Apparently, the writer of Only Fools and Horses, John Sullivan, is writing a prequel. The Mail have reported that the new series will focus on Del Boy’s mysterious dad Freddy Robdal. Weirder still, Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played Rodney in the original, is being lined up to play Peckham gangsetr, Freddy The Frog. The BBC haven’t given the show the green light yet, which is good news as they might want to think long and hard before giving it the go-ahead. I mean, do we really need more Only Fools and Horses in our lives? I’m not sure we do.

Related: Only Fools and Horses quiz on TV Scoop

There’s no questioning the place that Only Fools and Horses holds in the British heart. It’s a comedy staple for just about everyone I know. However, the time has gone for the show. What made the show a success that, through Del Boy, we were able to poke fun at the horrible yuppies of the ’80s. He was a go-getter… and a rubbish one at that.

However, despite the seemingly constant repeats of the programme and high placings in clip-shows, comedy has changed. We’re all a lot more cynical. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is beside the point. The fact is, our tastes have changed.

With that, Only Fools and Horses is well remembered and loved as a period piece. A reflection of the ’80s to prompt a giggle and now, nostalgia. Leaving it alone ensures that it never sullies in our minds. When we remember the show, we tend to erase the latter-end of the run, because basically, it went a bit rubbish. When the Trotters became millionaires, they lost their purpose.

Making a prequel could well be ill-advised as it could sully the memory of something once hugely adored. Look at the way Star Wars fans clogged up internet message boards with their disdain at The New Ones. The same could happen here as, it’s pretty likely, that Sullivan isn’t the writer he once was… or, more worryingly, he’s exactly the writer he was and we’ve all moved on.

Making this prequel may pique the interest for a while, but the whole thing sounds like a bad idea to me. You only need to look at the prospect of Nicholas Lyndhurst playing a gangster for that.