How old is David Jason? What did Only Fools and Horses actor say about collapsing from Covid - how is he now

Beloved actor and TV personality Sir David Jason has opened up about a “seriously bad” battle with Covid that he endured earlier this year.

The 82-year-old has enjoyed a long and successful career and is best known for his role as Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter in the iconic BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses.

Here we take a look at the career of David Jason and what he had to say about his battle with Covid.

Who is David Jason?

Sir David John White, known professionally by his stage name of David Jason is an English actor who was born in Edmonton London. He is the brother of Arthur B.White who also enjoyed a successful career as an actor.

Jason started his television career in 1964 where he featured in the British TV series Crossroads. The London born actor also played roles in Doctor at Sea, The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs and Porridge.

One of Jason’s most iconic roles came in 1976 when he was casted for the role of Granville in the TV Sitcom Open All Hours.  The Yorkshire based sitcom is set in a suburb of Doncaster and follows the story of an eccentric shopkeeper Arkwright and his nephew Granville. The series was ranked as the 8th best sitcom of all time in a TV show which aired in 2004 titled Britain’s Best Sitcom.

Jason became one of the most well known comedy actors in Britain during the 1980s and enjoyed further success in the iconic British sitcom Only Fools and Horses which aired from 1981 until 2003. The 82-year-actor also starred in the long-running detective series A Touch of Frost from 1992 until 2010.

What did David Jason say about collapsing from Covid?

In an interview with BBC Breakfast, The Only Fools and Horses star said that he avoided Covid-19 throughout the pandemic but contracted the virus in July 2022.

Reflecting on the experience the actor described it as a very difficult time. Jason said: “It got seriously bad. Because all the muscles weren’t working, I collapsed and I fell against the radiator… I was so weak, I couldn’t get up.

“I crawled to the bed. The muscles weren’t working and I used the bed to try and stand up so that I could go to where I wanted to get, and also get back into bed, and I couldn’t. I tried for about a quarter-of-an-hour, trying all sorts of things to stand up so I could walk about.

“My arms wouldn’t work and my legs wouldn’t work, so being a very creative and inventive person, I thought, how will I get from here to the door?

“You know when you see a walrus if you watch David Attenborough, and they walk on land, they crawl on land? That’s what I did.”

Jason revealed he was using his head to try and drag himself to the door and just as he arrived at the door his wife returned home and helped him get to bed.

Where is David Jason now?

The comedy icon has recovered from Covid-19 and he is currently working on a book about Christmas which will feature stories from the making of the sitcom Only Fools and Horses which will look back at some of the show’s festive specials. At the height of its popularity in 1996 the show’s ratings peaked at 24 million during the Christmas schedule.

Although Only Fools and Horses ended in 2003 it still remains an iconic TV Show and a huge part of British culture. Del Boy’s distinctive yellow-three wheel car featured during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration in June 2022.