Nicholas Lyndhurst’s Frasier role is prompting Only Fools fans to highlight theme tune correction
’My whole existence has been a lie!’ one shocked fan wrote
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Nicholas Lyndhurst’s apearance in the Frasier reboot is prompting TV fans to make an Only Fools and Horses confession.
The actor, who played Rodney Trotter in the long-running BBC sitcom, was announced to appear alongside Kelsey Grammer in the new series, which catches up with Dr Frasier Crane for the first time since 2004.
At the time, people expressed their perplexity over the casting, which Grammer himself addressed during an interview with The Independent in June 2023. He said he became “great, great friends” with Lyndhurst while performing together in a production ofMan of La Mancha on London’s West End in 2019.
On Tuesday (22 August), Paramount released images from the Frasier reboot, one of which shows the actor in character as Frasier’s old college friend turned university professor, Alan Cornwall.
While many are only now discovering that Lyndhurst will be in the new series, others are using his role to explain a long-held belief about his part in Only Fools and Horses, which ran from 1981 through to 2003.
According to fans of the series, it is a popular belief that Lyndhurst didn’t only play Rodney in the series, but performed the show’s opening theme song, too.
“Has he sung the theme, like he did with Only Fools and Horses?” one person wrote.
Meanwhile, @VeryBritishProblems tweeted: “Did anyone else grow up thinking Rodney was singing the Only Fools and Horses theme song?” to which fans replied in their droves to confess that they did.
“This is literally new information to me! My whole existence has been a lie!” one shocked fan wrote, with another adding: “I am absolutely gobsmacked to discover it wasn’t him!”
Some suggested that despite knowing it was series creator John Sullivan who wrote and performed the theme song, all they can hear is Lyndhurst’s voice.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Find reactions below:
The new series of Frasier will begin on 13 October on Paramount+.
Also starring in the reboot are Jack Cutmore-Scott, who plays Frasier’s son Freddy, Toks Olagundoye, Jess Salgueiro, and Enders Keith.
Peri Gilpin and Bebe Neuwirth will also reprise their roles of Rox and Lilith, respectively. David Hyde Pierce, however, will not be returning as Niles.
Speaking about the forthcoming 10-episode season, Grammer told The Independent that it “may even be funnier” than the original.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments