About the history of Belgrade, what he misses from Belgrade the most and if people are overly sensitive towards humour today...
Actor John Challis, famous Boycie, could not believe that his British TV show Only Fools and Horses had such a cult following in a small Balkan nation, that inspired him to visit Serbia for the first time. Absolutely overwhelmed by the warm welcome he goth as well as falling in love with Belgrade and it's history he visits again and films a documentary Boycie in Belgrade, where he describes his experience in the city and all the charm Belgrade has. The warm welcome has been returned not just in his many promotions of Belgrade and Serbia on social media but also in calling people to help and give humanitarian aid when trouble hit Serbia with great floods in 2014. as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Bean and Only Fools and Horses are the only British series to gain such international popularity, why do you think that’s so? 🤔
Mr. Bean is very English, he’s a very recognizable, accident prone, simple minded individual, childlike even. There’s virtually no dialogue and it’s purely visual comedy which makes it very easy to follow. The characters in Only Fools and Horses are also universally recognizable, we all know a Delboy, a Trigger or a Boycie. Del’s work ethic and his desire to succeed and his family values are admirable and even though he’s not averse to a dodgy deal, his heart is in the right place. Loyalty to family is important to Del and I think this is a familiar quality to Serbians. They are always looking for ways to make money, to succeed and if a scheme doesn’t work out they try again, never giving up. The universal mantra is ‘Maybe this time next year we’ll be millionaires!’ 🤑🤑🤑
Are there any similarities between Serbian and British humour and do you like the Serbian one?
I have never seen any Serbian comedy shows but I did meet Nikola Škorić and Dimitrije Banjac who I’m told are very popular over there. Before I knew that they were men of comedy I just sensed that they were funny people with funny bones and funny faces! I was lucky enough to do a short sketch with them involving Del’s little yellow three wheeled van, so I feel very hounoured to have been part of that.
Since you are a huge history buff what do you find the most fascinating from Belgrade or Serbian history?
I love history, I devour history! I’m fascinated that Belgrade is at the crossroads of Europe and that it has been in existence for at least 7,000 years. I marvel that the city has survived so many wars, so much destruction and I am awestruck by the Temple of St.Sava and the story of it being built on the spot where Sava’s remains were burnt by the Ottoman Turks. I saw it being constructed on both my visits to Belgrade and now it is complete, a phenomenal achievement and a fantastic building which has to be another Wonder of the World! I explored the castle, I love castles, and stood overlooking the confluence of those two mighty rivers-such a dramatic location. A great city that needs to attract more visitors. So much to see. 🧐
What do you miss from Belgrade the most?
I miss the general buzz of Belgrade and its impressive architecture. It has an edgy feel to it, a rawness that has the adrenaline flowing! I miss the friendliness of the people and the warm welcome I received, the good food, and tea at the Hotel Moscow, the manic traffic and my cool flat at the Zepter Hotel, and the shock of coming face to face with murals of Del Trotter in the most unexpected places!
IZVOR: TW / @tradicionalizam
Is there going to be another Only Fools and Horses convention and will we see Del Boy and Rodney?
There is an Only Fools and Horses convention every year, sometimes two, and I have been present at all of them since at least 1990! In February 2020 Sir David Jason was persuaded to come along, for the very first time. He didn’t know what to expect but in the end he really enjoyed the experience and we are hoping that he will be with us again in October. This year is the 40th Anniversary and we hope there will be 40 different characters, from actors who did only one cameo appearance to the usual old stalwarts like me and Marlene, Denzel, Mickey Pearce and Raquel and Cassandra. Nicholas Lyndhurst has never been to a convention and I don’t think he can be persuaded since he lost his only son Archie last year. He and a Lucy are devastated by his death and I think they just need to have time to themselves. A three day convention is extremely tiring for everyone and none of us is getting any younger! The location and venue, tickets etc. will be announced soon on social media, so follow @OnlyFoolsNews on Twitter for details. We have had many visitors from Serbia and Croatia, Montenegro, all over, so maybe this year will be your time!
Do you think people are overly sensitive to comedy nowadays and why ?
Obviously attitudes change over the years and much of what was considered acceptable way back then, when we first started making OFAH, is considered out of touch and offensive by this younger generation. John Sullivan wrote as he found ,and some of the situations and words may not sit easily in today’s world. That was then and this is now. So much now is considered politically incorrect that comedy writers are walking on eggshells it can’t be much fun and I know which sort of comedy I prefer.
Since you are really fond of travelling how did you manage throughout the pandemic and where would you like to travel next?
I’ve always had the wanderbug! An actor is by his very profession a gypsy, always on the move, never putting down roots, so our imposed self isolation and lockdown over the past year has been totally against everything I have been used to over nearly 60 years! But at the same time, I have very much enjoyed spending time in my ancient house,800 years old, and discovering parts of the garden I had forgotten about! At the moment I’m quite anxious about going out into the world, and a trip to Belgrade in June has had to be postponed until next year. I would love to go back to southern Spain where I spent five months in 2017 filming another popular British comedy called Benidorm.I fell in love with Spain all over again. But after ten seasons Benidorm was cancelled because it was a typically British saucy seaside postcard sort of comedy, considered too risqué for today’s sensitive souls! I’ve also booked to go on a cruise next year, so I am hopeful of more travel on the high seas. A great way to see the world.
Are you filming anything currently or have plans to films soon and what? 😊
For the past year I have been recording video messages on a daily basis through an app called CelebVM, usually wishing people a happy birthday or wedding anniversary or just saying hello to cheer them up, but during this pandemic I’ve also been asked to send messages to our brave doctors and nurses and care home workers, thanking them for their selfless dedication and to give them encouragement, so I want you to know that I’ve not been sitting here twiddling my thumbs! I’ve got my very first Zoom meeting next week for a comedy sketch with a very clever young actor, and in July I’m venturing out to film a pilot for a TV show.
Do you have a favourite comic and which one is it?
I was never one for comics when I was a boy, being far too busy fantasizing about being a world class cricketer or a guitarist in a rock band. However I did like the Eagle which featured the heroic Dan Dare. Dan was a pilot for Earth’s International Space Fleet. He flew to every planet known to man and I thought that was fantastic!
IZVOR: IG / @boycieinbelgrade
Since Boycie is a big Cognac fan how did you like rakija the plumb brandy? 😅
Boycie is a big fan of Cognac, preferably a large double measure in a brandy balloon glass. However, compared to your Rakija it is a drink for lightweights. I was first introduced to the excellent plum brandy in Belgrade, at the distillery, so I was forced forced I tell you, to taste many, many different vintages of differing colours and proofs, so that the roof of my mouth nearly exploded. 😅 I had to be lifted gently into the back of the car .I understand that the Serbian people like to start their day with a shot of Rakija. Respect.
What is the dumbest and what is the smartest tweet you've read recently?
IZVOR: TW / @beingboycie
Twitter has been in turmoil this past year. There’s some pretty dark stuff out there and I learnt early on not to give my opinion on politics or religion. I leave that to others and concentrate on lifting the mood with pretty pictures of animals and flowers, and I RT posts from @Gabriele_Corno and @ChrisRoss who’s a London Cockney poet and musician. He’s always cheerful. There’s also a famous rapper and actor called Ice-T @FINALLEVEL who makes me laugh and we have the occasional conversation which seems to entertain people on both sides of the pond. Just an unlikely crossover I suppose. Boycie and the heavy metal dude! I live in hope that he will get me a cameo part in his excellent crime drama Law and Order SVU which I’ve been watching for 20 seasons. That would be a great way to end my career!
Could Boycie swindle someone into buying a Yugo?
Boycie could sell snow to the Eskimos! He would think it a doddle to con the punters into parting with their hard earned cash in exchange for one of those pukka Yugos, especially if it had a yellow paint job and leopard print upholstery. What’s not to like?! 🤔
What message would you send out to our readers?
My message to your readers would be a big thank you for making me so welcome in your country and to look forward to next year when I hope to return with Marlene. Keep watching Only Fools and Horses, keep your sense of humour and who knows, this time next year....you know it makes sense.
Autor: Filip Mihajlović
