Nicholas Lyndhurst was almost fired because of the iconic scene from 'Only Fools and Horses' | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

Only Fools and Horses is a popular sitcom that has become a cornerstone of British television culture since it first aired in 1981.

Created by John Sullivan, the hit BBC series stars Sir David Jason as wheeler-dealer Derek “Del Boy,” Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger brother Rodney, and unforgettable supporting roles with Lennard Pearce as Grandfather and Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert.

The comedy is considered one of the best and its popularity led to several Christmas specials over the years. Even more than 20 years later, reruns of these specials still delight fans.

Despite the series' success, Lyndhurst once confessed he was almost “fired” over one of the show's most iconic scenes. In a 2021 BBC documentary about the classic series, the actor spoke to the camera and said a boss threatened to fire him while he was filming the second season finale, “A Touch of Glass,” in which the Trotter brothers get into trouble while cleaning a chandelier.

Fans consider the episode to be one of the funniest, as they watch helplessly as the chandelier falls to the ground and shatters, but Lyndhurst revealed that showrunner Ray gave him a stern warning before filming the scene.

He recalled: “Ray, a little guy but a real idiot, came up to me and said, 'This chandelier we're about to drop costs £6,000 and if you laugh when it falls we've lost the final scene.

“If we lost the final scene, we lost the episode. If we lost the episode, we lost the show because the BBC only broadcasts six episodes – so if you laugh when that's cut, I'll fire you.”

As they prepared for the scene, Ray apparently gave Lyndhurst a grim look. But then Ray laughed hysterically at the mishap. Lyndhurst recalled, “About 10 seconds later, I noticed his shoulders shaking.”

Ray had been trying to stifle his laughter, and Lyndhurst saw him pull a handkerchief from his coat and stuff it in his mouth to stifle the noise. After filming, Lyndhurst described the relief among the cast and crew, saying, “When I came down from the ladder, the air was filled with great relief and excitement.”

Jason recently spoke about a small downside he still feels about playing the role in the hit series. The sitcom actor said: “Del Boy is a character I can't avoid. He's so ingrained in the public consciousness that I get recognised everywhere I go and then it happens that people can't help but pry into my private life.”

He added to the Daily Star: “It's part of the job. You dedicate your time and your life to the British public, God bless them.”