sole breadwinner of the abandoned Trotter family. Derek's grandfather was not up to taking the lead, his best efforts having failed, so Del was left to look after him and Rodney, his younger half-brother, who was born fifteen years after him in 1960.Derek lives with Rodney, his "significant other" Raquel and their son Damien at door 368 on the twelfth floor of the fictional Nelson Mandela House on the Dockside Estate, 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...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Relationship with other characters
He has had many girlfriends over the course of the series and his friends include TriggerTrigger (Only Fools and Horses)
Trigger is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by actor Roger Lloyd Pack....
, Denzil
Denzil Tulser
Denzil Tulser , is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by Paul Barber.Denzil is a long distance lorry driver, and a good friend of Derek Trotter, and one of Del's victims when it comes to dodgy goods...
, Boycie
Boycie
Terrance Aubrey Boyce best known as Boycie is a fictional character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by John Challis. His story is continued in the spin off series The Green Green Grass, which began filming in June 2005, in which Boycie and family have fled from a gang of...
, Marlene and Mike. His greatest enemy is DCI Roy Slater
DCI Roy Slater
Detective Chief Inspector Roy Slater is a recurring character in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by Jim Broadbent and, in the prequel Rock and Chips, by Calum MacNab.-Background:...
. Derek is optimistic but although not intellectual he is quick witted, and frequently gets Rodney into trouble. In "Wanted
Wanted (Only Fools and Horses)
"Wanted" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the sixth episode of series 3, and was first screened on 15 December, 1983.-Synopsis:...
", when a mentally unstable woman accuses Rodney of attacking her, Del makes a joke of it and says that the police have named Rodney "The Peckham Pouncer". Del is afraid of doctors and dentists. His favourite song is "Old Shep
Old Shep
"Old Shep" is a song by Red Foley and Arthur Willis about a dog Foley owned as a child . Foley and Willis wrote the song in 1933...
", as heard in "Diamonds Are for Heather
Diamonds Are for Heather
"Diamonds Are for Heather" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second Christmas special, and was first screened on 30 December, 1982.-Synopsis:...
", while his favourite band is The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
as referenced in "Yuppy Love
Yuppy Love
"Yuppy Love" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 6, and was first screened on 8 January, 1989...
". Del hints in "Rodney Come Home
Rodney Come Home
"Rodney Come Home" is the ninth Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December, 1990.Unlike the other Christmas specials, this episode is not a one-off story, but sets up story arcs that run throughout the following series...
" that he supports Millwall FC
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, though in "The Long Legs of the Law
The Long Legs of the Law
"The Long Legs of the Law" is the first episode of series 2 of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was first broadcast on 21 October, 1982. The title of the episode was a pun on the police term "the long arm of the law".-Synopsis:...
" he implies he is a supporter of Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. He believes he is fluent in French when in fact is hopeless at it (he gets bonjour and au revoir mixed up). Del can't swim (he has a certificate, but it doesn't belong to him) as revealed in "Miami Twice", or fly a hang glider very well as seen in "Tea for Three
Tea for Three
"Tea for Three" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 5, and was first screened on 21 September 1986.-Synopsis:...
". Despite being not very bright, Del Boy does have a heart of gold at times, such as when he tried to help Rodney get over his wife Cassandra's miscarriage, which resulted in the loss of their first attempt to have a baby. He never hesitates to remind people about how he practically brought Rodney up on his own after their mother died and father left, often using this fact against Rodney to gain the moral high ground whenever the two of them have an argument about anything.
Del and Rodney often teased Uncle 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 his appearance, and his resemblance to Captain Birdseye
Captain Birdseye
Captain Birdseye, also known as Captain Iglo, is the advertising mascot for the Birds Eye frozen food brand founded by Clarence Birdseye. Appearing in numerous television and billboard commercials, he has been played or modeled by various actors and is generally depicted as a clean living, older...
- although they showed their feelings for him when he died in "If They Could See Us Now
If They Could See Us Now
"If They Could See Us Now" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December, 2001 as the first part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy. It was the most viewed television programme of the decade.-Synopsis:...
". Rodney apologises for the way he treats Albert in "Sickness and Wealth
Sickness and Wealth
"Sickness and Wealth" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fifth episode of series 6, and was first screened on 5 February, 1989.-Synopsis:...
".
In Rock & Chips, Del is shown to have a particularly strong relationship with his mother, Joan, whom he loves dearly (Joan also loves Del most from her whole family, to the point that she refused to run away from Peckham with Freddie Robdal until she was certain of Del's financial security). His relationship with Grandad is more or less the same as in Only Fools and Horses, but he has a strained relationship with his father, Reg. Though it is clear that Del and Reg love each other, they have been shown at odds more than once, particularly when Reg verbally abuses Joan and Del threatens to hurt him if he does it again, and due to Reg's lazy lifestyle. Del is also visibly disgusted upon hearing that Joan is pregnant with Reg's second child (unaware that Reg is not the real father). By the end of the pilot episode, their relationship begins to heal, although there is still some tension between them at times. By the time of Only Fools and Horses, it is clear that Del has still not forgiven Reg for walking out on him and the rest of the family after Joan's passing, demonstrated when he nearly throws Reg out of the flat in "Thicker than Water", but Del still appears to have a slight feeling of familial loyalty to Reg, shown when he gives Reg a bit of money just before his departure and even chastises Rodney for referring to him as a "lousy bastard" (Del was unaware at the time that Reg was not Rodney's real father). Furthermore, Del appears to be closest to Jumbo Mills than the rest of his gang, and seems to be quite promiscuous when it comes to women, shown when he gets "engaged" to several girls by presenting them with fake diamond rings to win them over.
His relationship with Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal is not elaborated on much in the series, as they share little scenes together, and in their first scene together, Robdal threatens to castrate Del if he catches him driving his car, only for Del to retort with a smart remark about the car, and in their second, he invites Del and his gang to join him and Jelly Kelly on a real Margate beano. Throughout the series, Robdal becomes closer to the Trotters, mostly Joan, but it is not shown how close Del was with Robdal, although at one point, Robdal openly believes Del can look after himself, implying that in contrast to the contempt he generally held for the Trotter family (sans Joan), he respected and had faith in Del for his hard work and the devotion he showed his mother. In Sleepless in Peckham, Del goes on to tell Raquel that he never knew who Robdal really was, but was told to call him "Uncle Fred", and did not know until years later that Robdal was Rodney's father. In the final scene, Del labels Robdal as "a professional burglar, disloyal to his friends, a womaniser, a home-breaker, a con-man, a thief, a liar, and a cheat", and since this was long after he realised Robdal was Rodney's real father, it apparently caused him to resent Robdal greatly.
Confusion over age
Del's year of birth is contradicted in several episodes. In "Sleepless in PeckhamSleepless in Peckham
"Sleepless in Peckham" is an episode of BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the final episode of the entire series.-Synopsis:...
" (2003), Rodney shows Cassandra a photo of the 1960 Jolly Boys' Outing, and says Del was aged 15, making his date of birth around 1945. In "Go West Young Man
Go 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:...
" (series 1, 1981), Del is implied to be 35, giving him a birth year of 1945/46. In "A Losing Streak
A Losing Streak
"A Losing Streak" is the third episode of series 2 of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was first broadcast on 4 November, 1982. The episode title was a pun on the term "winning streak".-Synopsis:...
" (series 2, 1982) and "Thicker than Water
Thicker than Water (Only Fools and Horses)
"Thicker than Water" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the third Christmas special, and was first screened on 25 December 1983.-Synopsis:...
" (series 3, 1983), Del claims their father left in 1965 on his 16th birthday, making his birth year 1949. In "Tea for Three
Tea for Three
"Tea for Three" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 5, and was first screened on 21 September 1986.-Synopsis:...
" (series 5, 1986), Rodney tells Trigger's niece Lisa that Del's 46th birthday is coming up, making Del's year of birth 1940, however in the context of the scene it is possible Rodney was lying to make Del appear older. The episode "The Class of '62
The Class of '62
"The Class of '62" is an episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 7, and was first broadcast on 20 January, 1991.-Synopsis:...
" (series 7, 1991) sees Del and friends attending a class reunion, suggesting a birth year of 1946 or 1947.
The prequel drama Rock & Chips set in 1960 shows Del at 15 years of age, before Rodney had been born. This is confirmed in the dialogue between the PE teacher and the boys. The teacher complains about the boys having to stay on another year due to a change in the law, a reference to the change in school leaving age of 1960 when it was raised to 16. This, however, is at odds with "Big Brother
Big Brother (Only Fools and Horses)
"Big Brother" is the pilot episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the pilot episode of the entire series, and the first episode of series 1, and was first screened on 8 September, 1981.-Synopsis:...
" (Series 1, 1981), when Del states he is thirteen years older than Rodney. If this had been the case, then Del should have been 12/13 in Rock & Chips, suggesting a birth year of 1947/1948, as opposed to fifteen.
Career
Del works as a marketMarket
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
trader, running his own company — Trotters Independent Traders (T.I.T.) - either from out of a suitcase
Suitcase
A suitcase is a general term for a distinguishable form of luggage. It is often a somewhat flat, rectangular-shaped bag with rounded/square corners, either metal, hard plastic or made of cloth, vinyl or leather that more or less keeps its shape. It has a carrying handle on one side and is used...
or out of the back of his bright yellow Reliant Regal
Reliant Regal
The Reliant Regal was a small three-wheeled car manufactured from 1953 until 1973 by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, England. As it was a three-wheeler, and it was fairly lightweight, the vehicle could be driven on a motorcycle licence in the United Kingdom...
Supervan. With a never-ending supply of get-rich-quick schemes and an inner belief in his ability to sell anything to anyone, Del embroils 'the firm' (as he calls the family business) in all sorts of improbable situations. It is this unwavering confidence that led to his oft-proclaimed but rarely realised ambition "This time next year, we'll be millionaires!" Del's business acumen is probably best described by 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...
in the episode "Mother Nature's Son
Mother Nature's Son (Only Fools and Horses)
"Mother Nature's Son" is a Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses. It was first broadcast on 25 December 1992.-Synopsis:...
". During a time when Del is feeling depressed about his financial
FINANCIAL
FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...
situation, Rodney states that "The old Derek Trotter could smell a fiver in a force 9 gale
Gale
A gale is a very strong wind. There are conflicting definitions of how strong a wind must be to be considered a gale. The U.S. government's National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots of sustained surface winds. Forecasters typically issue gale warnings when winds of this strength are...
. They used to say that if Del Boy fell into a Viper's Pit
Snake pit
Snake pits are places of horror, torture and even death in European legends and fairy tales. The Viking warlord Ragnar Lodbrok is said to have been thrown into a snake pit and died there, after his army had been defeated in battle by King Aelle II of Northumbria...
, he'd come up wearing snake skin shoes."
Although he maintains a tough exterior, family means a lot to Del. He still mourns the death of his mother and runs T.I.T.CO with his younger brother, Rodney. Del takes great pride in having raised Rodney after their mother's premature death and has never forgiven his father for running away when Rodney was just an infant. Despite their often minimal income, Del insists on caring for his elderly Grandad
Grandad (Only Fools and Horses)
Edward Kitchener "Ted" Trotter better known simply as Grandad, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses from 1981-1984...
. When Grandad dies, his role in the family trio is taken up by his younger brother 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...
, who received the same level of respect (and light-hearted abuse).
Del is a petty criminal and makes no attempt to hide it unless directly confronted by the authorities, on one occasion he claimed that at least half his possessions are illegal, including the furniture. Del also dabbles in theft, but mostly receives and sells on stolen goods. Del does not pay any form of tax, justifying it as, since he and his family do not benefit from the Welfare State, they should not have to contribute to it, it was lightly implied in an early episode that Del is legally dead, and therefore does not pay tax.
In the feature length episode 'If They Could See Us Now' the Trotter's business is almost liquidated, until Rodney becomes the Managing Director; this doesn't stop Del acting as if he runs the business.
TV appearances
- Only Fools And HorsesOnly Fools and HorsesOnly 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...
(64 Episodes) - The Green Green GrassThe Green Green GrassThe Green Green Grass is a British sitcom, created and initially written by John Sullivan, produced by Shazam Productions for the BBC. It is a spin-off of the long running sitcom Only Fools and Horses and stars John Challis, Sue Holderness and Jack Doolan...
(1 Episode)I Done It My WayI Done It My Way is an episode of the BBC Sit-com, The Green Green Grass. It aired on 19 February 2009, as the seventh episode of the fourth series. This episode acted as a ‘clip show’ for both Only Fools and Horses and The Green Green Grass... - Rock & Chips (3 Episodes)