Sir David Jason says playing Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter in 'Only Fools and Horses' helped him overcome personal heartbreak.
Sir David Jason
The 80-year-old actor believes throwing himself into his work helped him to bounce back after his partner, actress Myfanwy Talog, died of cancer aged 50 in 1995.
He said: "It took a bit of time to recover from that. As soon I got over the worst of it, I dedicated to working as hard as I could and getting back into gear. Not an easy thing to do at first, but that is what you have to get up and do sometimes."
The veteran actor initially thought he was destined to spend the rest of his life alone.
But David thinks he was fortunate to meet production executive Gill Hinchcliffe, and they've now been married more than 15 years.
He said: "You don’t sort of go out and look for it. Fortunately it did happen that way and it helped heal the past memories."
David and Gill, 61, met on the set of 'The Darling Buds of May' and he was instantly struck by her.
The TV star told BBC Radio 2's 'Good Morning Sunday': "Nature took its course. [I thought] good grief, where has this one been all my life?"
David also leans on some of his personal experiences to inspire his on-screen performances.
The actor explained how his own experience of heartbreak informed his portrayal of Jack Frost in 'A Touch of Frost'.
He said: "You call on some bit of experience that has happened in your life in order to get some reality in the situation or character.
"So I called on moments of tragedy and upset when my girlfriend of the time passed away, and my mother and father."
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