Sheree Murphy reveals surprising role in Only Fools and Horses’ iconic Batman and Robin scene

Sheree Murphy reveals her surprising role in Only Fools and Horses’ iconic Batman and Robin scene and says she FORGOT about the cameo

Sheree Murphy, 45, has revealed she had a surprising role in the Only Fools and Horses iconic Batman and Robin scene.

The soap star, then 21, played a mugger looking shocked as Del Boy and Rodney emerged wearing superhero costumes – in the episode widely considered to be one of Britain’s favourite Christmas specials.

The soap star admitted that despite the show’s popularity and constant repeats on TV, she constantly forgets about her starring role – until surprised pals text her to say they’ve seen her at Christmas.  

Throwback: Sheree Murphy, 45, has revealed she had a surprising role in the Only Fools and Horses iconic Batman and Robin scene, playing one of the Peckham muggings 

In the 1996 Christmas Day episode titled Heroes and Villains, Sheree was one of a mugging gang who ran up to a councillor in the street and she says: ‘Sorry miss, you seen a policeman around ‘ere?’

The group then gathers around their target looking to swipe her bag, but Batman and Robin emerge scaring the shocked muggers into scarpering. 

Sheree, who was a young actress starting out, revealed she actually filmed the much-loved street shots separately to actors David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst amid a cloak of secrecy – and only got to say one line.

Memory loss: The soap star admitted that despite the show's popularity she constantly forgets about her starring role - until surprised pals text her to say they've seen her at Christmas

Memory loss: The soap star admitted that despite the show’s popularity she constantly forgets about her starring role – until surprised pals text her to say they’ve seen her at Christmas

Yet when the show was broadcast, it looked like she was there staring at them before running off.

The exact storyline was top-secret until it went out to 21 million viewers – with police and security staff guarding the set, and screens to prevent prying eyes of local residents.

Sheree says her role was so short that she always forgets it is actually one of the most well-known scenes of her career.  

Yet after every repeat showing she gets texts from surprised pals saying they think they’ve just recognised her.

Iconic: The 1996 Christmas Day episode titled Heroes and Villains saw Del Boy and Rodney stop a mugging while wearing superhero costumes

Iconic: The 1996 Christmas Day episode titled Heroes and Villains saw Del Boy and Rodney stop a mugging while wearing superhero costumes

She revealed: ‘Every Christmas people always message me and go “I can’t believe I just saw you on Only Fools and Horses.” I always forget that I’ve done it.’

Sheree said she did briefly see David and Nicholas in their fancy dress when cameras weren’t rolling, but the filming in the street was done separately.

She recalled: ‘We saw them dressed up, but the set was like a closed set because at the time back in the day, when Only Fools and Horses used to film a Christmas special, they didn’t want anything leaked – nothing.’

Under wraps: Sheree, who was a young actress starting out, revealed she actually filmed the much-loved street shots separately to actors David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst

Under wraps: Sheree, who was a young actress starting out, revealed she actually filmed the much-loved street shots separately to actors David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst

She continued: ‘It was literally so cloak and dagger. So it was like a real closed set. We had security and police all around the set.

‘When we actually did the scene, we actually saw them dressed up as Batman and Robin, but we didn’t actually film it with them.

‘So when we had to react to Batman and Robin running down the road there was actually nobody there. I think it was all for security reasons and they didn’t want people mingling and talking.’   

Sheree, who us married to former Liverpool footballer Harry Kewell added: ‘What an honour. I grew up watching Only Fools and Horses. When I got the part, my family couldn’t believe it.’

Only Fools And Horses started in 1981 and ran for seven series as well as 16 hilarious Christmas specials until 2003. 

After tracking their harebrained schemes to make money, the finale episode finally saw Del Boy and his brother Rodney Trotter become millionaires after they found a pocket watch which made them a tidy £6.2million at an auction. 

One to watch: Only Fools And Horses started in 1981 and ran for seven series as well as 16 hilarious Christmas specials until 2003

One to watch: Only Fools And Horses started in 1981 and ran for seven series as well as 16 hilarious Christmas specials until 2003