If Denzel walked into the Nag’s Head in 2026, what would happen? He’d probably be in his late fifties, still ripped, and wearing a tight polo neck that makes his muscles look like they’re about to burst into song. He’d order a protein shake—no, actually, he’d order a pint of lager and drink it while doing one-armed press-ups.
He’d look at Rodney, now a middle-aged, slightly grey man, and say, “Still living with Del?” And Rodney would just nod, defeated, knowing that his entire marital life has been a shadow of a man who exists only in jokes and Raquel’s memory. It’s tragic. It’s brilliant. It’s perfect television comedy.
So next time you watch Only Fools and Horses, raise a glass to Denzel. The invisible, impossibly handsome, wealthy, tango-dancing, ghostly ex that makes Rodney Trotter the most relatable loser in history. He never appears, but he stole every scene he was never in. Lovely jubbly.
