JOHN Challis, best known for playing ‘Boycie’ in legendary TV comedy Only Fools and Horses, visited the Royal Cornwall Show for the first time where he and his wife Carol had a stall for the whole three days.

John was selling a collection of his books including Being Boycie, Boycie and Beyond and Wigmore Abbey. He was also posing for photos with anyone who bought a copy.

Speaking about the Royal Cornwall Show, John said: “I’d heard a lot about the show but never been before. I was at the Royal Bath and West Show recently and they said that the Royal Cornwall is one of their favourites.

“So far it’s been absolutely wonderful. Suddenly I’m a market trader. There’s a great atmosphere at the show and everyone helps you and points you in the right direction.”

John and Carol believe that the South West is their ‘spiritual home’.

He said: “My wife and I both have a lot of connections with the area. Carol’s from Dorset and I spent a lot of my childhood in Somerset and I’ve been to Cornwall lots of times and have performed at Hall for Cornwall on plenty of occasions so I really love the Westcountry, it’s the spiritual home for both of us.

“I also have a connection with the lifeboat crew at the Lizard. My wife took me down there for my birthday one year and we’ve ended up staying in contact. and raised thousands of pounds for them.”

Despite making fame as Boycie in Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass, Challis, who will be 76 in August still remains busy.

He said: “I’m still remaining fairly active. Last year I was in Benidorm and hopefully there’s another series next year. I’m also performing as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at Nottingham Theatre Royal later in the year and I also have my own one-man show (Only Fools and Boycie) with 20 dates in the autumn including one at the Plough Arts Centre in Torrington on November 10.”