Gold announce public petition for Del Boy statue

By Georgina Vincent on Thursday, March 21, 2019

UKTV Channel Gold have today launched a public petition to install an Only Fool’s and Horses themed statue commemorating the London tower block that housed the Trotter brothers in the show following news the site is set to be demolished.

Harlech Tower in Ealing was used in the iconic sitcom to portray the exterior of Nelson Mandela House, home to Del Boy and Rodney and featured in many of the show’s most beloved episodes along with the opening credits.

The public petition has been issued for Ealing Council to permit the installation of either a statue of wheeler dealer Del Boy himself, the comedy duos yellow Reliant Robin or simply a commemorative plaque recognising the tower block’s place in British comedy history.

The channel has released the initial designs in order to generate public support and gain the 1,500 signatures for the petition to be submitted for the council’s consideration.

John Challis, who played Aubrey “Boycie” Boyce in Only Fools, is backing the new campaign. To stir up public interest, Boycie features in a short video appeal encouraging others to join him in signing the petition.

Challis said: “The towers carry a lot of nostalgia for many of us – not just the cast, but everyone who has enjoyed watching the show over the years. While we don’t want to stand in the way of any progress being made, we do want to commemorate the towers’ long-standing connection to Only Fools and Horses and its British comedy legacy. Join me in signing Gold’s online petition calling for a plaque or Del Boy statue to be installed on site to celebrate the famous block.”