ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES LEGEND SIR DAVID JASON RECALLS TERRIFYING COVID ORDEAL THAT LEFT HIM CRAWLING ACROSS THE FLOOR
The beloved actor once revealed how a severe bout of COVID-19 left him so weak that he could barely move, describing a frightening night when he struggled to reach his bedroom door and call for help.
Sir David Jason shocked fans when he revealed the frightening extent of his battle with COVID-19, recalling how the illness left him unable to stand after he collapsed in the middle of the night.
The much-loved star of Only Fools and Horses, famous for playing Del Boy Trotter, spoke about the experience during an appearance on BBC Breakfast in October 2022. At the time, he was 82 and explained that he had contracted the virus several months earlier, despite having avoided it during much of the pandemic.
Jason described the illness as “seriously bad,” explaining that his muscles had become so weak that he could not get back to his feet after falling while trying to get out of bed.
A TERRIFYING NIGHT AT HOME
Jason recalled getting up during the night to go to the bathroom when he collapsed and fell against a radiator.
He was so weak that he could not stand up, despite repeatedly trying to use the bed for support.
The actor said he spent around 15 minutes attempting to get himself upright, but his arms and legs would not cooperate.
Realising he could not walk to where he needed to go, he tried to crawl across the floor and make his way towards the door so he could call for assistance.
The experience was particularly frightening because he was unable to move as he normally would. In his account, he described having to use his head to help drag himself along the floor.
Just as he reached the door, his wife arrived and helped him back into bed.
The following day, Jason discovered carpet burns across his forehead and the bridge of his nose, a physical reminder of the ordeal.
“I WAS SO WEAK, I COULDN’T GET UP”
The actor’s account offered a rare glimpse into how severely the infection had affected him.
Although he had remained well for much of the pandemic, the illness eventually left him struggling with basic movements that most people take for granted.
His recollection also highlighted how quickly a serious illness can affect a person’s strength and independence, even when they are at home.
Jason later recovered from that bout of COVID-19. His account was a retrospective description of an illness he experienced in 2022, rather than confirmation of a new medical emergency.
A MUCH-LOVED FACE OF BRITISH TELEVISION
Jason remains one of Britain’s most recognisable television actors, with a career spanning decades.
Alongside his iconic role as Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses, he is known for playing Jack Frost in A Touch of Frost and Granville in Open All Hours.
His work has earned him generations of fans, many of whom have continued to follow his career long after the original programmes ended.
In 2026, Jason has also spoken candidly about getting older, acknowledging that he can no longer perform some of the physical comedy routines that became a signature part of his career.
FANS CONTINUE TO WISH HIM WELL
Jason’s story remains a sobering reminder of the toll a serious infection can take. His willingness to describe such a vulnerable moment also gave fans a more personal view of the man behind one of British television’s most beloved comic characters.
While dramatic social media posts have recently recirculated the account, there is no confirmation in the sources cited here that he has suffered a new collapse or a newly diagnosed illness.
The frightening episode he described happened during his 2022 COVID-19 illness. He later recovered, and readers should distinguish that past experience from any claims about his current health.
Sources: BBC News, BBC Breakfast, RTÉ and The Independent.
This article distinguishes Sir David Jason’s documented 2022 illness from later comments about ageing. No new medical emergency is confirmed by the sources cited here.
