10 Things You Didn't Know About Only Fools & Horses

10. Thank You, Mr. Trowers

The creator of Only Fools & Horses, John Sullivan, is regarded by many as one of the greatest sitcom writers of his generation. As well as the tremendous tale of the Trotter family, Sullivan was also responsible for other successful sitcoms such as Just Good Friends and Citizen Smith.

At the heart of his work were larger than life, but still relatable, characters that were inspired by people he had known in real life. Sullivan worked a wide range of jobs before becoming a television writer, such as plumber’s mate and delivery driver, and it was his experience in these everyday situations that helped shaper some of his most memorable work.

His love of storytelling can be traced back to an English teacher he had at school by the name of Jim Trowers, as told by John’s son, Jim, in an interview with UKTV Gold.

“Thanks to a brilliant teacher named Jim Trowers, who made the effort to bring his lessons to life, English was the only subject that had a positive and lasting impact on dad. Rather than just getting the pupils to recite passages of classics like Dickens, Trowers would read the stories aloud himself, playing the characters and taking on their accents.”