John 'Boycie' Challis: why I'd never invest in property
John Challis, better known to millions as Boycie from Only Fools and Horses, tells us why he doesn't trust property investment, even though he lives in a listed property.
John Challis, who famously played Boycie in Only Fools and Horses, lives in an 800-year-old country estate but says he doesn’t trust property as an investment and would rather hide his money under the bed.
Challis, 73, now runs his own publishing house, Wigmore Books, in Herefordshire. He has published two volumes of autobiography, Being Boycie and Boycie & Beyond, and two comedic novels starring Reggie, a character based on his experiences of life in rural England. He is currently touring the UK with his one-man show, Only Fools and Boycie, an intimate evening of anecdotes from his life in showbiz.
What’s been your best paid acting job?
Doing the Green Green Grass for four years. As I was playing a leading part, my fee went up from Only Fools and Horses, where I was only a supporting character, to where I should have been from day one, I felt. But all good things come to an end.
However, it’s still being shown on cable, which is quite a good pension I suppose, because I get a royalty payment each time it’s shown. You don’t get very much if it goes on cable, but if it goes on terrestrial television, you get quite well-paid again. Having said that, it’s not a great deal - we get a percentage of a percentage. Everyone thinks that we’re all millionaires but this is England, don’t forget, and the BBC.
Does the BBC pay well?
No. At least, they pay some people very well. In terms of the sort of the thing that I did, it was always a struggle. But having said that, it’s some of the best work you’ll ever do.
There was a time we were in America doing an Only Fools and Horses special called Miami Twice and we got talking to the American actors there. And of course, they’d heard about Only Fools and Horses being the most popular comedy show in England. We got talking about how much we earned and they could not believe how little we earned comparatively.
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You live in a remote, 800-year-old, Grade I-listed abbot’s lodging house in Herefordshire. Do you think property is a good investment?
A property investment would be an endless worry for me. I watch these property programmes and see people snapping something up in the right place and then selling it for a profit, having done them up, and I think: That’s brilliant. And I know people who’ve done buying places to rent out, and I quite admire them. But personally, I don’t trust property, and I’d find the responsibility of a buy-to-let quite difficult.
I suppose the sensible thing to do is to have somewhere where you’re completely mortgage-free and doesn’t cost a lot of money to look after, and put all your money in a pension fund or premium bonds.
But the best place to put money these days is probably under the bed!
How do you feel about credit card debt?
I pay off as much as I can at the time. If I’ve been working a lot and a lot of money’s come in, I’ll pay off more than when I’m having a lean spell.
I worry about money but that’s not to say I don’t spend it.
Do you shop around for the best deals?
If I had a rotten deal, I’d certainly do something about it but no I don’t shop around. I suppose I could save myself a lot of money by doing so, but I just can’t be bothered. It doesn’t mean I’m a bad person - I’m just a bit irresponsible, that’s all. And busy.
I also resent paying bills.
What would you change if you were Chancellor?
I don’t think you should be taxed on your income from your pension. I feel sorry for people who lead blameless lives and are responsible, and then their pension pots are whittled away and disappear.
I also think it’s iniquitous when the Government taxes you twice, for example if you pay 40% Income Tax, and then your estate has to pay 40% Inheritance Tax. Having visited lots of wonderful historic houses, I think it’s a shame if Inheritance Tax takes a property away from a family who’s been looking after it or they have to start selling paintings that have been in the family for hundreds of years.
How would you describe your overall attitude to money?
Slapdash is a very good word for me.
Signed copies of books by John Challis are available from the wigmorebooks.com, where you can also check the venues and dates of his tours.
Photo: Liz Hyder
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