DEL BOY INVITED TO THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

Every year in the United Kingdom, the Only Fools and Horses convention brings together devoted fans of one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. This year’s event, held in Milton Keynes, once again celebrated the cultural phenomenon that continues to capture hearts across generations — including those from the Balkans.

PHOTO: ATV

Among the selected visitors were brother and sister Nikola and Jelena Stepanović from Gradiška. Jelena, who lives and works in London, has been a long-time member of the Only Fools and Horses fan club. As soon as she heard about the convention, she contacted the organizers and reserved a table for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — to meet the iconic Del Boy, played by Sir David Jason.

TRAVELING 1,800 KILOMETERS FOR “ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES”

Nikola traveled around 1,800 kilometers from Bosnia and Herzegovina to attend the convention. On their way to Milton Keynes by train, the siblings were in for a pleasant surprise.

“While we were traveling, I noticed a young man watching us. I felt a bit uncomfortable until he suddenly said in Serbian: ‘Where are you going?’ It turned out he was Slobodan from Ljubuški, also heading to the convention. There were a few more people from the Balkans — we even met someone from Novi Sad,” Jelena recalled.

The convention gathered about 250 fans, many dressed as Del Boy himself. Two attendees paid homage to one of the show’s funniest episodes by showing up in Batman and Robin costumes. Souvenirs and memorabilia filled every corner, while an auction offered collectors a chance to buy authentic props and even original scripts from the series. The biggest attraction, however, was the famous yellow three-wheeler van bearing the inscription “Trotters Independent Trading Co.”

DEL BOY, RAQUEL, CASSANDRA, AND MARLENE ON STAGE

Fans had the chance to meet several beloved cast members, including Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones), Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong), and Marlene (Sue Holderness). The highlight of the event came when David Jason himself took the stage — in full character as Derek “Del Boy” Trotter — to thunderous applause and laughter.

Attendees were able to chat and take photos with the actors inside a replica of the Trotters’ famous Peckham flat.

“Jason is an incredibly kind and pleasant man. When he’s in character, he jokes and acts cheeky — just like on the show. But when he’s himself, his accent and demeanor completely change. He was delighted to hear we were from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and his wife even gave us T-shirts because Nikola had traveled so far. They know very well how popular the show still is in the Balkans,” said Jelena.

BOYSIE’S LOVE FOR SERBIA AND UNREALIZED PLANS

Jelena also shared a touching conversation with Sue Holderness (Marlene), who revealed that the late John Challis (Boycie) had a deep affection for Serbia.

“He loved Serbia and wanted the whole cast to travel there and film something together,” Holderness told her.

Jelena seized the opportunity to invite the actors to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I told them they’re welcome to spend New Year’s and Christmas with us — accommodation is on the house,” she said with a laugh. “My dream is to bring them to Gradiška. I know it’s a long shot, but as Del Boy would say: ‘He who dares, wins!’”