He first gained recognition at the age of seventeen through the sitcom (Adam) Butterflies, but achieved stardom in the series Only Fools and Horses in which he played Rodney, the younger brother of the main character. Only Fools and Horses started as a small comedy in 1981 and rapidly grew in popularity until it reached its peak in 1996 with its Christmas Day episode gaining the largest audience ever obtained by a fictional TV show in the UK.
In 1993 in an attempt to avoid becoming typecast he accepted the position of the lead character Gary in a new science fiction sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart.
In between 1997 and 1999 Nicholas Lyndhurst was the public face of the stationery chain store WH Smith, starring as all four members of a family in their adverts. In 1997 Lyndhurst won a BAFTA for his acting in the adverts.
TV - Anne of Avonlea: The Burt Bacharach Show: David Copperfield: The Dick Emery Show: Fairies: Father's Day: Going Straight: Goodnight Sweetheart: Gulliver's Travels: Heidi: The Kenny Everett Christmas Show: The Lenny Henry Show: Losing Her: Only Fools and Horses: Our Show: Peter Pan: The Piglet Files: The Prince and the Pauper: Spearhead: Stagluft: To Serve Them All My Days: The Two of Us: Wilderness Challenge.
Films - Bequest to the Nation: Bullshot: Endless Nights: Gunbus.