Only Fools And Horses star Sue Holderness said she has not “grieved” for the late John Challis, who played her on-screen husband in the comedy series.
The couple, who played Marlene and Boycie, were mainstays of the classic sitcom which was voted the nation’s most loved BBC TV programme of all time by viewers of The One Show on Friday.
Challis, who played an unscrupulous second-hand car dealer, died from cancer in September aged 79.
Speaking to presenter Alex Jones, 72-year-old Holderness said: “Double acts you often hear hate each other, John and I became very good friends right from the very beginning.
“His wife and my husband, the four of us would go on holiday together, we saw each other regularly, I still speak to Carol every day.
“It’s very difficult for me to say that I have really gone through the grieving process because I haven’t, I still don’t believe he is gone.
“He feels very much that he is still with us and of course he will be with us, he will be in our lives forever because of the wonderful Boycie that he created.”
The actress, who is currently guest starring in The Play What I wrote, said “encouragingly” young people still come up to her who “absolutely love” the show.
Holderness added: “I think that’s what John Sullivan wanted, he had the older generation and kids in mind when he was writing this so everybody, the whole family, were able to sit and watch his shows and laugh.
“I hear it all the time that in these really rather gruesome times people are turning to Only Fools particularly because it is escapism really, you can forget what is going on outside and it is huge fun, they say laughter is the best medicine.”
