Ronnie Corbett on The Two Ronnies Spectacle
The well-loved comedian talks to us about the GOLD retrospective, being an inspiration to modern comics and still having the razzle dazzle
The Two Ronnies Spectacle, a new show for GOLD, promises to give viewers a charming insight into one of Britain's best-loved comedy double acts and includes rarely seen footage of Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker in action.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Ronnie Corbett told us, “It's a very good programme. It's not new sketches but they're all churned up a bit and from so far back that people won't remember them. I just about remember them! It's a very nice collection they have done.”
Asked which of the sketches he'd most enjoyed seeing again, the crinkly charmer beamed, “All of them! It's all fantastic!”
The series delves deep into The Two Ronnies and sees Corbett visit the Victoria and Albert Museum to unearth stored personal memorabilia of the late, great, Ronnie Barker, artefacts that will be shown for the first time on TV.
The show will also feature interviews with contemporary comedians including Al Murray and Rob Brydon, both huge fans of the show, who talk about what makes The Two Ronnies so well-loved.
When we asked Corbett about the impact he still has on modern comedians, he told us, “It's very touching and moving really after all these years... I'm very fortunate.”
Talking about his own comedy influences, he said, “I was brought up with Jack Benny (American comedian and violin player), Bob Hope, and Jimmy James. [Modern comedy] is all a bit more in your face than it used to be. Now, people have to fight to get recognised.”
However, the octogenarian comedian says he still has some fight left in him and, speaking about his current showbiz life, told us, “I'm still razzle dazzling, but not in the same way.”
Corbett also revealed what he'd love to do next – another episode of Have I Got News For You. He appeared on the show once in December 2004, and told us, “I have not been invited back on Have I Got News For You, it's very annoying (laughs). Put that in your article. It's a big gap in my diary.”
Corbett also talked to us about his new show, Ronnie's Animal Crackers, in which he takes a wry look at Britain’s obsession with pets, and told us about his own dog, Basil. He said, “We've got a rescue dog at home. He's a cross between a lurcher and a Schnauzer, he's a lovely dog, he's a darling.
“He's absolutely in love with Anne, my wife, and when she goes out he won't come into the house. So even in the rain he's in the garden, under a bush, waiting for the sound of Anne's car to arrive. We're going to get him a little friend, a Border Terrier, because he loves other dogs, and if the other dog comes into the house we hope that Basil will.”
The Two Ronnies Spectacle is at 8pm on Wednesdays on GOLD
