Sir David Jason paid tribute to John Challis on This Morning
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Sir David Jason pays heartfelt tribute to ‘kind’ John Challis on This Morning

Such sad news

Sir David Jason paid an emotional tribute to his Only Fools And Horses co-star John Challis on This Morning today.

John died after a long battle with cancer yesterday (Sunday September 19) aged 79.

And now Sir David appeared on the show to pay tribute and share stories from a friendship that lasted for 40 years.

Sir David Jason paid tribute to John Challis on This Morning
David said John was a kind and lovely man (Credit: ITV)

Sir David Jason pays tribute to John Challis

Sir David, 81, joined hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield via video link to pay tribute to John, who played opposite Sir David in the iconic BBC sitcom.

David said: “One of the things I always measure an actor by is the difference between how they are in real life and the parts that they play.

Read more: John Challis dead: Tributes pour in for Only Fools and Horses legend who has died aged 79

“So it comes as a bit of a surprise sometimes to people that John Challis was such a kind, and such an ordinary, loveable sort of chap.

“[He was] totally different to the character Boycie that he played.

“A lot of people tend to think that was John.

“But it wasn’t. That was him just [showing] the skill that he had as an actor to portray Boycie the way thay he did.

“Because it was totally against his natural nature.”

John Challis
John played Boycie throughout Only Fools and Horses (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Sir David Jason on This Morning

The Only Fools, Open All Hours and A Touch Of Frost star then went on to express his shock at how quickly the disease took his friend.

“It wasn’t a complete surprise, because poor old John hadn’t been well for the last month or two,” he said.

“He went downhill so fast, very rapidly.

“One minute we were thinking he was on the road to recovery, and then sadly it took him quite quickly.

“We’re still suffering a bit of shock, I’m afraid.”

John Challis with Sir David Jason in Only Fools And Horses
John as Boycie with Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses (Credit: BritBox)

John Challis death

Yesterday, tributes poured in for John, who was recognised as one of the nicest men in show business.

Playing shady used car salesman Boycie since the legendary sitcom began in 1981, John was loved by millions.

Read more: John Challis pays tribute to Nicholas Lyndhurst’s son: ‘They could not have loved him more’

Sue Holderness, who played John’s onscreen wife Marlene in the show, paid her own tribute.

“Marlene without Boycie – it’s unthinkable,” she said on Twitter.

“John Challis was my partner on screen and stage for 36 years and my beloved friend. R.I.P. darling John. I will miss you every day.”

Only Fools And Horses actor John Challis dies

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor