Hard to believe that one half of the brilliant British comedy duo almost hung it up before he got started. Ronnie Corbett says he thought long and hard about abandoning show business before he met his long-time professional partner, Ronnie Barker. As the story goes, Corbett thought about giving up a career in show business when he turned 37. Fortunately, for the entire world, he met a man with the same name, Ronnie Barker, and began work on The Frost Report at that exact age.

When first presented with the idea of hosting The One Ronnie, a Christmas day sketch comedy show on the BBC, he felt, in his words, “…slightly disloyal” at the thought of doing the show without “the other Ronnie”, Ronnie Barker. His thoughts immediately reverted back to the final time the duo performed together for a 2005 Two Ronnies Christmas Sketchbook. Commissioned to celebrate Corbett’s 80th birthday, the 2010 Christmas Day special will co-star some heavyweights from today’s British comedy world including Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey, Super Nova), Little Britain creators, Matt Lucas and David Walliams, Miranda Hart (Miranda), James Corden (Gavin and Stacey), Harry Enfield and Catherine Tate (Catherine Tate Show, Doctor Who). Happily, it will also feature Corbett’s infamous chair monologue and will end with a musical number.

If you’re in the UK and get a chance to see, would love to hear about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVVemak_vJY