Only Fools and Horses spawned a spin-off and a sequel (Picture: BBC/IMDb)

The creator of Only Fools and Horses John Sullivan had planned to produce a fourth episode of its prequel Rock & Chips.

The sitcom first aired on the BBC in 1981 and followed the colourful escapades of market trader Del Boy (Sir David Jason) and his less streetwise younger brother Rodney Trotter (Nicholas Lyndhurst) as they try to become rich.

The beloved series eventually came to an end in 2003, but formed the foundation of spin-off The Green Green Grass, which ran for four years, and Rock & Chips.

While Rock & Chips was originally conceived when Only Fools and Horses concluded, it only came to screens in 2010, focussing on the teenage foibles of the iconic characters, with Inbetweeners star James Buckley playing a young Del Boy.

Three episodes aired of the sequel, which also starred Phil Daniels and Kellie Bright, before its writer Sullivan died in April 2011 from viral pneumonia.

Reflecting on the series, James, 35, revealed that Sullivan had planned to write another episode before his death.

James Buckley played Del Boy in Rock & Chips (Picture: BBC/SHAZAM)

Only Fools and Horses ran from the 80s until the 00s (Picture: BBC)

The 35-year-old told The Sun: ‘John was really keen to write one more to tie everything together between the prequel and Only Fools.

‘Sadly, John died just before the third episode of Rock & Chips came out.’

James also add there was a discussion about revealing one of the series’ main taking points in the planned episode: what Del Boy’s mum said on her death bed.

There are currently three episodes of the Only Fools and Horses prequel (Picture: BBC)

John Sullivan was the mastermind behind Only Fools and Horses (Picture: Andrew Dunsmore/REX)

Both David, 82, and Nicholas have previously ruled out the possibility of more Only Fools and Horses episodes, with the latter saying it ‘ended on a high’

A Touch of Frost actor David recently admitted he can’t see another episode ever being made because Sullivan is the ‘only person’ he would ‘trust’ with the script, but he recalled the pair once turning down the chance to make an ‘Only Fools’ movie.

He told The Sun: ‘I think the company that wanted us to make that film was the same that made the Carry On films. They were very popular and I suppose quite successful. But John and I were not that impressed because they were made quite cheaply.

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‘Although they were successful and funny, they didn’t look like they were made in Hollywood, did they?

‘So we turned it down. And that was the only time we ever considered doing that. It wasn’t given the ideology that it would have some class about it, let me put it that way.’

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Rock & Chips debuted in 2010.