Sir David Jason, 84, walks red carpet for the first time since the tragic passing of his Only Fools and Horses co-star
SIR David Jason stepped out for the first time since the news broke of the passing of his Only Fools and Horses co-star.
The actor, 84, was supported by his wife Gill Hinchcliffe and his daughter Sophie as they attended a starry performance of Cirque du Soleil Corteo at the Royal Albert Hall.
His appearance on the red carpet came just hours after it was revealed that actress Diane Langton, with whom Sir David had worked alongside on the hit sitcom, had passed away.
Diane had played David’s character Del Boy’s on-off lover June Snell in two episodes of the BBC sitcom.
Stepping out amid the sad news, David managed to flash a smile for the cameras as he put his thumbs up as he posed on the carpet.
He wore a grey trench coat for his evening of entertainment alongside his family.
Sir David added a flat cap as he placed a loving arm around his daughter as they smiled for the waiting cameras.
Sophie stunned in a butterfly-patterned dress whilst mum Gill wore a similar style of trousers and paired it with a chic satin top.
David and his family were not the only stars at the event with Girls Aloud songstress Nicola Roberts and TV star Georgia Toffolo all among the A-list guestlist.
His outing likely allowed him a distraction following the news of Diane’s passing.
A statement from her agent Shane Collins said: “I am sad to say that Diane Langton passed away this morning.”
The star, from Somerset, had a long career on screen, including TV spin off Carry On Laughing in 1975 and film sequel Carry On England in 1976.
Diane also appeared in Beeb soap EastEnders as Bev Williams and had stints in The Bill and Heartbeat before joining the cast of Channel 4‘s Hollyoaks from 2007 as Marlena ‘Nana’ McQueen.
She initially left in 2009 but returned in 2012, before leaving again in 2023, only to return last year.
Championing her incredible career, agent Mr Collins commented: “Diane had a rich and remarkable career appearing on Stage, in Films, and on television, including playing the iconic Nana McQueen in Hollyoaks from 2007 to the present day.”
Only Fools and Horses' most memorable episodes
The beloved sitcom only aired for seven series but is still adored to this date - here are fans' most memorable scenes from the BBC hit...
- Jolly Boys’ Outing – The humorous episode was filled with disaster and also romance. It saw Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad leave Peckham for a day trip to Margate. However, their coach explodes, Rodney is arrested and Del Boy reunites with Raquel.
- Time on their Hands – The episode sees the Trotters reflect on their life in South London after finally becoming millionaires. Airing in 1996, it pulled in an incredible 24million viewers.
- A Touch of Glass – This unforgettable episode sees Del Boy and his chandelier cleaning service. In hilarious scenes, he and Rodney accidentally drop a chandelier, sending it crashing to the floor.
- Stage Fright – Raquel performs with Tony Angelino while pregnant to perform a duet – but she’s unaware he has a speech impediment.
- Yuppy Love – Derek attempts to transform himself into a high-flyer, wearing a stripped shirt and red braces. It also sees Del fall through the bar, while Rodney meets Cassandra for the first time.
- Mother Nature’s Son – Del Boy inherits an allotment from his grandad, but it’s contaminated by a yellow substance. The Peckham Spring Water business is then born – but it’s actually just tap water from Nelson Mandela House.
- Heroes and Villains – Del Boy and Rodney dress up as Batman and Robin for Harry Malcolm’s party. However, Boycie forgot to mention Harry died, and it had become a wake!
- To Hull and Back – Del Boy is convinced to smuggle diamonds from The Netherlands. PC Roy Slater intercepts them before he’s later arrested for corruption. It ends with Del throwing his £15k over the balcony thinking it was fake – when it was in fact real!
- The Russians are Coming – The threat of nuclear war looms over Peckham so the Trotters decide to batten down the hatches. They build a DIY war shelter – on the top of Mandela House.
- The Unlucky Winner Is – Rodney wins a holiday abroad after Del Boy entered him into a painting competition. However, when he lands in Spain Rodney discovers it’s a prize for children and must pretend he’s a 14-year-old child.