Monday
15th November 2004
Boysie
goes to the country |
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| John
Challis as Boysie with the lovely Marlene |
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Boysie
from Only Fools and Horses is moving to the country in a spin-off
series - just like John Challis, the Herefordshire- based actor who
plays him. |
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Old
sitcom characters never die - they just move on to spin-off series.
The long-running Frasier series was a spin-off from the hit sitcom
Cheers, and Joey from Friends also has his own series.
John Challis - Boysie in Only Fools and Horses - is hoping the new
series he's filming a pilot will be just as successful.
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| John
Challis as Boysie |
"We're
about to start filming a pilot/first episode of hopefully a new series
featuring Boysie and Marlene who have had to leave London and live
in the country." he told Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Hereford and Worcester's Dave Bradley.
John has lived in Herefordshire for six years and the new series will
be based in the same area - "strange coincidence that!"
he comments.
The new series means he's back sporting the famous Boysie 'tash, which
also means he gets recognised more.
"The moustache makes all the difference and so the recognition
has gone up by about 100%.
"It's wonderful really because people that you've never met before
in you life smile at you, say hello and wave at you."
He feels that Only Fools and Horses was a big success because the
characters were universal, and that the relationship between Del Boy
and Boysie was a key one in the show.
"Del's always been aspirational and wanted to be up there - this
time next year we're going to be millionaires - and he's constantly
striving to get there.
"He's everyman and wants to get there and have some money and
some power.
"Boysie is always the one who represented this because he made
the money, the big car and the neo-Georgian house."
He also thinks that people care about the characters in Only Fools
and Horses, in contrast to the newer and harder comedies.
"I find it difficult with modern comedies to care about we see.
"I think the thing about all those daft characters in Only Fools
and Horses is that you love them, and you're fond of them."
His six years in Wigmore in Herefordshire have been spent restoring
the ancient Abbot's house he bought.
"It's a big pile of medieval stones that we're gradually putting
together and trying to create a around.
"It's terrific, but it takes up all our time and energy... and
all our money!"
Boysie meets the Beatles
Though he's best know for playing Boysie, John Challis also regularly
tours the country in some of the big touring stage productions.
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| Lennon
and McArtney |
When he
was starting out as an actor he also narrowly missed the chance to
appear with the Beatles in their film The Magical Mystery Tour.
He met the band and got on particularly well with John Lennon, who
wanted him in the film for his ad-libbing skills.
"He asked 'are you any good at making up lines 'cos we haven't
really got a script and all that.'"
The Beatles were keen to have him in the film but unfortunately for
John filming clashed with the dates for a soap opera he was appearing
in, so he never go to appear with the Fab Four.
Mind you, The Magical Mystery Tour was savaged by the critics, so
maybe it was a lucky escape, though 'Boysie meets the Beatles' would
have been a nice chapter in the autobiography.
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