Off The Telly - Sir David Jason – TV Legend Special

Episode Date: December 6, 2024

Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things on and off the telly. In this very special episode of Off The Telly, Nat and Jo chat to a national treasure and one of their telly heroes – the one and only Sir David Jason. They chat about his new memoir, his favourite scenes to film on Only Fools and Horses, plus what he likes to watch on the telly.What they can’t stop watching, what they definitely aren’t going to bother with, new releases and comforting classics – TV is timeless and no telly is out of bounds. As well as having a natter about what’s on TV, they share backstage goss from the world of telly, whilst also cracking up about the more humbling moments in their lives. Self-confessed TV addicts and stars of two of the biggest shows on our screens, EastEnders and Gavin and Stacey, Natalie and Joanna are the perfect companions to see what’s occurring on and off the telly. Get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to 03306 784704.Hosts: Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Richard Morris Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Production Co-ordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Photographer: Ellie Slorick Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.

BBC Sounds. Music, radio, podcasts. Jo, today's a very special day. It's such a special day. I'm excited, I'm nervous, I feel like I can't speak. I cannot believe that today we are going to be interviewing Sir David Jason on the Off The Telly podcast. It's our first guest, Jo. Our first guest. We're going in with a bang. We've started high. I don't know where we go from here. I feel really moved as well because ever since I've known you, you've always talked about how much, you know, you love him and you love Del Boy and Only Fools and Horses and how much that meant to you and your family and your home life.

And here we are now. It's unbelievable. I've just got to do everybody proud. And I just can't wait to listen to him and his stories. It would just be absolutely brilliant. Me too. What an honour. Shall we get him in?

Let's get him in. Where are you from? I'm from Swansea in South Wales. Swansea, well, hello. You're half Welsh, aren't you? I know that. How do you know that? And then, of course, you're a bit more...

I'm from Islington, so... You're not East London, where they're really, you know, like jelly dire. So, yeah, if you talk to anybody of your area within 10, 15 minutes, you're back talking like art, aren't you? Oh, my God, you should hear me and my mother together. Yes, yes. We've got the same voice and say one of us picks the phone up

or, you know, I might answer my dad and then he thinks it's my mum. We've just got the same voice. And then I'm trying to, like, talk slower now because I can talk ten to the dozen because it is very much like what are you doing now and we're all like this we got sir david jason in the studio no you are man well before we go any further welcome sir david jason to the off the telly podcast we are completely. This is the most magical half an hour of my life. Oh, good.

Keep talking. You're convincing me. Oh, my gosh, it's such an honour having you here. It's amazing. Well, you have got a fantastic new book out, This Time Next Year, A Life of Positive Thinking. Can you tell us a bit about the book? There it is.

OK, girls. Sorry. And what made you decide to write it? Can you tell us a bit about the book? There it is. Okay, girls. Yes, sorry. And what made you decide to write it? Well, I'd written, I think it's four previously. What happened was I was asked to write a memoir, like a lot of people are about your life, work and whatever, which I did. And it was very, I was going to say quite successful,

but other publishers would hate that. They're going to say it was very successful. I'm sure it was. Everybody in his brother wanted to buy it. So they then asked me to do another one, which I did. So time passes, and after the fourth one, they got me on the phone and they said, we'd like you to do another. And I said, I can't.

And they said, what do you mean? I said, I've said everything. I've done it all. I've said every joke that I've ever done. It's all in the books. And so they said, there must be something that, you know, that you could find some more. So I said, all right, let me think about and I went home and

I rummaged through all those old you know when you get stuff like letters and papers and things and you go oh no I can't throw that away I'll put that in the bottom drawer and so there's material and papers and stuff that I had from years and And I was foraging through all that. And the thing that kicked it off was I'm quite opposed as an actor or as a person to foul language. And I'm very disappointed that we've gone down that road. And you can't see a drama these days without, you know, strong language.

Let's put it that way. I found a booklet that I got from years ago, and it was a booklet that was advice to producers, directors, actors, for conducting your language on the BBC. This was a booklet that I got from somewhere or someone had given me, and it was dated 1947. Wow. And there was loads of stuff in it, you know, religion, swearing,

et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. So I thought, this is really fascinating. I don't think anybody's ever mentioned this. Is there anything that you watch on television today that you enjoy? Yes. Yeah, I mean, I watch a lot of television. My wife and I, we spend all our days working or doing things like everybody does. You sit down on the television, put your feet up.

And I like those series, and especially the American ones. Oh, yes. And they're the ones that I seem to get into at the moment where I tell you the sort of things. And one of the reasons is there's no foul language, but a lot of implied danger, and that's Wolf Hall. Oh, yes.

It's about the Wolf Hall, Mark Rylance. That's it, yes. We loved it. Yes. I also loved, I don't know if you agree, but the pace of it. It was slow. It wasn't too fast, and I enjoyed it for that. Yeah, that's interesting because I noticed that.

But what I would say is that I liked it very much because it was such a change from what we are normally presented with, which is everything in a Russian place. I agree, yes. Apart from that, it's got an intriguing story behind it. And because most of it is fairly historically accurate I think that adds to the yes interest for me yeah have you always found it quite easy to do accents or pick different accents up because you know when we've been chatting and stuff you do a cracking Welsh one and then obviously you know you're London and all the different you know um subtleties

between your you know two accents and everything. Have you always found it easy to sort of pick, you know, different voices up? No, not that easy. Because I'll tell you how it happened. Many, many moons ago, there was a series they started on radio. It was all about the government and what the government is doing at the time. Good grief. So, well, yes.

And we were very, very lucky, I suppose we still are, that we have a freedom of expression, a freedom of press. That's another story. But our government is pretty free with allowing you to do whatever you like. What we used to do, we used to take the mickey out of the rules that the government was making. So we had to learn how to imitate the people that were in power. And the reason that is because there was one time when our producer was hauled up in front of the powers that be, the bosses of the BBC. And he said, now, listen, you've got to give a fair dues to the other side, the opposition,

which I think actually was the Labour Party. So he said, what do you mean? So he said, well, all your show is really knocking the government, the Conservative Party, all the time. You know, that's a bit unfair. And he said, well, they're the ones that are in power making all the decisions. So they've got to be up to be knocked down. Yeah.

But what that meant was that there were certain sections of the government in that time we had to learn to be, to impersonate. Yes. And we had a very lovely young actress who used to do Margaret Thatcher, for example. And I used to do James Callaghan. I think he was one of those, right?

And what we'll do is we will take the people down off these big places and we will lock them up. That's what we will do when we're in power. So we have to learn how to take someone. And what we used to do is to have a test. You go in in the morning and say, right, play the Harold Wilson we've got to do. Anybody can do it, Harold Wilson?

I'll have a go. I used to have a go. And then there was two other actors at the time and they'd both say, no, no, I'll have a go. I can do better than that. And so it was very, very good, wonderful competition, the fair and won. Yeah. Yeah, I think, no, he can do it better.

You can do it better than me. I was just going to see if I could do Margaret. She was quite up there, wasn't she? You're right. Yes. Who was it? I can't do it. Oh.

You can do it. I can't. Yeah, no, that's pretty good. Yes, of course. But that's what we had to do. We would all do it. You can do it. I can't. Yeah, that's pretty good. But that's what we had to do. We would all do that. And the strips were pretty, sometimes quite hard-hitting. But it was so good. And they all used to, all the MPs used to listen to it.

I bet they did. I bet they did. And secretly, I bet they loved it. it. I bet they did. I bet they did. And secretly, I bet they loved it. Yes. I bet they did. Half of them were loving it because that's me. That's me. Yeah.

So, David, you've mentioned radio, obviously through the book, and I've followed your career from a very young child. I'm not going to sit here and lie to you. You are one of my idols. It is like ticking something off my list today, and I truly mean it. Truly, truly, truly. All my family, from my father to my two older brothers,

we are huge fans of yours. But before I go in on everything sitcom, I wanted to ask you, radio, theatre, television, have you a favourite? I must say I put them all together. They're all acting. They're all me hiding behind somebody else, but also wanting to, I love to hear people laugh and I love to see you two smiling.

I mean, that is a benefit. I'm already on your side. We're already on the same team, as it were. And so, yeah, that is very inspirational to me. But when you get in front of a West End audience and on a, perhaps a Thursday, but it's certainly a friday saturday two shows and you've got a full house it is the biggest the best possible drug you can have because what that does to you is you come out and you have this wall of sound and when you have a wall of a 1200 1500 people laughing that is such a powerful mover for yourself and something you've done something that you've created something you've said some way you've looked at somebody because you've just thought of it say and the audience

react and you go and you go oh, that's what's missing there. You're talking to yourself and going, I must remember doing that tomorrow night. Yes. So when we did the television, I did television series, the same thing applied. I was going to ask you about the studio audience. Yes.

That's what I was going to ask you about the studio audience. Yes. That's what I was going to ask about next. Yeah, exactly the same thing. You're working in two or three dimensions, meaning you're working with an actor creating a storyline, but between you and the audience you have cameras and you also have sound. So the sound guys were on a big wheelbarrow sort of thing in the air and the cameras were between you and the audience.

So you have this built-in wall, which is not quite the same, but you still have enough contact with the audience because when you say a line that is fresh to them, to your audience, and it gets a really nice laugh, it's the same reward. It's a very similar reward. So that's okay. When we did Weekending, there was no audience. But you then learn that the other actors that you were with might find that quite funny and sometimes they'd start laughing

and you'd go, it's his fault, he's laughing all the time. And that would be the pleasure that you get from working as a team together and making yourselves enjoying the show, which helps to get it across to the audience. So, yeah, the first one I would say would be a live audience in a big show. And don't forget that I've done, I was in the West End for 12, 15, about 15 months in No Sex, Please, We're British. And there you see, you say, you can't use the word sex.

Why? Because you mustn't say it. So I think, oh, that was the name of the show. Yeah. I'm sorry. Times have changed now. We did charades one Christmas. And one of the things I wrote down

was no sex please, we're British and we gave it to my mother to do and she went to half an hour without half an hour because she couldn't act out the word sex and it was really funny. That is a great one. Are you quite a big corpser then when you've been in all of the range

of different amazing roles that you've played and theatre and TV, everything. I mean, are you a corpser? What do you like to work with? Yes, yes. But the plan is to make you two corps. Oh, yes. You're naughty.

Yes. He's a naughty one. But do you end up going yourself then? Yes. Yes, of course I do. Yeah. But that's the joy of working together with actors. And I never used to do it silently, like passing you a –

there was a thing that they used to do, which was some actors would do. Here's a small ball, and I have to pass it to you, and you've got to pass it to her, and she's got to pass it back to me during the course of the play. Well, because it made you laugh or her laugh. You know and I know why she's laughing, but the audience don't. So that wouldn't interest me. What would interest me was to find something whilst I was doing the play

to make you two go, make you two laugh. Would you say that you've always been quite a positive thinker? This time next year, we'll be millionaires. It says here. Oh, my God, I can't believe you just said that. I know! A life of positive thinking, all right? Yeah.

Oh! Maybe I said that. Bonjour. Oh, don't. Honestly, you're making me cry. Honestly, what does it feel like just being, just having had such a huge effect on people's lives? I mean, we've all got a moment of, you know,

with Only Fools and Horses and Del Boy and, I mean, all of the roles that you've played have just been iconic and just incredible. And so, you mean, all of the roles that you've played have just been iconic and just incredible. And so, you know, this is just one of them. But, I mean, everybody's got a... I mean, I remember my husband and father putting a chandelier up in our house in East Dulwich and they were rushing like mad and wanting to get it up

before I got home from work. I walked in through the door and they both, you know, got the chandelier up and they stood back and they were like, look to me. And, you know, they were really chuffed. And we all looked at it and were like, oh, it's amazing. you know, they were really chuffed. And we all looked at it. We were like, oh, it's amazing. And it literally went, and it went.

It didn't. It went. And we all just stood and looked at each other. And at that time we were devastated. We were like, oh my God, we couldn't believe it had happened. And we look back now and we're like, oh my God, it's our only Fools and Horses moment. It's the chandelier.

We've actually hit the chandelier. And there are so many moments from the show. My moments, which I wanted to talk to you about, because we can all go back to the ones that we know and that we play and those comedic moments which are golden. But my favourite moments are the moving ones, when Del is left in the wedding reception of the pub, when Rodney and Cassandra go and Del's there on his own.

Or when Del has the baby and he's looking out of the window and doing the speech. Yeah. The lift when you turn it off. Yeah. Those. Those are my best moments, I think, too, in the series. Because it was asked of me as an actor was to play that range and the range of emotions

that we all um as human beings we all suffer from like you and your story of the chandelier that that moment was like horrifying oh my well and it crashes and you can't believe it. What have you said? So you tried. How did it happen? And you'll get terribly upset. And then there's another time where now you look back on it and you say, you know when that time the chandelier?

No. And you will laugh. Yeah. And that is a range of emotions that you feel. So when I had to do those two ranges, that became very interesting to me because it was asking of myself as an actor to put myself into that emotional situation. So the one with the child, it's a little baby, Rodney.

I think he said. He did. But the other one, there was another one that you didn't mention, which was when they had a row. And I can't remember the one. And Del goes off on it and gets so bound up. And he said, what you don't understand, Rodney, is how I've looked after you and Granddad.

And I've been there and I've done it. And that emotion that he had as a family, as he was the head of the family and I put bread and stuff on the table for you to eat when you were a little one because we didn't have anybody else and I had to go out there and I had to sell the stuff that I had in order to put bread on the table, you know. And it was a very emotional speech about that.

And Del got very emotionally wound up in it. And so because Del was my character, I got emotionally involved in it and it was so well written. I remember it very well. You do? Yes. Well, then that trying to get all of that across with the dialogue that you are given, then you can't help but get involved.

And so that as an actor demanded something of me, which I had to find from somewhere. I had to get that emotional attitude, content, that story of his emotion. It's like the one in the wedding when Rodney goes off and they have that music. Simply read, incredible. You become emotionally, I have to come. So in other words, those are bits of life belt that is thrown to me as an actor

because of my range as an actor. I mean, I did so many stories where Frost is one that you can remember. That's the latest. Yeah. I played Par Larkin. Par Larkin, we've got to mention. Oh, my gosh. Grew up watching.

Wow. Yeah. Darling Butterman. Oh, my gosh. Grew up watching. Wow, yeah. Darling Butterman. Oh, my goodness. One of the things about that, which is why I care about the job that I do, is that both with Frost, all the shows, all the shows that you can think of, I spoke to somebody a little while ago, and they remember a show that I did called The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs,

which was a really silly, funny show. But the point is we'd never used any vulgar language or foul language. None, none. Now, the reason for that was there was one or two occasions in Frost where we could have done, we could have done. And so I was talking to the producer and they had this word in the script and I said, David, we don't need that. Why do we have to do that?

And because we have never, ever, and I have never had anyone complain to me or my production team saying we didn't like the program because he didn't swear absolutely yeah absolutely so I said that we if you're good enough if you're good enough the show is good enough and you are good enough you don't So he said, I still maintain that. And in order to assuage the commentators on the fact that he should have sworn there, the way that I handled it was that in Frost, they were letting the murderer go. And Frost knew this guy was a danger to the public because he'd already killed someone. They couldn't prove it. That's why they let him go.

And so my character is hit. So we're having to let him go. He's a free man. He's free? Oh, for crying out loud. So I got right to the edge of, and your audience would go, he nearly swore there, he nearly swore. Yes.

So you gave the opportunity to the audience to say he is living in the real world but he chose not to say it but he was right on the edge of that's how angry he was so that was it I could talk to you girls all day thank you so much

it's been incredible really it's going to be a memory for me that I'll treasure forever. Oh, my gosh, for the rest of our lives. We have grown up watching your work. You're just absolutely wonderful. And everybody should go and buy this book for Christmas. Yes, it's wonderful.

Well, you took the words right out of my mouth. I'm happy with you. Thank you, Sir David Jason. Have a wonderful Christmas. Thank you. Thank you very much. It's been a pleasure, believe me. It's an honour. Have a wonderful Christmas. Thank you. Thank you very much. It's been a pleasure. Believe me.

It's an honour. Oh, thank you. Wow. What a lovely man. He was so, so lovely. That was amazing. Incredible. He is wonderful.

I reckon he could have sat here. Obviously, he's got lots of press to do and lots of things to do. If he wasn't busy this afternoon, I think we could have sat here. Obviously, he's got lots of press to do and lots of things to do. If he wasn't busy this afternoon, I think we could have sat here for another two hours. I think we genuinely could have. And do you know what was nice? Is that we had lots of questions that we'd prepared, you know,

to ask him and everything. But what was lovely was that we just sat down and that went out the window and we just sat and chatted. We really did. Can we just apologise for not playing any of the listener voice notes in? Please don't get cross. We were overexcited. We were overexcited.

And so David just wanted to tell us all his stories. And we couldn't help it. There just wasn't a time to get them out. We just, oh my gosh, just wanted to ask him so many things that I've always wanted to. I mean, this man, this actor, you know, sometimes there's people and they've just done one incredible role. You just think, you know, like Del Boy, you know, Frost, he was the voice of the BFG.

Danger Mouse! I know, it's incredible. That's why maybe we're going to have to get him back for part two. Oh my gosh, I would love it if Sir David came back and did a part two. So I just have to say a massive thank you again. Yes.

And I just really, really hope that you've loved the episode as much as we have because it was a complete honour to be with him. It was such an honour. Thank you so much for listening and we hope to get more guests. Yes. Wherever we're top Sir David. God, it'll be hard. Could you get Sir Attenborough on the phone?

Well. Surely it's only Sirs now, isn't it? I think, yes, it's going to be sirs and ladies from now on. Yeah, I think that's all we can do. I don't think we can go any lower than that now. No, no. Oh, that was incredible. Oh, Jo, what an experience.

Because I think it was quite obvious that we are two of the biggest fans of his in the world. You know, when he started quoting Del Boy's lines... I just, I cried. Well, you did. You went, You started crying. I had goosebumps. I could see you crying and I thought, I'm going to go in a minute.

I'm going to go. Absolutely brilliant. What an emotional half an hour. Wow. That was incredible. Thank you so much for listening. And thank you, Sir David, for joining us. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Well, that's it from us this week then. But as you know, it's December, which means it's Christmas time. It's Christmas. My favourite time of year. For the rest of the month, we will be dropping Christmas telly episodes only. Brilliant. Oh my God, I can't wait.

Pass us the Baileys, pass us the mince pie. Oh yes, please. Pass us the sherry. Pass us the sherry, pass us the Irish cream. Send us your voice notes about your favourite telly to watch at Christmas and we also want to hear oh about your favourite

Gavin and Stacey moments too absolutely see as the finale isn't too far away not long now oh my gosh send us a voice note on WhatsApp

the number is 03306 784 704. Bye! Off the Telly is hosted by Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page. The producer is Georgia Keating. The commissioning editor is Rhian Roberts

and it's a BBC Studios audio production for BBC Sounds. Hi, I'm Ronald Young Jr. And I'm here to introduce myself to all of you who love listening to podcasts in the UK. Welcome to my world on the other side of the pond. I'm the host of Pop Culture Debate Club, the show that debates the important issues of our time. Is West Wing better than Veep? Does an iPhone beat an Android? Such questions we battle over on Pop Culture Debate Club with comedians and pop culture commentators.

We'd love to welcome you all, too. It's a competition, but a really fun one. You can find us on BBC Sounds and any other podcast provider. You'd be so welcome to join us.