When Boycie met Ice-T . . . well, on Twitter

But remarkably, Only Fools And Horses star John Challis and rap singer-turned-actor Ice-T have forged a Twitter friendship.

The two haven’t ever met, but this year they exchanged Christmas greetings, with Mr Challis wishing Ice-T and his family a festive Christmas – and Ice T sending a similar message in return.

Mr Challis lives just across the Shropshire border and became a household name when he starred in Only Fools and Horses, which remains the most popular British sitcom of all time.

They have exchanged pleasantries over a period of time, because Mr Challis is a fan of the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, in which Ice-T has starred since 2000 as NYPD Detective/ Sergeant Odafin Tutuola.

Their Twitter friendship has inspired fans and one tweeted Ice T asking him how he knew Mr Challis.

Ice T shot back: “Because I live on Earth.”

Another said: "I don't know how you and Boycie are pals, I don't need to. This, this is what Twitter is all about. My faith in humanity is restored."

Mr Challis prefers Ice-T as an actor than to a rapper and says he prefers The Rolling Stones and 1970s rock bands like Free to gangsta rap.

Ice-T and Mr Challis first started conversing in 2918, when the then-76-year-old Mr Challis told the then-60-year-old Ice-T he was just a spring chicken.

Ice-T responded: “Yes sir! It’s all perspective!”

That prompted fans to write: “Ice-T and Boycie is the best thing ever, congrats on winning the internet sirs.”

Mr Challis said he was looking forward to meeting local fans this spring, when he will hit the road with his show Only Fools and Boycie. He will visit Tenbury Wells The Regal on April 5, Telford Oakengates Theatre on April 30 and Stourport Civic Hall on May 1.

He said he wasn’t planning on telling any Ice-T stories – but would be sharing tales about Only Fools and Horses and his cast mates David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst.