Only Fools and Horses star Daniel Peacock on why he ditched TV job to work in a care home

express.co.uk:

care home.The actor, who played Mental Mickey in Only Fools and Horses, is the son of The Vicar of Dibley star Trevor Peacock.Daniel decided to swap his life on the small screen to work in the care home after his late father spent time in residential care before his death.

The actor spent more than four decades working in TV, working with the team of The Comic Strip Presents... and earning small roles in high-profile shows like The Bill, Doctor Who and Casualty.He is probably still best known for playing Mental Mickey in the iconic BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses.

Meanwhile, his famous father Trevor played beloved character Jim Trott in The Vicar of Dibley.Three years ago, Trevor moved into a residential home due to his battle with dementia and Alzheimer's, prompting Daniel to think about getting his first-ever “real job”.

Daniel has since described how his newfound passion for helping others has made him “a better person”. The actor recalled how, around the time that his father went into the home, he had just finished writing the second series of his TV comedy Marley's Ghosts, and had found himself at a loose end.He described how his son Charlie had then found him a job at Hastings Court, where Daniel now arranges activities for the residents.Now, Daniel goes out of his way to keep those he cares for entertained and makes his best effort to ensure their families are included."Because my dad had been in a residential home, tragically, with the most awful disease Alzheimers, it was the first time I came face to face with this terrible condition and I wasn’t overly impressed with the care home,” he explained. "So when I got here at Hastings Court, it was like a very impressive hotel.“My dad died of that horrible disease.