Celebratory memorial service for Ronnie Corbett at Westminster Abbey

A constant in those early years was work in Danny La Rue’s cabaret club, Winston’s. It was Danny’s club that provided a showcase for Ronnie’s talents and where he was spotted by David Frost, who was eager to recruit him for his BBC television comedy show The Frost Report. The Frost Report teamed Ronnie with Ronnie Barker and John Cleese and was to produce a memorable comedy gem in the form of John Law’s witty satire of the British class system. Cleverly using the height differences between Cleese, Barker and Corbett, it has become an enduring comedy classic, as has Ronnie’s famous line: “I know my place.” First performed over 50 years ago, it was one of Ronnie’s all-time favourite sketches . . .

Paired again with Barker for Frost on Sunday for LWT, they were both to return to BBC Television to star in a series called simply The Two Ronnies. The show was to prove a triumphant and enduring success both for its stars, and BBC Light Entertainment. For 16 years, from 1971 to 1987, upwards of 18 million viewers regularly watched The Two Ronnies on Saturday nights, making them household names. “In a packed show” we were treated to news items, frequently naughty, filmed serials, musical parodies, sketches and monologues and Ronnie C’s gifts as a comic performer were more than a match for all the diverse demands made of him. There was nothing he could not master, nothing he could not deliver.

His own solo spot, performed seated in his trademark easy chair, was a much-anticipated sequence within the show. His monologue was rambling, full of digressions, detours, sidetracks, and comic byways . . .

Ronnie had a sharp and intuitive editorial mind and in the pursuit of excellence he set the bar very high. He himself always gave a highly polished performance — assiduous in rehearsal, he was word, move and pitch perfect. He was fiercely professional and took great pride in that fact, but, above all, he was the comedy alchemist, who lifted the word from the page and transformed it into echoing golden laughter.

The comedy sketch that has immortalised them both is unquestionably Four Candles. During the read-through and rehearsal for the Four Candles sketch, Ronnie C found it supremely difficult to perform — difficult to perform, that is, without breaking down in shoulder-shaking mirth and, many times, helpless laughter. Even before an audience had seen it Terry Hughes, who directed the show, and both the Ronnies knew that they had a comedy classic in the making.

You will recall that Ronnie B serves the lines deadpan across the counter, allowing Ronnie C to display the frustration and aggravation at the multiple misunderstandings “Four Candles — no, ’andles for forks.” All the looks, gestures and muttered words of irritation were created by Ronnie C as he juxtaposed word to action. A comic tour de force and a fine example of the two Ronnies playing to their strengths. With a generosity of spirit so typical of him Ronnie characterised their work together by saying: “The success of the sketch was all that mattered to us — we were a true team.”

In the darkest night of the spirit, perhaps laughter is the signal that we are fully and defiantly still standing — and when a great laughter-maker falls silent, the world, for a moment, stops turning. Our much-loved Ronnie did not leave the world in want for happiness. He has left us a rich treasure house filled to the brim with joyous laughter.

Today we salute the achievements of one of the greatest of our entertainers and give thanks for the talents bestowed on him — Ronnie not only achieved his boyhood ambitions, but he triumphantly surpassed them and he achieved fame and stardom and, along the way, the affection and admiration of an entire nation. Aunt Nell need never have worried.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE
Mr Ronnie Corbett
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were represented by Dame Penelope Keith and the Duke of York by Sarah, Duchess of York at a service of thanksgiving to celebrate the life and work of Mr Ronnie Corbett, CBE, held on Wednesday, June 7 in Westminster Abbey.

The Lord Mayor of Westminster attended. The Very Rev Dr John Hall, dean of Westminster, officiated, gave the bidding and pronounced the blessing. The Rev Christopher Stoltz, minor canon and precentor, led the prayers assisted by the Rev Anthony Ball, canon in residence.

Ms Emma Corbett, daughter, Ms Sophie Corbett Grahame, daughter, Mr Tom Corbett, grandson, and Mr Simon Parker Bowles also said prayers.

Miss Joanna Lumley and Mr Simon Parker Bowles read the lessons. Mr James Moir gave the address. Mr Jimmy Tarbuck and Mr Rob Brydon paid tribute.

During the service Ms Fflur Wyn, soprano, sang an anthem from Handel’s Messiah and Miss Ruthie Henshall sang I’ll Be Seeing You by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal. The Westminster Abbey Special Service Choir, directed by Mr James O’Donnell, organist and master of the choristers, sang and the BBC Concert Orchestra, directed by Mr Richard Balcombe, also performed. Mr Daniel Cook, sub-organist, played the organ.

Among those present were: Mrs Anne Corbett (widow), Mr Peter Wheal Jones, Mr Gordon Grahame (sons-in-law) with other members of the family.

The Marquess and Marchioness of Lansdowne, Lord Colwyn, Lord Dalmeny, Lord Fellowes, Lord Hall of Birkenhead (director-general, BBC), Baroness Grey-Thompson, Lord McColl of Dulwich, Lord Palmer (Manderston Cricket Club), Cornelia Lady Palmer, Lady Annabel Goldsmith, the Hon Charlotte Bingham, the Hon Mrs Charlton, the Hon Sir Rocco and Lady Forte, the Hon Nigel Havers, the Hon Mark Palmer, the Hon Hugo Palmer, the Hon George Palmer, Sir Michael Codron, Lady Cotton, Lady Forsyth, Lady Carina Frost, Sir Anthony Stuart Jolliffe, Sir John Madejski, Dame Patricia Routledge, Sir Richard and Lady Stilgoe (Saints and Sinners), Lady Walport (The Amber Trust), Dame Barbara Windsor, Lady Young.

BBC Colleagues: Ms Sarah Asante, Mr Shane Allen (controller, comedy commissioning, BBC), Ms Anne Bulford (deputy director-general, BBC), Mr Matt Eastley (editor, Ariel), Mr Patrick Holland (channel controller BBC TWO), Mr Mark Linsey (director, BBC Studios), Ms Claire McCarthy, Ms Charlotte Moore (director of content, BBC), Mr Jon Plowman, Mr Robert Seatter (head of BBC History).

Other former colleagues and close friends: Mr and Mrs John Adams, Ms Wendy Allnut, Mr and Mrs Paul Arden Jones, Mr Keith Anderson, Miss Sue Andrew, Ms Liz Anstee, Ms Ayiesha Audderly, Mr Stan Appel, Mrs Rob Brydon, Ms Lesley Begley, Ms Olga Betko, Ms Beverley Bainbridge, Mrs Lin Balcombe, Mr Louis Barfe, Mr Chris Bellinger, Mrs Darshan Bhambra, Mrs Jennifer Binsted, Mr Roger Blagg, Mr and Mrs Alan Boyd, Mr Colin Browne, Mrs Deidree Braben, Mr David Braithwaite, Mr Philip Bull, Miss Lynda Baron, Ms Jean Bayless, Mr and Mrs Peter Bowles, Ms Jo Brand, Mr and Mrs Gyles Brandreth, Miss Bridget Brice, Mrs Anne Briers, Mr and Mrs Tim Brooke-Taylor, Mr Julian Clary, Mr Stephen Claypole, Mr Richard Collings, Miss Stephanie Cole, Mr and Mrs Ray Cooney, Mr Michael Crawford, Mr Barry Cryer, Mr Paul Coleman, Mr Jon Culshaw, Mrs Doreen Cannaford, Mr Jason Carter, Mr Kevin Cecil, Mr Dalawar Chandhry, Mr Keith Clement, Mr Brian Clifford, Ms Lesley Coulburn, Mr Edward Cook, Mr Paul Cullen, Ms Caroline Dapre, Mr Ian Davidson, Mr and Mrs William Dudman, Ms Tara Duffy, Mr Greg Dyke, Mr and Mrs Bob Dulson, Mr Hugh Dennis, Ms Monica Dolan, Mr Jeremy Dyson, Mr Kevin Eldon, Mr Ben Elton, Mr Paul Fagan, Mr Charles Fairall, Mr Henry Fairweather (captain, Company of Edinburgh Golfers), Mrs Norma Farnes, Ms Corinne Fisher, Mrs Joanna Fox, Mr Stephen Fry, Ms Annie Galbraith, Mr Kulvinder Ghir, Mr Rupert Gavin, Mr Ivan Gonsales, Mr Nigel Griffiths, Mr Charles Garland, Ms Helen Gartell, Ms Fiona Gilbert, Ms Kathleen Green, Ms Julie Griffiths, Mr Graham Hall, Ms Jean Hall, Ms Lorraine Heggessey, Mr and Mrs Edward Hall, Ms Juley Harding, Mr Geoffrey Hawkes, Ms Julie Hill, Ms Sarah Hitchcock, Mr and Mrs Roy Holder, Mr Mathew Horne, Mrs Marion Horton-Smith, Mrs Sandra Hurll, Miss Marguerite Hardiman, Mr Nicky Henson, Miss Doreen Hermitage, Mr Charlie Higson, Mr and Mrs Harry Hill, Ms Patricia Hodge, Miss Perrina Hoser, Mr Jim Howick, Mr and Mrs Roy Hudd, Mrs Eileen Hughes, Mr Don Hunt, Mr Robin Ince, Mr Ralph Ineson, Mr Adam James, Mr Jeremy James Taylor, Mr David Janson, Miss Sue Johnston, Mr and Mrs Paul Jackson, Mr Jon Jacob, Mr Jeremy Jacobs, Mr Tony James, Ms Mary Kalemkerian, Ms Juliette Kaplan, Mr and Mrs Denis King, Ms Shobu Kapoor, Mr Ben Kellett, Ms Sara Kestelman, Mr and Mrs John Kaye Cooper, Mr David Lamb, Mr and Mrs Eddie Large, Mrs Maureen Lipman, Mrs Jeremy Lloyd, Ms Cariad Lloyd, Ms Jenny Logan, Ms Sarah Lockett, Mr and Mrs Mike Leggo, Mr Tom Loxley, Mr Dean Lydiate, Ms Natasha Maclean, Ms Cathy McKauge, Mrs James Moir, Ms Avril MacRory, Mr and Mrs Colin Marchant, Ms Gillian Marshall, Dr David Mathew, Mr Scott Mitchell, Ms Maggie McCarthy, Ms Lynne McCulloch, Ms Anne McNaught, Ms Jenny Moir, Mr Daniel Moravanszky, Ms Caroline Morgan, Mr Marcus Mortimer, Ms Caroline Murton, Mr and Mrs Lee Mack, Ms Diane Morgan, Miss Jean Muir, Ms Clovissa Newcombe, Mrs Pat Nimmo, Mrs Susan Nobbs, Mr Graham Norton, Mr and Mrs Tony Newman, Mr and Mrs Steve Nicklin, Mr Ian Norman, Ms Nimisha Odedra, Mr Max Olesker, Ms Barunka O’Shaughnessy, Ms Laurence O’Rourke, Mr K Oldfield, Mr Jimmy Patton, Mr and Mrs Brian Patton, Ms Toni Palmer, Ms Susan Penhaligon, Mr and Mrs Nicholas Parsons, Ms Krupa Pattani, Mr and Mrs Robert Powell, Ms Maggie Partington-Smith, Mr Steve Pearce, Dr Aleksander Radunovic, Ms Penny Rainford, Mr Christopher Rayner, Ms Kathleen Relf, Ms Stella Richards, Ms Ann Rosenberg, Mr Michael Rosenberg, Mr David Reed, Mr and Mrs David Renwick, Mr Tim Renkow, Mr Andy Riley, Miss Clodagh Rodgers, Ms Lizzie Roper, Miss Anna Sharkey, Mr Bernard Sharpe, Mr Reece Shearsmith, Mr Guy Siner, Ms Frog Stone, Ms Zaneta Skerlev, Mr and Mrs Harold Snoad, Ms Joan Stribling, Mrs Jimmy Tarbuck, Mr Rodney Timson, Mr Adam Tatarczuk, Mr James Tarbuck, Ms Suzy Topolski, Mr Joe Tucker, Ms Jackie Tyler, Miss Amy Vosburgh, Mr Peter Vincent, Ms Nina Wadia, Mr David Walliams, Mrs Valerie Walsh, Ms Denise Welch, Miss June Whitfield, Mr and Mrs Simon Williams, Mr Richard Wilson, Mr James Wrighton, Mr Bobby Warans, Mr Rob Webb, Mr Paul Wheal Jones, Ms Rosalyn Wilder, Ms Sioned Wiliam, Mr Lloyd Woolf, Ms Lynda Wood, Mr Peter Wrench, Mr Antony Wroe, Mr Will Wyatt, Mr Alan Yentob, Mr and Mrs Alan Young, Miss Cheryl Young.

Extended family and friends: Dr and Mrs Bobby Abbot, Dr and Mrs Amit Abbot, Mr Israel J Allen, Ms Holly Aird, Mrs Jane Alexander, Mr Joseph Bader, Mr Mark Bader, Mr and Mrs Andrew Balchin, Ms Charlotte Barker, Mr and Mrs Larry Barker, Mr and Mrs Kevin Bishop, Mr Peter Blond, Mr Joe Bolton, Mr and Mrs David Bonthron, Mr Brett Berry, Ms Samantha Bond, Ms Sophie Bransford, Mrs Susan Campbell, Mr John Charlesworth, Ms Rosie Cheshire, Ms Jane Churchill, Ms Yolanda Costa, Mr and Mrs Peter Coughlan, Mr and Mrs Robert Chapman, Mr Richard Clark-Monks, Mrs Diane Cogan, Mr M Cook, Ms Susan Cook, Mr Derek Cullen Jones, Mr Blake Corrigan, Mr Christopher Dagger, Mr Billy Differ, Mr Mike Daunt, Mr and Mrs Anthony Dumble, Mr and Mrs David Earle, Ms Linda Edwards, Mr Brian Eagles, Mr Mark Fox, Ms Emma Ferguson, Mr Gordon Ferguson, Mr Robert Finikiotis, Dr and Mrs Nicholas Ford, Mr Rob Forshaw, Mr and Mrs Paul Frank, Mr Henry Fairweather, Mr and Mrs Greg Finn, Mr and Mrs Anthony Gale, Mr and Mrs Bernard Gallacher, Mr and Mrs Zachary Gonelli, Mr and Mrs Geoff Green, Mr and Mrs George Grahame, Mrs Valerie Grange, Mr and Mrs William Grant, Mr and Mrs Michael Grantham, Ms Lesley Garrett, Mrs Christine Hennesey, Ms Kate Hardwicke, Mr and Mrs James Hare, Mr and Mrs Peter Harrison, Mr and Mrs Gavin Hart, Mr Gareth Hart, Mr and Mrs Tony Hart, Mr and Mrs John Hartnett, Ms Sandra Huggett, Mr Brian Huggett, Miss Mary Husband, Mrs S Ingleby-Mackenzie, Mrs Maggie Jackson, Mrs Nikki Jarvis, Mr Steven Jenkins, Mr Joe Jaeger, Ms Sonia Jordan, Ms Sarah Keeler, Mr and Mrs David Ker, Dr and Mrs Peter King, Mr and Mrs Tony King, Mr and Mrs Barrie Laird, Mr John Leach, Professor and Mrs Gerald Libby, Mr Bernard Lloyd-Jones, Ms Kirsty Lloyd-Jones, Mr and Mrs James Luck, Mr Helli Luck- Bransford, Mr and Mrs Steve Lowy-Hamilton, Mr Phillip Martyn, Mr Andrew McCormack, Mr Lawrence Mayson, Mr Max Melia, Mr and Mrs Paul Morrissey, Mr Tony Murkett, Ms Rosanna Major, Mr Peter Mansfield, Mr and Mrs Laurie Mansfield, Mr and Mrs Ronald McDonald, Mr Daniel McGrath, Mr and Mrs Sean McGrath, Ms Jane McGrath, Mrs Sheila McGrath, Mr Peter Meier, Mr and Mrs Ron Morton, Mr and Mrs Anton Mosimann, Mrs Carol Neish, Mr Ryan Noades, Ms Kelly-Jane Noades, Mrs Joyce Oliver, Mr and Mrs Dennis Outhwaite, Ms Su Pollard, Mr Joe Purefoy, Mr Frederick Pyne, Mr James Pickering, Ms Marguerite Porter, Dr and Mrs Robert Parish, Dr James Pitt-Payne, Ms Sophie Pyecroft-O’Brien, Mr Elio Pace, Mrs Ros Packer, Ms Jen Palmer-Violet, Mr and Mrs Bipin J Panchasara, Mr and Mrs Sam Parker Bowles, Mrs Deborah Parks, Mr and Mrs Simon Peters, Mrs Joan Prichard, Mr Roy Pyke, Mr and Mrs John Quested, the Rev Canon and Mrs Leo Arthur Quinn, Ms Libby Reeves-Purdie, Ms Jo Rendle, Mr and Mrs Donald Rice, Mrs Lisa Rudd, Mr and Mrs Edward Rudd, Dr Aleksander Radunovic, Ms Natalie Roles, Mr and Mrs Peter Saunders, Ms Lolita Smallman, Mr and Mrs Peter Saunter, Ms Roma Schinkel, Mr Martin Seaward, Ms Annette Sharville, Ms Emma Sheldon, Mr and Mrs Alexander Spencer-Churchill, Mr David Stubbings, Mr and Mrs Raman Subba Row, Mr Michael Thornton, Mr and Mrs John Vigar, Miss Lalla Ward, Mr Marcus Wright, Mrs Anna Wright, Mr Archie Waddell, Mr and Mrs Anthony Watson, Miss Barbara Whatley, Ms Mandy Ward, Mr and Mrs John Wheal Jones, Mr Henry Wyndham, Mr and Mrs Richard Young.

Representatives: Mr Mark Benson, Mr and Mrs Neil Benson, Mr Bobby Bevan, Mr Peter Burrell, Mr Charlie Carter, Mr John Fingleton, Mr Christopher Hesketh-Harvey, Mr Allan Lamb, Mr John Mathew, QC, Mr Stanley McMurtry, Mr Colin Mitchell, Mr and Mrs Bill Martin, Mr and Mrs Frank McKay, Mr Mark Nicholas, Mr George O’Grady, Mr Nick Stewart, Mr Joe Stilgoe (Saints and Sinners), Mr and Mrs Christopher Patterson, Mr Raymond Greenway (chairman, Croydon Carers), and Mrs Greenway, Mrs Jan Lloyd, Mrs Celia Moreton-Pritchard, Mr Peter Charlton Mr Michael Pointon (Max Wall Society), Mr Richard Pacitti (chief executive, Mind in Croydon), Mr and Mrs Robert Lindsay (Royal Theatrical Fund), Mr John Harvey, Ms Kate Asselman (Stroke Association), Mr and Mrs Richard Price (Home Farm Trust), Mr and Mrs Anthony Webster (RNLI), Mr and Mrs Geoff Webb (The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award), Mr Gavin Tait (Amber Trust), Mr Giles Cooper (Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund), Mr Matt Hood, Ms Christine Payne (Equity), Mr Roger S Kirby (Urology Foundation), Mr Geoff Bowden (British Music Hall Society), Ms Avis Hakes, Ms Denise Dawes, Ms Adrienne Ramsey (Last Chance Animal Rescue) together with many more friends, former colleagues and organisations having connection with Mr Corbett.