John Sullivan initially wanted Del to be 'rough' and 'scruffy' looking
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When anyone thinks of Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter the first few things to pop into their heads are likely to be a flat cap, gold necklace and rings, and a sheepskin coat, possibly with a roll-neck thrown in for good measure. The iconic character's style is crucial to who he is.
This style has often been attributed to writer John Sullivan's vision for Del as an aspirational market trader looking to make his million, but that's not quite the full story on the character's origins, with actor David Jason actually playing a key role in how he ended up looking.
According to David, John initially saw Del as "rough" and "scruffy" looking, complete with a beer belly to match. It was only when David explained his own vision for Del as a more polished dresser, and recalled a specific East-Ender he once met to demonstrate.
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Telling this story on BBC Breakfast several years ago, David explained: "When I was working as an electrician, my partner and I were desperate for work, we went around all through London, the West End, the East End, to knock at all the builders' doors and see if they could give us some work.
"We knocked at one door down at the East End… We were shown into this office to meet this Derek Hockley. This guy came out to meet us. I'll never, ever forget it. He was dressed absolutely immaculately. Everything about him was perfect. Except you could cut his accent with a knife!
"East-Enders [who talked like him] were always in rough clothes and flat hats. Here was Derek Hockley looking like a lord, and he talked like a costermonger!
"It so fascinated me that many, many years later when I was constructing the character of Derek Trotter, I asked John Sullivan how he saw the character. He said that he saw [Del Boy] with a flat cap and a beer belly, and rough trousers and scruffy!
"And I said, 'No, I don't see him like that!' I said I'd met this character years ago, and he stuck in my mind. And why can't he be an immaculate dresser, but still be a Cockney? Still be a Londoner? So, that's how it went."
Would you have preferred a more scruffy version of Del? Let us know in the comments here.
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