Later Career
His best known role away from The Two Ronnies is as the 40-something Timothy Lumsden, dominated by his mother, in the sitcom Sorry! (1981-1988). In 1996, he appeared on the première of the short-lived BBC game show, Full Swing, hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck. In 1997, Corbett played Reggie Sea Lions in the film Fierce Creatures, which also starred his former comedy teammate John Cleese.
He also hosted the game show Small Talk and has played minor parts occasionally since its end – notably Griselda in a television production of Cinderella in 2000, and reviving his armchair monologue routines for a weekly appearance in a stand-up show hosted by Ben Elton.
In 2003 he appeared in advertisements for the Sky+ digital television service alongside Alice Cooper. The premise was a running gag about their being happy housemates. In December 2004, Corbett appeared on the BBC news quiz, Have I Got News For You.
In 2005 Corbett teamed up again with Ronnie Barker for The Two Ronnies Sketchbook, comedy sketches from their original series with original linking material. Also in 2005 Corbett appeared with comedian Peter Kay, in the spoof music video for the number 1 single Is This the Way to Amarillo?, mimed to the song by Tony Christie. Corbett is remembered for accidentally falling over in the video, however he found the fall funny when played back, and it was kept in the final version.
He performed in Children's Party at the Palace as Mr Tibbs, the Queen's butler.
In 2006, he played a hyper-realised version of himself in Extras, caught taking drugs at the BAFTA Awards. He also starred as himself in Little Britain Abroad, in which Bubbles DeVere tried successfully to seduce him. He opened the centre in Cromer, North Norfolk, named for Henry Blogg, "the greatest lifeboatman of all time" . He had opened Cromer's high school swimming pool in the 1970s.
Corbett was the "castaway" in the BBC Radio 4 show, Desert Island Discs on 21 October 2007. He featured as a Slitheen in a Sarah Jane Adventures episode for Red Nose Day 2009.
He had a television interview about his life on 7 November 2009 for Piers Morgan's Life Stories. On 14 November 2009 he hosted Strictly Come Dancing alongside Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Regular host Bruce Forsyth had flu.
In February 2010 he was in the John Landis thriller comedy, Burke and Hare. In August 2010 he was a panellist in the BBC 1 comedy show Would I Lie to You?.
In August 2010 he was the star of the Good Food HD programme, Ronnie Corbett's Supper Club, with Rob Brydon, and Rob's good friend Steve Speirs. The show's premise was, the main guest of the programme has to choose a meal as if it were their last, and Ronnie would cook it for him/her and his other guest, whilst they chatted about the guest's past and their current/future projects. In December of the same year he starred in a one off special: The One Ronnie.
In 2010 - 2011 he starred in two series of the BBC4 radio sitcom "When The Dog Dies". The series reunited Corbett with Ian Davidson and Peter Vincent, the writers of Sorry! The series returned to BBC Radio Four for a second series in August and September 2012.
Already Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to entertainment and charity.
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