David Jason is a beloved actor and comedian, having secured his place in the industry over 60 years ago. Not only did he portray Del Boy in the beloved Only Fools and Horses sitcom, but he is also known for his roles in Open All Hours and A Touch of Frost.

However, in 2013, the TV star stepped away from the screens to embark on a new career as an author for his autobiography, My Life. In it, he addressed his legion of fans, opened up about his personal history, and reflected on his career in his own words, for the first time. Looking back at the initial offer, David admitted he was apprehensive about sharing his story and revealed he has two books that have yet to be published.

The 85-year-old confessed: “I didn’t want it – I didn’t want to talk about myself.”

David revealed he had previous book offers, which he snubbed, adding: “But I’ve had two unofficial ones done over the years; terrible books that people wanted to cash in on.

“And I thought, ‘this is a rip off!’ It’s not fair. So I wanted the story told in my own language.”

Speaking to Northern Life Magazine, the actor continued: “When you look back on some of the good times and the fun times you had, you realise it has gone.

“For example, every single episode of Fools and Horses, Open All Hours, Frost, everything that I’ve done… you couldn’t wait to get up in the morning to go to work because you knew you were going to work to make yourself laugh.”

“And because of that, when you remember those good times, you realise that it’s in the past and you can’t grab hold of them, it’s gone. That was the most difficult thing,” he added.

Since the 2014 interview, David released an inspiring memoir in 2024, This Time Next Year, whose title is a heartfelt nod to his character’s Del Boy’s famous quote.

The book transported his fans through the highs and many lows of his journey to stardom and reaffirmed that no matter how many setbacks you face, things will probably work out in the end.