David Jason Biography: Sir David John White OBE (born February 2, 1940), also known by his stage name David Jason, is an English actor. He has portrayed Derek “Del Boy” Trotter in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, Detective Inspector Jack Frost in A Touch of Frost, Granville in Open All Hours and Still Open All Hours, and Pop Larkin in The Darling Buds of May, as well as voicing several cartoon characters, including Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows, the BFG in the 1989 film, and the title characters of Danger Mouse and Count Duckula. Jason won the poll for TV’s 50 Greatest Stars in September 2006 as part of ITV’s 50th anniversary festivities. He was awarded in 2005 for his contributions.
David Jason Biography 2025
David Jason was born in Edmonton, London, in 1940. He has become one of Britain’s most popular, talented, and respected actors, well known for his portrayal as Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses (1981). He debuted in the series in 1981 and continued to perform the same character until the Christmas special in 2002. His major break came in the 1967 children’s comedy play Do Not Adjust Your Set (1967), in which he co-starred with Monty Python members Terry Jones, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin. Unfortunately, he took time off work in 1990 to care for his long-term partner, Welsh actress Myfanwy Talog, who died of cancer at the age of 49. He has gone a long way since his days as an electrician and has received various honors for his efforts. He has managed to balance his humorous career with more serious roles, such.
David Jason Biography 2025 Details
| Born |
David John White
2 February 1940 Edmonton, Middlesex, England
|
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Spouse |
Gill Hinchcliffe
(m. 2005) |
| Partner | Myfanwy Talog (1977–1995; her death) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Arthur White (brother) |
| Category | Singers Bio |
See More:
David Jason
Sir David John White OBE, known professionally by his stage name David Jason, is an English actor. He has played Derek “Del Boy” Trotter in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, Detective Inspector Jack ..
Born: 2 February 1940 (age 84 years), Edmonton, London, United Kingdom
Children: Sophie Mae Jason, Abi Harris
Spouse: Gill Hinchcliffe (m. 2005)
Siblings: Arthur White, June White
Height: 1.68 m
Profile
- Full name: David Jason,
- Stage Name: David Jason,
- Born: February 2, 1940,
- Age: 83 years old
- Birthplace: Edmonton,
- Nationality: British
- Occupation: Actor
- Height: 1.68m
- Parents: Arthur R. White and Olwen Jones
- Siblings: Arthur White
- Spouse: Welsh, Gill Hinchcliffe, and Jennifer Hill.
- Children: Sophie Mae and Abi Harris.
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: $10 million.
See More: Adil Ray Biography
Early life
Jason’s father, Arthur Robert White, worked as a porter at Billingsgate Fish Market, and his mother, Olwen Jones, was a charwoman from Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan, Wales. She gave birth to twin boys in North Middlesex Hospital in Edmonton, London, in February 1940, however Jason’s twin brother died after the birth, leaving him a twinless twin. He adopted the stage name Jason because he liked Jason and the Argonauts, as the stage name “David White” was already taken, and not in honor of his deceased twin, as some have claimed. Jason lived on Lodge Lane in North Finchley and went to Northfield Secondary Modern School after failing the 11-plus in 1951. Jason, motivated by his brother, intended to be an actor after graduating from school.
See More: Cheryl Cole Biography
Honours
Jason was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1993, and 12 years later, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 2005, he was knighted for services to acting and comedy. On December 1, 2005, when he received the knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, he said he was “humbled” by the “fantastic tribute”.
David Jason Net Worth
David Jason, the famous English actor, is well-known for portraying Del Boy Trotter in “Only Fools and Horses.” His net worth in 2025 is an impressive $10 million, showcasing his long-lasting success in entertainment.
David Jason Salary
Despite Only Fools and Horses being off-screen for a number of years and David’s acting work coming to a minimum he still earns approximately £1million a year and made more than £2.3million in the last two years.
See More: Martine McCutcheon Biography
Radio and TV career
| Year | Show/Project Name | Role/Details | Notes |
| 1964 | Crossroads | Bert Bradshaw | Jason’s television career debut. |
| 1967 | Do Not Adjust Your Set | Captain Fantastic (spoof superhero) | Children’s comedy series with Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Denise Coffey, and Michael Palin. |
| 1967 | Hugh and I | Various | Appeared alongside Hugh Lloyd and Terry Scott. |
| 1968 | Dad’s Army | Initially cast as Lance Corporal Jones, but replaced by Clive Dunn. | Replaced due to BBC executive’s decision. |
| 1969 | Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) | Abel (episode: “That’s How Murder Snowballs”) | Jason played a framed performer in a major London theatre. |
| 1969 | Hark at Barker | Dithers (100-year-old gardener) | Starred opposite Ronnie Barker’s Lord Rustless. |
| 1970s | Week Ending | Various roles (e.g., UK Foreign Secretary Dr. David Owen) | A weekly topical satire on radio. |
| 1970s | The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy | “B Ark Captain” (episode 6) | Radio comedy. |
| 1973 | Open All Hours | Granville | Played idealistic employee Granville opposite Ronnie Barker’s shopkeeper. |
| 1973 | No Sex Please, We’re British (West End) | Brian Runnicles | Played the role for 18 months. |
| 1975 | Darling Mr. London (Stage comedy) | Starred alongside Valerie Leon. | Toured with the show. |
| 1970s | Mostly Monkhouse | Various roles | Appeared with Bob Monkhouse. |
| 1970s | The Next Programme Follows Almost Immediately | Various roles | Radio appearances. |
| 1970s | The Jason Explanation | Himself | Jason had his own comedy series. |
| 1972 | His Lordship Entertains | Dithers (100-year-old gardener) | Sequel to Hark at Barker. |
| 1973 | Seven of One (anthology, episode: “Open All Hours”) | Granville | First appearance as Granville in this BBC comedy anthology. |
See More: Michael Madsen Biography
Personal life
| Year | Event/Detail | Notes |
| 1970 | Jason’s first daughter born | Discovered in 2022; she was born following a brief relationship with actress Jennifer Hill. |
| 1977–1995 | Long-term relationship with Welsh actress Myfanwy Talog | Lived together for 18 years. Jason nursed her through breast cancer until her death in 1995. |
| 2001 | Birth of daughter with Gill Hinchcliffe | Jason became a father at 61 when his girlfriend, 41-year-old Gill Hinchcliffe, gave birth to a girl in Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury. |
| 2005 | Married Gill Hinchcliffe | The couple lives in Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire. |
| 1999–Present | Honorary Vice Patron of the Royal International Air Tattoo | Jason has supported the organization since 1999. In 2014, he presented a cheque for £125,000 to fund flight simulators for Air Cadets. |
| 2012 | Jason expressed anti-EU sentiments in an interview | He made a controversial remark, comparing the European Union to a “Fourth Reich.” |
| 2013 | Released autobiography David Jason: My Life | The book was shortlisted for the 2013 Specsavers National Book Awards. |
| 2017 | Published Only Fools and Stories: From Del Boy to Granville, Pop Larkin to Frost | Second volume of autobiography. |
| 2017 | Credible threat made to his life | A report surfaced, but details regarding the reason for the threat remain unclear. |
| 2020 | Published third autobiography A Del of a Life | Published by Penguin Books. |
| 2022 | Discovered previously unknown daughter | Jason learned about a daughter born in 1970 from his relationship with Jennifer Hill. |
| Ongoing | Patron of the Shark Trust | Supports shark conservation through this UK-based charity. |
| Ongoing | Qualified helicopter pilot | Jason is a licensed pilot. |