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Sir David Jason says 'Darling Buds' reboot is 'not quite as good as the original'

Sir David Jason attends Cirque du Soleil's
Sir David Jason doesn't think the 'Darling Buds' reboot is as good as the original. (Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)

Sir David Jason has admitted he doesn’t think the Darling Buds Of May reboot is as good as his original.

The 81-year-old starred as Pop Larkin in the 90s TV hit but Bradley Walsh has taken over as the patriarch in The Larkins, which aired on ITV last year.

Sir David told the Daily Mail that he tuned in to the reboot but thought that the first adaptation of HE Bates’ novel was better.

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“It's not quite as good as the original,” he said of The Larkins.

“I didn’t really need to give them advice though.”

Actor David Jason pictured during the filming of 'The Darling Buds of May', July 1992. (Photo by Harry Prosser/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
Sir David Jason played Pop Larkin. (Harry Prosser/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

“It was a bit surreal to see it come through, Deja vu-ish,” added the veteran actor.

The Darling Buds Of May ran from 1991 to 1993 and as well as Sir David, it starred Pam Ferris as Ma and Catherine Zeta Jones as their daughter Mariette.

It was resurrected in October last year, with The Chase star Walsh joined by Joanna Scanlan as Ma Larkin and Mariette played by Sabrina Bartlett.

Bradley Walsh is in the reboot. (ITV)
Bradley Walsh is in the reboot. (ITV)

The original Pop was known for the phrase “perfick”, but that was one of the things that was changed for the reboot.

Speaking to the Radio Times last year, Walsh explained: “He says it in the books, of course, but it became such an iconic catchphrase in the 90s that we decided not to go back there.

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"We used the word once, maybe twice, in the whole series."

Watch: Sir David Jason on his career highlights and acting advice