Les Dennis won't try to imitate 'Only Fools and Horses' star Lennard Pearce when he takes on the role of Grandad in the West End show.
Les Dennis won't try to imitate Lennard Pearce in Only Fools and Horses musical
The former 'Family Fortunes' presenter has worked as an impressionist over the years, but he won't turn to such a skill set in the musical because he wants his part to be a "tribute" to the late star, who played the sitcom character from 1981 to 1984.
He said: "I was an impressionist, but I didn’t want to bring that sense here at this time.
"I want to do my version, that is a tribute. I want to honour what Lennard Pearce did without it being a straight out impression."
Les is no stranger to the legendary TV series - which ran from 1981 to 2003 - because he used to see Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played market trader brothers Del Boy and Rodney Trotter, at the BBC in the 1980s.
He added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "We were working with the BBC, doing our 'Laughter Show', and 'Fools and Horses' was in the next studio. I used to see them in the canteen and meet with David and Nick Lyndhurst.
"Nick and Lennard Pearce, actually came and did a sketch with me and Dustin [Gee] on 'The Laughter Show'.
"We were thrilled because this show was taking off massively, at a time that we were trying to get our double-act going. Things have kind of come full circle."
As well as starring in the 'Only Fools' musical, Les still harbours ambitions to return to 'Coronation Street' one day - as Mavis Wilton's long-lost brother.
The 68-year-old comedian and actor played Michael Rodwell on the ITV soap for two-and-a-half years until the character was killed off after suffering a heart attack and being left for dead by evil Pat Phelan (Connor McIntyre).
But Les has come up with an idea for how he might be able to grace the cobbles once again.
When asked if he could head back to the show as Michael's evil twin, he said: "Yeah, we could. Or maybe as Mavis' brother? Her long-lost brother."
"Yeah, a friend that would keep saying, 'Ooh, I don't really know.' It could work. Anything is possible."
Mavis - who was known for her catchphrase "ooh, I don't really know" - was played by Thelma Barlow from 1971 to 1997 and was regularly part of comical scenes with her corner shop boss Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) and her husband Derek Wilton (Peter Baldwin).
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