Only Fools and Horses’ Denzel star Paul Barbers looks unrecognisable 40 years on from show debut

DESPITE coming to an end almost 20 years ago, Only Fools and Horses still leaves viewers in stitches – but what have some of the cast been up to since?

The laugh out loud comedy – created and written by the late great John Sullivan – centred around the chaotic lives of wheeler-dealer Del Boy Trotter and his younger brother Rodney.

Often the victim that usually fell for Del Boy’s scams was Denzil Tulser – portrayed by actor Paul Barber – an easy-going lorry driver from Liverpool.

Eventually, his controlling wife Corinne got so fed up with him always going along with Del Boy’s antics that she walked out on him.

Paul shares one obvious thing in common with his character on Only Fools as they both originate from Liverpool, although Denzil moved to Peckham when he was a young boy.

The now 70-year-old starred in the popular sitcom from 1981 and stayed put until the show concluded back in 2003.

Paul isn’t the only Only Fools star to look unrecognisable since appearing on the show, with Mickey Pearce, Damien Trotter and Raquel Turner all looking significantly different since, too.

After Only Fools, Paul went on to make a small cameo in the Tracy Beaker spin-off series The Dumping Ground.

He played a homeless man named George who the kids at the Elmtree House took a liking towards and took great care of during the episodes.

Interestingly, Paul also inspired one very famous actor.

Following a fateful visit to his drama class, Idris Elba revealed that Paul inspired him to become an actor.

Idris, 48, revealed that when he sat in the actor’s presence as a young boy, he became focused on the goal of entering the same profession.

He told the Daily Mail: “I was in my drama class, I loved drama class. It was a place of expression, I enjoyed being there, I enjoyed the sort of creative freedom.

“And this professional actor came in. His name was Paul Barber. He came in and sat amongst us and, you know, we recognised him from TV and it was a big moment.”

Elba added: “He sat in our class and talked to us about his profession, who he was.

“I just remember thinking ‘Wow man’, he didn’t know it, but he really, really inspired me to become an actor.”