VINNIE Jones has landed a huge new role in an iconic TV show spin off after The Gentleman’s success.
Actor Vinnie, 59, who played gamekeeper Geoff Seacombe in the Netflix gangster flick, is set to make his stage debut this Christmas, starring as Danny Driscoll in Only Fools and Horses The Musical.
The former footballer and Hollywood tough guy will join the cast at London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo from 17 December to 5 January, with 28 performances only.
Vinnie, known for his iconic roles in films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Mean Machine, will take on the role of local crime lord Danny Driscoll, one half of Peckham’s feared Driscoll Brothers.
Speaking about the gig, Vinnie said, “I’ve always been a fan of Only Fools and Horses, and when my longtime friend Phil McIntyre called me up and said he was interested in me playing the role of Danny Driscoll, I told him to count me in.
“The director C. Jay Ranger and her creative team are great and I’m excited to contribute to the legacy of the show.”
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The musical, written by Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan, son of Only Fools and Horses creator John Sullivan, is based on the classic TV series.
It includes original music by Paul and Jim, with additional contributions from John and Chas Hodges.
The production is directed by Caroline Jay Ranger and features a cast led by Whitehouse as Grandad, Sam Lupton as Del Boy, and Tom Major as Rodney.
After the London dates, the musical will resume its UK tour, visiting over 30 cities before wrapping up in Dublin in June 2025.
Having played over 1,000 performances at London’s Theatre Royal Haymarket, this critically acclaimed show continues to bring the Trotters’ antics to life, blending classic scenes from the TV show with 20 new songs.
Fans can expect to relive some of the most memorable moments from the series, with Del Boy’s search for love, Rodney and Cassandra’s wedding, and plenty of laughs along the way.
Vinnie’s fans got a little worried last month when his name didn’t pop up on the cast list for the second series of The Gentlemen.
Theo James, Kaya Scodelario and Daniel Ings were all confirmed to be returning when filming starts next year, and Netflix bosses had promised: “Additional casting news for season two will be announced at a later date.”
But The Sun later revealed that Vinnie WILL be reprising his role in the sequel, which will be one of the dramas that Netflix showcases at this week’s ÂEdinburgh TV Festival.
A telly insider said: “Netflix didn’t announce Vinnie as part of the cast for series two because the deal to sign him up was still being finalised.
“He always wanted to be part of the programme. The problem was that he is so busy making new TV shows that it was proving difficult fitting in all his work.
“Thankfully he managed to make it happen and he’s looking forward to appearing in The Gentlemen again — just as fans of the show will be.”
It’s a busy old time for the actor, who is making a second series of Vinnie Jones In The Country for Discovery+.
On top of that, he’s got a Netflix documentary in the pipeline, in which he looks back at his time playing football for Wimbledon’s notorious “Crazy Gang”.
Last week, the streaming giant announced The Gentlemen sequel, confirming my story from April when I revealed talks were under way to make the follow-up — if they could get the busy cast back together.
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