Only Fools and Horses Denzil actor Paul Barber’s quiet life in seaside town near London
He played his character from 1981 until the much-loved BBC show ended in 2003
Only Fools And Horses is a legendary series with some of the most modest cast about. Take Paul Barber for example, he’s best known for playing Liverpudlian Denzil Tulser in the series.
But what most people don’t know about the 71-year-old is that he lives in quiet Holland-On-Sea – a seaside town in east Essex in England. Located south of the little village of Great Holland and directly north of Clacton-on-Sea – a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Peckham where the much-loved BBC show was set. He played his character from 1981 until it ended in 2003.
Not much is publicly known about Paul’s life in Holland-On-Sea but in 2018 he did support a fundraiser at Clacton Golf Club in aid of Rayleigh-based Little Havens Hospice. In an unlikely match he was joined at the event by former England cricketer Graham Gooch.
In the series, Denzil was a long-distance lorry driver who’d often be the victim of Del Boy’s scams. After the series ended he had a cameo role in the Tracy Beaker spin-off series The Dumping Ground.
He played a homeless man named George who the kids at the Elmtree House took a liking towards and took great care of during the episodes. The star once admitted to the Mixtape Assembly podcast that he was one of Only Fools’ ‘naughty boys’ whilst talking about his experience on the show.
He spoke about how during one extended period of downtime whilst being stuck on a ferry filming the ‘Strangers on the Shore…!’ Christmas special episode, they decided to have a cheeky smoke. “We got whacked on the way over to scatter Uncle Albert’s ashes, on that episode, when we went on the ferry,” Paul said. Interestingly, Paul also inspired one very famous actor.
According to the Daily Mail , Idris Elba has revealed that Paul had inspired him to become an actor, following a fateful visit to the budding drama class. Idris, 48, revealed that when he sat in the actor’s presence as a young boy in East London, he became focused on the goal of entering the same profession. Idris hasn’t done a bad job, either!
