He's one of Britain’s most famous and best-loved TV stars.

But Sir David Jason was quite happy to work for free with a Huddersfield film-maker – as long as he got his sausages!

The delightful story about the star’s love of the bangers from a Huddersfield farm shop came from Ben Sweet, who has worked with Jason on many projects.

And as Sir David confirmed he is reprising his role as Granville in the classic comedy Open All Hours later this year, 35-year-old Ben recalled the times they had worked together.

Jason’s autobiography is now out and recalls many of his famous roles, especially Del Boy.

Ben, of Netherthong, is full of admiration for the star and his down to earth attitude, typified by the sausages story.

“I had written a script for a comedy called All The Way Up and wanted David to have a look at it.

“I passed it on to his driver and asked him to make sure he saw it. Days later, when we were both working on the set of Frost, David came up and said he wanted to see me in his trailer. I  thought I could be in trouble for passing on a script while working for someone else, but he told me had read the script, loved it and wanted to help.

“He encouraged me to get investment which I did and we asked him not only to star in it but also to direct. We pondered how we could afford to pay the man who was probably the biggest star in British TV but in the end, asked him if he would work for free and he agreed.

“We came to Huddersfield for much of the filming at North Light Studios, in Armitage Bridge, and put up David at a farm in Hepworth.

“He became a real fan of the sausages from Hinchliffe’s Farm at Netherton so we made sure his fridge was full all the time he was here. Imagine, paying a top TV star in sausages!”

Ben had worked with Jason on several previous productions, first meeting him years ago on a Sky production called The Colour of Magic.

He later worked with him in France and Germany on Albert’s Memorial and got on well.

All The Way Up, a comedy set in a hotel, was screened across the United States and at the BFI Festival before Ben was told it was going to the Monaco Festival.

“We heard David was up for a lifetime achievement award so we arranged to fly him down there and had a great time.

“I though I was there just to see him get his award but it turned out All The Way Up scooped six awards, sweeping the board, and we celebrated with David in the Monte Carlo Casino.

Ben Sweet and Sir David Jason in Monaco to collect awards at film festival
Ben Sweet and Sir David Jason in Monaco to collect awards at film festival

“When we came back to the UK we again got together with a comedy I had written called Pearly Gates.

“We did the filming last year at Armitage Bridge and again David was brilliant.

“There was a lovely scene on Holme Moss and a woman jogger came up and saw David. She just stood there panting for breath and obviously thinking she was hallucinating.

“We also went to Marsden to look at locations and a guy on a motorcycle pulled up. He pushed up his visor and asked David if he knew where some location was for Last of The Summer Wine. He’d no idea he was talking to a comic star.”

Ben has recently got engaged to Diane Scott. He has a little girl, Phoebe, and a second child on the way, and is stepdad to Katie and James.

Now he is looking forward to more work with the comic genius.