Nicholas Lyndhurst and David Jason's prank that hugely backfired on Only Fools and Horses

Nicholas Lyndhurst and David Jason rose to prominence after starring on BBC’s hit sitcom Only Fools and Horses as Rodney Trotter and Del Boy, respectively.

Throughout the show’s 22-year run, the actors became household names across the UK and grew a large fanbase thanks to their characters’ hilarious wit and family themes.

Although they portrayed brothers, Lyndhurst and Jason were also once seemingly close behind the scenes before a reported feud tarnished their bond.

Away from the cameras, they would regularly pull pranks on unsuspecting crew members, however, they were forced to stop it all after almost frightening someone to death.

While filming rehearsals in 1981, the actors brought in bag full of bangers as a harmless prank.

It's said that they loaded them in the stacked chairs and the cubicle doors in the toilets.

When production assistant Tony Dow unstacked the chairs, they went off, making him afraid to touch them.

Jason and Lyndhurst thought it funny until a cleaning lady tried to mop the gents and nearly died of fright. They then vowed to never pull that prank again.

This wasn’t the only time the iconic duo teased their friends, as their late co-star Lennard Pearce also fell victim to their tricks.

Jason and Lyndhurst once thought it would be funny to adjust Pearce’s costume as he prepared to film his role as Grandad.

They nailed his shoes to the floor, and turned his outfit inside-out.

However, this didn’t have the funny effect they’d hoped for as Pearce was left fuming and refused to work.

He only returned after producer Ray Butt talked him round to it, as Jason recounted to the MailOnline in 2013: “He refused to work until we apologised effusively.”