tony_2003

From the beeb

"The Two Ronnies are returning to the nation's screens after a 17-year absence, the BBC has confirmed.

Ronnie Barker, now 74, and Ronnie Corbett, 73, enjoyed huge success in the 1970s and 80s, attracting 17m viewers at their peak.

After teaming up again for a Bafta tribute show for Barker, screened last week, the pair approached the BBC about resuming their double act.

A BBC spokesman said on Saturday: "A new series has been commissioned."

'Goodnight from me...'

He said: "It was just off the back off the Bafta tribute they did that went out last week. They decided they wanted to work together again.

"The show will feature new sketches interspersed with some of their classic material."

Fans will have to wait a while to hear the famous "goodnight from me..." catchphrase again, however.

The pair have not even started writing new material yet and the spokesman said it was unlikely the show would be ready to air before next year.

The Two Ronnies first teamed up on the BBC in 1966 and their first series was broadcast in 1971, the beginning of a 15-year run.

Their songs and sketches - most famously their spoof news items - won legions of fans.

Last week's Bafta show, which honoured Barker's glittering career and which was hosted by Corbett, attracted more than 7.5m viewers."

Wasnt exactly side splitting stuff but good brit comedy none the less. Not sure at 73 they will still be able to pull this off but it's good to see the two of them are still healthy and working.

Webbie

No it won't work. Light entertainment is dead.
And thanks to British TV it is all reality shows now.
They are too old as well, haven't we suffered enough with Last Of The Summer Wine ?!

Supergirl

I'd sort of have to agree with Webbie's post. The Two Ronnies and other similar shows are too old now. I did't enjoy them when they wer are TV before.

However, I don't think that Britian is responsible for the amount of reality TV - I think it's the States.
In the UK I think that we are into far more intellegent shows such as The Office and The Royle family.

edwords

I thought they were dead.
My brother thought they were funny, I didn't.

Pimpbot

It was a Brit who invented Survivor(Mark Burnett) and tested it on the U.S. viewers first. It's still huge here, but flopped in the U.K. This was the first real reality show other than maybe the "Real World" on MTV. So we do have a huge part to play in the birth of reality TV, if you also include American Idol which was invented in the U.K. also and even the American version stars a Brit and is produced and managed by Nigel Lythgoe(sp) and Simon Fuller, ex Spice Girls manager. The Americans have just taken it and run with it, where as us Brits got bored with it unless there is a celebrity in a jungle who just happens to have big tits.

Pimpbot

Also, the new show on NBC "The Apprentice" is another Mark Burnett show.

doctor scrumpy

The current plethora of 'reality' shows are bizarre beyond belief. The dwarf who has to choose a girlfriend & the one with the lass who has to choose a straight guy amongst the mixed bunch of straight & gay guys offered. If she teams up with a straight guy, then she shares $ 1 000 000 with him.

Englishmum

I'm actually enjoying "Airline" which is currently shown on Monday nights on the A&E channel (10pm ET).

It is produced by the UK's 'Granada Television' and is basically an American version showing 'South West Airlines' instead of the UK's 'Easyjet'.

(Still, it's not as good as the BBC's 'Airport' based on Heathrow airport which is still often shown on the Discovery Wings channel).

I can't bear to watch the rest of the 'reality shows' - why would anyone want to watch people eating live insects and entrails? Yuck. There's also the 'big fat obnoxious fiance' series. What a waste of time.

It's all based on one thing; GREED.

Yorkieabroad

Never really took to the two ronnies, mainly because corbett was, well, irritating. And none more so than when he put his cardi on, sat in his rocker and told a "funny anecdote". Only good thing about that was it lasted long enough to brew a pot of tea......I'll probably watch the new series (if BBCA stick their hands in their pocket and bring it over). Barker was excellent in most of the things he did, but the best decision he made was to quit while he was still funny. Not sure that reversing that decision at his current age is wise, but time will tell.

RChappo

Didn't Ronnie Corbett resurrect his little anecdote slot on one of Ben Elton's shows on the BBC a few years back?
I seem to remember him doing it and it the jokes sounded a little old compared to all the contemporary stuff that was around it.
Was never a huge fan of the Two Ronnies but they were ok for a giggle...will be interesting to see if they can write a series that can appeal to the modern viewer though.

Supergirl

Why the quote from my message as you seem to be agreeing with me?

Pimpbot

Because you said America was responsible for the amount of reality TV and I just pointed out that it was British people who have a lot to do with it.

Supergirl

Sorry, it just wasn't that clear from your post.....that's all.