Only Fools and Horses star Sue Holderness ‘still can’t believe’ John Challis death: ‘He was a best friend’

Only Fools and Horses star Sue Holderness ‘still can’t believe’ her former co-star John Challis is gone after his death last month.

Sue starred alongside John in the hit BBC sitcom as everyone’s favourite couple, Marlene and Boycie for almost 20 years.

John died after a long illness with cancer and on the latest instalment of Lorraine, Sue chatted to host Christine Lampard – whose filling in for Lorraine Kelly – about her loss.  

Host Christine addressed the ‘difficult few weeks’ Sue and John’s friends faced since his death.

She said: ‘Yes, he was a best friend. How lucky was I that John Challis came to be the other husband in my life? We were friends from the word go.’

Sue said she’s seen John regularly in the weeks leading up to his death, heading for lunch together, even spending a whole day filming together.

Challis as Boycie in Only Fools and Horses with Nicholas Lyndhurst and Sue Holderness (Picture: Getty)

Sue spoke out about ‘best friend’ John Challis (Picture: ITV)

The actress added: ‘Less than four weeks before he died John and I were filming all day, and he was fine, a bit tired towards the end, so the end came very quickly.

‘I can honestly say I don’t believe he’s gone; I think he’s watching now, he will be remembered forever and loved by so many people.’

She went on to address Only Fools and Horses creator John Sullivan’s death in 2011 too, adding: ‘I don’t really believe he’s gone.’

Sue was on the morning talk show to promote her new role as Judith in Channel 5 series, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, created by Sally Lindsay.

John and Sue were friends on and off screen (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Luckily, her late co-star didn’t mind getting paired up with another on-screen husband in the new drama, having already sought John’s blessing before his death.

More: ITV

She added to Christine: ‘I’m happy to report John gave his permission to be married to Robert Asquith… but I’m only on loan.

‘The last time John and I were on holiday together we were in a chateau in the south of France, so I’m in another chateau in the south of France with yet another husband – is this bigamy? I don’t know. It’s good fun!’

Lorraine airs weekdays from 9am on ITV.

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