Only Fools’ Boycie is coming to Leamington and Kenilworth

But John Challis, who is coming to chat to audiences in Kenilworth and Leamington in the coming weeks, can do much more than just Boycie.

He has played Shakespeare roles on stage and had many other stints in film and television - including on Coronation Street and Dr Who - and John has written plays, two autobiographies and a novel.

Not that being Boycie is not a big part of his life. Being used to greetings of “Marleeen!” and that famous laugh wherever he goes, John will always feel grateful for having taken up the role. He told the Courier: “This was the most famous thing any of us have ever done and it means so much to people.

“I would love to have a stab at a gritty northern drama. But my life seems to drifted towards comedy.

“Humour is never far from my life. I like laughing and making people laugh.”

And working for so long on the show meant that the other cast members - including the late Roger Lloyd-Pack (‘Trigger’) who died a few weeks ago - become a “surrogate family”. He said: “Roger had been a part of my life for 30 years. It’s like losing a member of the family. We were each other’s surrogate family.

“I knew he was ill but I had no idea of the extent of it. I talked to him on the phone a couple of days before and we arranged to speak again but we never got to. It was like someone had stolen him before I had a chance to say goodbye.”

Only Fools and Boycie is on at the Priory Theatre in Kenilworth on February 9 at 7.30pm and at the Loft Theatre in Leamington on March 16 at 7.30pm. Tickets £15. To book, call the Priory on 863334 or the Loft on 0844 493 4938.

John will be selling and signing copies of his novel, Reggie: A Stag At Bay, which is also available online at www.wigmorebooks.com