TO warm us up for the Christmas edition of Only Fools And Horses next week, its creator John Sullivan talks tomorrow night about how he made one of Britain's favourite sitcoms.

The Trotters first appeared on our screens in 1981 and the show is still as popular as ever.

Despite the series finishing in 1996 the Christmas specials draw huge audiences. Last year's show, the first since the death of Buster Merryfield, who played Uncle Albert, attracted 20 million viewers.

In the documentary The Story Of Only Fools and Horses Sullivan gives his first interview for more than ten years about his rise from BBC scene shifter to one of TV's most respected scriptwriters.

Sullivan explains where he got the inspiration for the characters and how much of the series is based on his experiences growing up in south London.

The show also has interviews with stars David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who talk about their interpretation of their characters and how they have become household names.

Now it would be unimaginable to see any one but David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst playing the shifty brothers.

But when the show was first being cast Sullivan, who also produces the comedy, admits he was reluctant to take on David Jason as Del Boy.

At the time Jason, who now lives in Bucks, was only known as Ronnie Barker's sidekick in Open All Hours and Sullivan feared he did not have the presence to carry his new show.

The Story Of Only Fools And Horses, Friday 20th Dec, BBC1, 8.30pm