Sue Holderness remembers John Challis

The Green, Green Grass and Only Fools and Horses star has spoken about her near forty-year friendship with John, who died in September.

TV legend Sue Holderness has revealed she thinks John Challis is watching over her following his death last month.  Joining host Christine Bleakley on ITV’s Lorraine show, Sue – who played Marlene to John’s Boycie in BBC One sitcom Only Fools and Horses – and its spin-off The Green, Green Grass that focused on Boycie and Marlene – spoke out about her 36 year friendship with her co-star, and the weeks leading up to his passing.

“How lucky was I that John Challis came to be the other husband in my life… We were friends from the word go. Just five weeks ago, we were having lunch together and in fact, less than four weeks before he died, John and I were filming together all day and he was fine. He was as much fun as usual, got a bit tired towards the end of the day. So the end came very quickly.

“I can honestly say that I don’t believe he’s gone. I think he’s watching us now and I think we must talk about our loved ones who are no longer with us. John will be remembered forever and loved by so many people, and I don’t think he’s gone. I don’t really believe he’s gone. I don’t believe John Sullivan [who wrote Only Fools and Horses] has gone and he died in 2011.”

Of her new Channel 5 series The Madame Blanc Mysteries, which is set in France, she explained,

“I’m happy to report John gave his permission for me to be married to [co-star] Robin Askwith but I’m only on loan, so I will always be Marlene Boyce but I’m enjoying being Judith Lloyd James as well.

“The last time John Challis 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, weekdays from 9 am on ITV and the ITV Hub. The Madame Blanc Mysteries continues on Channel 5 on Saturday 30th October at 8.55 pm