Yesterday Never Comes
"Yesterday Never Comes" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 3, and was first broadcast on 1 December 1983. In the episode, Del goes out with an antiques dealer, but she is more interested in a painting he owns.
| "Yesterday Never Comes" | |
|---|---|
| Only Fools and Horses episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Series 3 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Ray Butt |
| Written by | John Sullivan |
| Produced by | Ray Butt |
| Original air date | 1 December 1983 (10.6 million viewers) |
| Running time | 29:50 (DVD) / 29:51 (iTunes) |
Plot summary
Del Boy enters the world of fine art when he falls for a "posh tart" antique dealer named Miranda Davenport. He tries to sell her a very old cabinet which is described as a "Queen Anne" original, but the word "Fyffes" can be clearly seen, and it has woodworm. But, she finds out about a painting - a valuable work by 19th-century painter Joshua Blythe - that Del has on the wall in the lounge, but apparently doesn't realise the true value of. Miranda soon worms her way into his affections and gets the painting as a birthday gift.
Thinking that he's in love, Del heads to Miranda's shop, which is closed due to an infestation of woodworm, and is informed that she's gone to the local auction house.
Del arrives at the auction house, only to find out that Miranda had pretended to like him in order to get the painting to put up for auction and make a good profit and has registered the painting in her name as well as had her parents sign an affidavit to state that it has been in her family for generations. Del's reaction to this is relief, and tells Miranda that he has been trying to get rid of it for years. It emerges that he knew full well who painted the picture and that it was worth thousands. Miranda enquires how he would know, and Del tells her that his grandmother worked as a cleaning lady to an art dealer and stole the painting. As the painting is bought, Del wishes Miranda luck and leaves her to an ominous fate just as two men begin to inspect the painting's legitimacy.[Note 1]
Episode cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Jason | Derek Trotter |
| Nicholas Lyndhurst | Rodney Trotter |
| Lennard Pearce | Grandad Trotter |
| Juliet Hammond-Hill | Miranda Davenport |
| Lucita Lijertwood | Mrs Murphy |
| Robert Vahey | Harry |
| Garard Green | Auctioneer |
Episode concept
The idea for the script is based on John Sullivan's friend's mother, who was a charlady at an art gallery.
Notes
- In the 2015 novel He Who Dares..., it is revealed that Miranda "ended up doing a bit of a bird" in prison after the police "found a few other little treasures in her shop that she'd got a hold of by slippery means."