People can't believe how ripped Uncle Albert was in Only Fools and Horses

Only Fools and Horses remains one of the biggest sitcoms in television history.

It's kind of a rite of passage for every Brit to have seen Del fall through the bar or the Trotters don their cape and tights to take on Peckham's criminal underworld.

But one thing that passed most of us by at the time is just how ripped Uncle Albert was.

The World War Two vet - played by Buster Merryfield - came into the series back in 1985, starring as Del and Rodney's long lost uncle, quickly becoming a fan favourite.

And now, a couple of saucy snaps of Albert from the show have started doing the rounds on social media and sent pulses racing.

In said photos, the character can be seen wearing a white string vest, his pecs fighting to get out.

X/BBC

Sharing the pics to X, one user asked: "Is it just me or is Uncle Albert f**king hench?"

At first, some questioned the veracity of the images, suggesting they'd been photoshopped. But they hadn't, Uncle Al was just seriously swole... and people are loving it.

One user said: "Probably would’ve."

Another commented: "You may not like it but Uncle Albert is what peak performance looks like."

"Ha ha I noticed this on my latest rewatch of Only Fools. Uncle Albert? Uncle Swolebert more like!" quipped a third.

While yet another admirer added: "Please tell me this is a photoshop."

But it looks like Merryfield was a bit of a fitness fanatic, and kept himself in peak condition well into his 60s.

According to his Wikipedia page - so to be taken with a rather large pinch of salt - the actor was a keen sportsman in his youth and followed a strict fitness regime.

His page reads: "He followed a strict fitness regime of daily press-ups and swimming sessions.

"As a boxer, he was a British schoolboy champion in the 1936 and Southern Command army champion in 1945.

BBC

"He was also an amateur football player and Millwall supporter, regularly attending games at the Old Den.

"In contrast to his pipe-smoking and rum-drinking character Uncle Albert, Merryfield was a teetotaler and nonsmoker his entire life."

Merryfield passed away in 1999, aged 78.

Speaking at the time, David Jason, who played Del Boy in the show, said: "Buster Merryfield is a great loss personally as well, of course, to his family and the rest of the country.

"He was a great man and a joy to work with and I will seriously miss him both as a friend and as an actor."

While his on screen brother, Rodney, played by Nicholas Lyndhust, said: "I was shocked and saddened to hear of Buster's death.

"He was a gentle, sweet-natured man and he will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. He made the part of Uncle Albert a national institution."

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