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Sir David Jason blames Michael Caine and Jim Broadbent for his failure to crack Hollywood at the age of 84.
The actor, 84, who is best known for playing Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter on Only Fools And Horses, also hoped to make an impact on the big screen.
But when he had meetings to discuss two big parts he was being considered for, he later discovered these roles were given to Michael and Jim.
It was a reversal of fortune as Jim had previously auditioned for the role of Del Boy but ended up turning it down due to theatre commitments.
Speaking about his big screen ambitions, David said: ‘I would love to be able to declare that my collected film work on DVD would make an elegant shelf of high-class cinematic experiences to browse among an evening.
Sir David Jason blames Michael Caine and Jim Broadbent for his failure to crack Hollywood at the age of 84
When David had meetings to discuss two big parts he was being considered for, he later discovered these roles were given to Michael (left) and Jim (right)
David (right) is best known for playing Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter on Only Fools And Horses
‘I fear, however, that it may look more like the contents of a box pulled out from under a table at a car boot sale’.
David was up for roles in two 2023 films; The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry and The Great Escaper.
Jim won the role in the former while Michael secured a part in the latter.
In The Great Escaper, Michael played a Dunkirk war veteran who breaks out of his nursing home to attend the 70th anniversary commemorations in France.
Writing in his new memoir This Time Next Year, David wrote: ‘I thought it was going to be me escaping from the care home and going to look for my Dun-kirk chums. It’s the hope that kills you.’
David recently revealed his ‘real regret’ over his Only Fools and Horses character and admits he feels haunted by the role.
The actor, 84, revealed his true feelings in a candid interview on BBC Breakfast with Jon Kay where he explained that the character has overshadowed his other work.
David told the show that he feels the ‘ghost’ of Derek Trotter is following him and explained that he feels the character hangs over him.
David was up for roles in two 2023 films; The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry and The Great Escaper with Jim getting the former and Michael the latter
He said: ‘That Derek Trotter thing, he’s a bit of a ghost that comes along behind me like A Christmas Carol.’
The star expressed frustration that despite a decades-long career in film and television he is most know for playing Del Boy.
He said the character ‘only hangs me back, only upsets me slightly is because that seems to be the only thing that people remember me for.’
‘I’m delighted in one way that it’s reached so many people and they’ve enjoyed what I’ve done with the character, but I’ve done so many other things that everybody seems to have forgotten about. It’s like I’ve only ever played Derek Trotter.’
David revealed that while he isn’t disappointed with his career, there are still so many goals he hasn’t achieved and put that down to being followed by the ghost of his most iconic character.
The star explained: ‘My real disappointment or regret, if you like, is I always wanted to be a National Theatre player.
‘I always wanted to be on the stage of the National Theatre. It was just that romantic image of playing those big productions with all those big, wonderful actors. That never happened.’
When host Jon suggested he still had time to realise his dream of taking to the stage, Jason replied that his time may have run out, explaining that his memory is not what it was.
David recently told how he feels the ‘ghost’ of Derek Trotter is following him and explained that he feels the character hangs over him
David revealed that while he isn’t disappointed with his career, there are still so many goals he hasn’t achieved and put that down to being followed by the ghost of his most iconic character
The star revealed to BBC Breakfast’s Jon (pictured right) that his only real disappointment si that he always wanted to be a National Theatre player
His admission comes after the star revealed he would take up his famous role again in an interview at the start of the year
He said: ‘Well you wonder whether the old memory would be quite good enough. I could do it with the autocue things.’.
But seeming to shake off his melancholy mood, he then playfully turned to the camera and said: ‘Hey! Yes, National Theatre, I’m available!’.
His admission comes after the star revealed he would take up his famous role again.
At the start of the year David said he would be happy to take on the role of Del Boy again but added that a reboot would be unlikely after the main writer of the hit TV series, John Sullivan, tragically passed away in 2011.
He told The Sun of a potential reboot: ‘Well, to be honest with you, we would like that to happen very much because not only did we enjoy it so much, but so did most of the British public. Because of that, we would love to do it.
But he added: ‘I don’t think we could do another episode of Only Fools And Horses because the brains behind it, Mr John Sullivan, is unfortunately no longer with us.’