KEITH NEWBERY A genius who could make us laugh '“ time and time again

Since the untimely passing of writer John Sullivan, newspapers up and down the land have been quick to list favourite scenes or lines of dialogue from his most sublime creation, Only Fools and Horses.

You only have to mention phrases like ‘chandeliers,’ ‘blow-up dolls’ and ‘leaning on the bar’ to evoke an instant smile or even an instinctive snort of pleasure.

Others will quickly respond with ‘Batman and Robin’ or ‘they’re going to name him Rodney...after Dave’ to set the pleasurable roundabout in motion.

To make people laugh is difficult enough. To make them laugh twice at the same thing is often impossible.

To create a set of circumstances so hilarious an audience will giggle in anticipation and then collapse into a state of gibbering delight at something they’ve seen ten times already is an act of rare genius.

I have a friend who can watch any episode of Only Fools and Horses and lip-sync every single line of dialogue along with the characters.

I kid you not because I’ve seen her do it on more than one occasion – and it is the ultimate act of homage.

She has watched every episode so often (converting a niece and nephew into fellow addicts along the way) that she would be disqualified from entering Mastermind for the simple reason there is nothing she does not know about the show.