View source for Stage Fright (Only Fools and Horses)

{{Infobox television episode
| series         = [[Only Fools and Horses]]
| image          = Only Fools Stage Fright.jpg
| caption        = 
| series_no      = 7
| episode        = 3
| writer         = [[John Sullivan (writer)|John Sullivan]]
| director       = [[Tony Dow (director)|Tony Dow]]
| producer       = [[Gareth Gwenlan]]
| airdate        = {{Start date|1991|01|13|df=yes}}
| length         = 50 minutes
* 49:39 (DVD/iTunes)
| prev           = [[The Chance of a Lunchtime]]
| next           = [[The Class of '62]]
| episode_list   = List of Only Fools and Horses episodes
}}
"'''Stage Fright'''" is an episode of the BBC [[sitcom]] ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]''. It was the third episode of series 7, and first broadcast on 13 January 1991.

In the episode, Del wins a contract to put on the entertainment at the Starlight Rooms, and arranges for [[Raquel Turner|Raquel]] and a club singer named Tony Angelino to perform a duet, unaware that Tony has a [[Rhotacism (speech impediment)|speech impairment]]. The scene when Raquel and Tony perform "Crying" was named the "8th Greatest Only Fools Moment" by [[Gold (UK TV channel)|UKTV Gold]] in December 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gold.uktv.co.uk/only-fools-and-horses/article/only-fools-top-ten-moments/ |title=Top 10 Only Fools Moments |accessdate=21 December 2006 |date=21 December 2006 |publisher=Gold}}</ref>

==Synopsis==
[[Raquel Turner|Raquel]] is now three months pregnant, and [[Del Boy]] has another [[get-rich-quick scheme]] when the ''Starlight Rooms'', managed by an old friend, Eric, needs a good act. Del believes that Raquel's previous experience as a singer makes her perfect for the job. Raquel tells Del that her solicitors are trying to locate her ex-husband, and Del successfully convinces Raquel to marry him. He also reveals he is due in court in a week's time for fly-pitching.

Later, at the ''Down by the Riverside'' Club, Del and [[Rodney Trotter|Rodney]] meet [[Trigger (Only Fools and Horses)|Trigger]]'s friend, "Singing Dustman" Tony Angelino, who has modelled himself on a young [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]] and singing – fairly well – to various old women who cheer for him. Although Rodney thinks he is tacky, Del thinks that Tony would be the perfect singing partner for Raquel. He then gets Tony to sign a contract by pretending to ask for an autograph, then tells him all about the upcoming performance at the ''Starlight Rooms'' with Raquel. Tony agrees to do the performance, with Raquel as his partner, Del as their manager, and Rodney as their [[Road crew|roadie]]. Tony warns Del that he can only sing certain songs, but Del refuses to listen to his pleas.

The next day at ''The Nag's Head'', Del learns that the ''Starlight Rooms'' are owned by a local gangster named Eugene McCarthy, who has been known to [[Crucifixion|nail people to doors]]. To further complicate matters, the night Raquel and Tony are due to perform is also Eugene's mother's birthday.

That night, Del eventually makes it to the ''Starlight Rooms'' after being in court. Eric introduces Raquel, who starts singing "[[Crying (Roy Orbison song)|Crying]]". The audience are captivated, until Tony takes to the stage and sings along. Only then does it emerge why Tony only sings certain songs; he has a [[Rhotacism (speech impediment)|rhotacism]], causing him to pronounce his Rs as Ws, making "Crying" sound like "Cwying". Del hastily escapes after the song is over, while Rodney applauds sympathetically.

Back at Nelson Mandela House, Del is concerned about what Eugene will do to him, until a humiliated Raquel and a jovial Rodney both enter. Raquel reveals that she and Tony carried on with the performance, singing "[[Release Me (1946 song)|Please Welease Me]]", "[[Congratulations (Cliff Richard song)|Congwatulations]]", and the "[[Green Green Grass of Home|Gween Gween Gwass of Home]]", followed by a medley of "[[Rock and roll|wock and woll]]".

Tony shows up for his money, and Del pays him, Raquel, and Rodney. Tony then talks about how his rhotacism has discriminated him, and although he is a talented singer, he can only sing songs without any Rs in them. With that said, Tony gets paid (after hesitation from Del) and leaves, Del gets a phone call from Eugene, who says that his mother thought Raquel and Tony's performance was the funniest thing she had seen, and he wants to book Tony and Raquel on a five-week contract at the ''Starlight Rooms''. Del tells Raquel, Rodney and Albert and then runs out to call Tony back from the balcony and tell him, "Hang about, Tony. I've got you some more bookings. Stick with me, son, I'll make you wich!"

==Episode cast==
{|
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable"
! Actor
! Role
|-
| [[David Jason]]
| [[Del Boy|Derek Trotter]]
|-
| [[Nicholas Lyndhurst]]
| [[Rodney Trotter]]
|-
| [[Buster Merryfield]]
| [[Uncle Albert|Albert Trotter]]
|-
| [[Tessa Peake-Jones]]
| [[Raquel Turner]]
|-
| [[John Challis]]
| [[Boycie]]
|-
| [[Roger Lloyd-Pack]]
| [[Trigger (Only Fools and Horses)|Trigger]]
|-
| [[Kenneth MacDonald (English actor)|Kenneth MacDonald]]
| [[Mike Fisher (Only Fools and Horses)|Mike Fisher]]
|-
| [[Philip Pope]]
| Tony Angelino
|-
| [[Zig Byfield|Trevor Byfield]]
| Eric
|-
| [[Roger Blake]]
| Eugene McCarthy
|-
| Lyn Langridge
| First woman
|}
|}

==Music==
* '''[[Maxi Priest]]''': "Peace Throughout the World"
* '''[[Roxy Music]]''': "[[Love Is the Drug]]"
* '''[[Tessa Peake-Jones]]''': "[[Do You Know the Way to San Jose]]"
* '''[[Philip Pope]]''': "[[I'll Never Fall in Love Again (Lonnie Donegan song)|I'll Never Fall in Love Again]]"
* '''Philip Pope''': "[[Delilah (Tom Jones song)|Delilah]]"
* '''[[Simple Minds]]''': "[[Kick It In]]"
* '''[[Hue and Cry (band)|Hue and Cry]]''': "Looking for Linda"
* '''[[Charlie Parker]]''': "[[Ornithology (composition)|Ornithology]]"
* '''Tessa Peake-Jones & Philip Pope''': "[[Crying (Roy Orbison song)|Crying]]"

==References==
{{Reflist}}<!--added above External links/Sources by script-assisted edit-->

==External links==
*{{BBC episode|id=b007b6t2}}
*{{IMDb episode|0666569}}

{{Only Fools and Horses episodes}}

[[Category:1991 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Only Fools and Horses (series 7) episodes]]