Only Fools And Horses may be remembered as one of Britain’s most beloved comedies — but behind the laughter, the pressure was intense.

As the iconic sitcom approaches its 45th anniversary, Tessa Peake-Jones has admitted that filming the show was often far from funny for the cast.

The 68-year-old actress, who famously played Del Boy’s love interest Raquel, revealed that the gruelling rehearsal process and the fear of performing in front of a live studio audience made every recording a nerve-shredding experience.

“By the time we filmed, we’d been through the scenes so many times they weren’t funny anymore,” Tessa explained. “But we cared so deeply about getting it right — one wrong word could kill the laugh.”

Despite the effortless humour viewers saw on screen, nerves ran high backstage. Tessa recalled actors pacing corridors moments before filming — including comedy legends David Jason, who played Del Boy, and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who starred as Rodney.

“People would be stunned if they saw us before the show,” she said. “Even David and Nick were incredibly nervous.”

The revelations come ahead of a new two-part U&Gold documentary, Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive, which will feature fresh interviews and never-before-seen footage from the show’s golden years.

Looking back, Sir David Jason — now 86 — said revisiting the archive only deepened his appreciation for the series.

“The love for Only Fools has never faded,” he said. “Seeing these rediscovered moments reminded me just how special the show was — and still is.”

UKTV’s head of factual entertainment, Helen Nightingale, echoed the sentiment, calling the sitcom “part of the national DNA” and praising its humour, heart and unforgettable characters.

The show’s enduring appeal has also lived on beyond television. Only Fools And Horses: The Musical opened in 2019 and enjoyed a four-year run, delighting fans, critics and original cast members alike. It was co-written by Paul Whitehouse alongside Jim Sullivan, fulfilling creator John Sullivan’s long-held dream of seeing the show on the West End stage.

Forty-five years on, Only Fools And Horses remains a national treasure — proof that even the greatest comedy is sometimes born from nerves, pressure and a fierce determination to get it exactly right.