Sir David Jason
About Sir David
Since David Jason’s career began with a season in repertory, other theatre performances include Under Milkwood, The Rivals, Darling Mr London, The Norman Conquests and Look No Hans before taking over from Michael Crawford in No Sex Please…..We’re British in 1972.
He then went on to perform in many more West End shows interspersed with his first television show of Do Not Adjust Your Set in 1967, rapidly followed by The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs, Porridge, Lucky Feller, A Sharp Intake of Breath and Open All Hours.
His biggest acclaim came from playing Del Boy Trotter in the ever-popular series of Only Fools and Horses breaking television viewing figures from 1981 – 2003 and regularly marked by sell out Only Fools and Horses conventions. Other TV work includes, Porterhouse Blue, A Bit of A Do, The Chemist, Pa Larkin in The Darling Buds of May, Jack Frost in A Touch of Frost, The Bullion Boys, All the King’s Men, Micawber, The Royal Bodyguard, Still Open All Hours amongst others.
He devised and directed a biographical trio of television programmes for Yorkshire Television called The Quest portraying his teenage years and his interest in motorbikes.
Following his love of Terry Pratchett novels, he then went on to play the lead roles in two Sky Productions The Hogfather and The Colour of Magic.
Documentaries include David Jason – In His Element 1997 which demonstrated his love of deep-sea diving and other passion topics including David Jason’s Secret Service, David Jason: Planes, Trains and Automobiles, David Jason’s Great British Inventions and Flying for Britain with David Jason.
Voice Work includes: Dangermouse, Count Duckula The Wind in The Willows, The BFG and many commercial voice campaigns and animation programmes.
David has picked up many awards over his career including BAFTA Best Light Entertainment Performance for Only Fools and Horses 1990, BAFTA Best Actor Award for Porterhouse Blue 1987, BAFTA Best Comedy Performance for An Only Fools and Horses Christmas Special 1996 and a BAFTA Fellowship Award in 2003. He has seven National Television Awards and a Special Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement in Television, National Television Awards 1996 amongst others.
He received an OBE in 1993 and was Knighted in 2005 and chose Conata Peficere as his motto meaning to achieve what one attempts.
With this wealth of career content, David went on to write David Jason: My Life, Only Fools and Stories, A Del of a Life and The Twelve Dels of Christmas. Never one to stay idle, David qualified as a helicopter pilot in 2006 and is a supporter of the Royal International Air Tattoo Benevolent Fund amongst other charitable causes.