SIR David Jason has given fans a health update after he was forced to pull out of work commitments to have emergency surgery.
The Only Fools and Horses star hasn’t been seen since he withdrew from a show convention in the summer to have a hip replacement.
The 83 year old, who is best known for playing wheeler dealer Del Boy in the British sitcom, said at the time that he needed “a new bionic body part fitted”.
The convention in Milton Keynes, which had been scheduled for last month, will now take place in January.
It looks like the surgery was a resounding success and Sir David will meet that deadline after he emerged from his home on crutches.
Limping gingerly down his driveway on crutches, Sir David dropped his walking aids to the floor as the Rocky theme played.
He then strutted towards the camera before shadowboxing, proving there’s plenty of fight left in him yet.
Fans loved the update, which showcased Sir David’s trademark humour.
One wrote: “Legend! Long live David Jason.”
Another posted: “Blooming heck! He had us all going then.”
A third said: “This is why you have to love David Jason.”
Back in August we exclusively revealed that the actor needed to go under the knife.
It was followed by a statement from a crestfallen Sir David, which read: “I am so very sorry for the disappointment and all the inconvenience it may cause but we are having to change the date of the forthcoming Only Fools And Horses Convention.
“Unfortunately I have just been advised I need a new bionic body part fitted.
“(I won’t tell you which part it is, or you will all want one!)
“And don’t worry it’s not being supplied by Monkey Harris, it’ll be the pukka gear.”
The event was due to take place in October but will now be held on January 13 and 14 next year at the Hilton Hotel in Milton Keynes.
Fans pay as much as £450 a ticket to attend, which includes a meet and greet with Sir David, plus a photo and autograph.
The actor, who first appeared as the wisecracking market trader in 1081, says the events remain an “enjoyable celebration” and that it was a privilege to meet so many fans.
In his statement he went on: “I want to do it with the smile on my face I always have had.
“It was not a decision I took at all lightly.
“Hoping to be lovely jubbly when I meet you all in the new year.”
Sir David has struggled back to full health after a “seriously bad” battle with Covid in July 2022.
The viral infection left him so weak, one night he suffered a traumatic fall at his home in Ellesborough, Bucks.
He told BBC Breakfast in October 2022: “All the muscles weren’t working. I collapsed and I fell against the radiator. I was so weak, I couldn’t get up.
“I tried for about a quarter of an hour, trying all sorts of things to stand up so I could walk about.
“But in order to do that, I had to use my head. So now I’m lying face down on the ground, and in order to get to the door – and the arms really weren’t working and the legs weren’t working – I was using my head to drag me to the door.”
It is thought Covid triggered a condition called myalgia that affects muscles and joints.
Sir David played Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter from 1981 until the final episode aired in 2003, but has remained committed to the loyal fandom.
