British acting icon Ronnie Corbett dies aged 85

[-:Undertaker:-]

Breaking just now.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...er_dailymailUK

British acting icon and comedian Ronnie Corbett dies aged 85 surrounded by family

British comedy icon Ronnie Corbett has died aged 85, it was announced today.

The comedian is best known for his appearances alongside Ronnie Barker in The Two Ronnies in the 1970s and 1980s.

He spent his life on TV, appearing in programmes including the sitcom Sorry! and the game show Small Talk. He most recently starred in the Radio 4 sitcom When the Dog Dies.

Corbett is survived by his wife, Anne Hart, who he married in 1965, and the couple's two daughters, actresses Emma and Sophie Corbett. Corbett and his wife celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last year.

The 5ft 1in comedian has divided his time in recent years between his homes in Croydon, south London and Gullane, East Lothian, which is not far from his birthplace of Edinburgh.

Corbett collapsed at a dinner to celebrate him being awarded a CBE in 2012 and was rushed to hospital, from where he was discharged two days later.

His wife later said her husband had been taking a ‘considerable amount of medication’ following a knee operation and she believed the drugs contributed to his collapse.

He was also hospitalised with gall bladder problems in 2014 but was back on his feet a week later and was said to be 'enjoying work and life'.

Corbett will be best remember for his role in classic sketches in the Two Ronnies, as well as his monologues delivered from a large armchair. Barker died of heart failure in 2005.

Corbett said of his iconic status in 2013: 'I do find the 'national treasure’ thing very touching. Actually, it brings a tear to my eye when people call me that.'

Wow that is a shock. He seemed in fairly good health and I expected him to go on.

RIP. He seemed a genuinely nice guy.

[Chris]

Not another one Thats such a shame, he was brilliant. RIP

[j0rd]

noooooo
the two ronnies were my favourite thing when I was younger

[Empired]

Ahh my mum will be so sad when she's home RIP

Loads of people from my (and probs a lot of other peoples) childhood(s) seem to be dying this year

[myles]

god bless him he is in a better place now

[Joe]

Shit shit shit. This year is not good at all.

[David]

rip

[Expling]

I've seen his face before vaguely I think...
so sad though
RIP

[-:Undertaker:-]

He was just about to be awarded a Knighthood too reports the Daily Telegraph and become Sir Ronnie Corbett. What a shame.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016.../?sf23473367=1

Ronnie Corbett, one of the nation’s best-loved entertainers, was to have been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, after a discreet campaign led by fellow comedian David Walliams, the Daily Telegraph can disclose.

Corbett, who died yesterday aged 85, had been approved for a knighthood by the honours committee, after a small group of top entertainers warned mandarins that the comedian was gravely ill, Whitehall sources said.

Walliams, who yesterday described Corbett as his "comedy idol", is said to have been the driving force behind the proposal for the diminutive entertainer to receive the award, after years of protests from fans that he had been repeatedly overlooked.

It is understood that the honours committee concluded earlier this year that Corbett should receive a knighthood in June, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Lord Fellowes, the Downton Abbey creator, who sits on the arts and media honours committee, refused to discuss the workings of the panel. But he added: "I think he should have been awarded a knighthood."

[The Don]

He was just about to be awarded a Knighthood too reports the Daily Telegraph and become Sir Ronnie Corbett. What a shame.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016.../?sf23473367=1

I was pretty surprised to see he hadn't already been knighted, shame. RIP