The episode, “Who’s a Pretty Boy?”, sees our favourite Peckham wheeler-dealers trying to flog a batch of dodgy blow-up dolls. But these aren’t your average, bog-standard dolls. Oh no. These are the “Nouvelle” range, which sounds like a fancy French perfume but is actually just a lump of plastic with a seriously bad attitude. The whole gag rests on Del convincing a terrified Rodney to test one out, which goes about as well as you’d expect.
The beauty is that they never actually call them what they are. They’re “inflatable companions” or “anatomical training aids.” It’s Del Boy’s genius way of making the seedy sound posh. He genuinely believes he’s on to a goldmine, which is both tragic and hilarious.
The Real Dolls Were Devastatingly Realistic
Here’s the surprising fact that will make you spit out your coffee: the dolls used on set weren’t cheap sex-shop models. They were bespoke, custom-made for the show. According to the show’s property master, they cost a fortune and were incredibly lifelike. So lifelike, in fact, that the crew couldn’t keep a straight face when filming. One of the dolls even had a slightly smug expression, which makes the whole thing infinitely funnier.
And get this: the actor Nicholas Lyndhurst (Rodney) had to physically cuddle the thing for the scene. He’s on record saying it was one of the most awkward, cringe-inducing days of his career. Imagine being paid to passionately whisper sweet nothings to a plastic lady with a painted-on smile. That’s method acting, people.
