Only Fools And Horses’ Damien unrecognisable 20 years after playing David Jason’s son on show
DAMIEN Trotter was played by no fewer than six actors in legendary sitcom Only Fools And Horses.
However, there’s one in particular you’re likely to remember – Benjamin Smith, who played Del and Raquel’s son in the later episodes.
He appeared in the early 2000s revival of the comedy, complete with shaven head, braces and a chunky gold chain.
But you night not recognise Ben these days, though you may well have seen him because he’s a prolific actor.
Now 33, he has appeared in some of Britain’s biggest shows, plus the movie Nowhere Boy.
He bowed out of the role of Damien when Only Fools and Horses shot its final ever episode, Sleepless in Peckham, on Christmas Day in 2003.
Ben went on to appear in some of iconic shows, among them Skins, where he was Donny, and EastEnders, where he played Tegs.
Other shows he’s appeared in include Channel 4’s cult classic Teachers and E4’s Misfits and ITV detective drama Scott & Bailey.
The actor also played a journalist in the gritty Netflix miniseries Resistance and Rebellion.
However, he is proud of having played such a well-remembered character in Only Fools and Horses – even appearing at one of the show’s many conventions.
He has spoken about the character, who we saw as a baby and a pre-teen but not much between because the show was off-air.
Ben explained how he thought his character would be now, saying: “I think Damien is a modern young Del Boy.
“Perhaps we never actually saw him growing up but all the references we get from the show from when he was younger he seemed like a real ‘jack the lad’.
“So I’d imagine that Damien is a modern young version keeping up-to-date with gangsta rap and all that culture.”
