Crafty geezers

sir David Jason and Jay Blades travel around britain to meet talented makers

When Sir David Jason heard that Jay Blades was going W to perform to the Only Fools And Horses theme tune on Strictly Come Dancing, he decided to offer "a bit of encouragement". Two years later, the pair are now friends and have just finished making the series David & Jay's Touring Toolshed.

The routine, filmed for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special in 2021, saw 53-year-old Jay, sporting a Del Boy-style flat cap and a gold medallion, jiving around a yellow Reliant Regal.

"Jay was doing Strictly Come Dancing and I heard that he was going to try, desperately, to dance to the opening theme tune of Only Fools And Horses," said David, 83. "I thought to myself, 'He's not right in the head', but I thought I'd give him a bit of encouragement. So I did a little television note wishing him good luck, basically. You've got to give a guy a pat on the back for trying. That's how we met because he was so grateful, then he was scratching about to try and thank me!"

They bonded when furniture restorer Jay discovered David's passion for making model rockets, restoring vintage motorcycles and running an electric train set.