Loose Women star Kate Thornton admitted that she once called the late comedy legend Ronnie Corbet a w****r during a heated moment while driving.
Speaking on her White Wine Question Time podcast, Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke reflected on a surprise moment where he once spotted Ronnie in the Strictly audience. But Kate quickly interrupted to tell her “mortifying” interaction with the Scottish actor.
She said: “I’m really digressing here, but Ronnie lived not too far from me (and) I pulled out on him once, no, he pulled out on me once, and I didn’t know it was Ronnie Corbett before I pulled a w****r sign at him. I am forever mortified at my own bad behaviour, because I pulled a w****r sign at Ronnie Corbett in traffic. That’s bad isn’t it?”
So embarrassed by the incident, she added that she even evoked the heavens after their unlikely encounter, saying: “When I saw him afterwards, I literally did a hail Mary, like please God forgive me.”
Meanwhile, earlier in the show, Anton had shared his adoration for the “golden age” of British comedy, that Ronnie is widely considered to be a pivotal part of. He said: “All of that era of entertainer I (love). The Morecombe and Wise Show, The Two Ronnies, (they’re) just extraordinary. I loved all that, it inspires you in what you do.”
Remembered by many across the country as one of the great comedy actors, he rose to prominence in the 1960s after a whole host of acting roles including You’re Only Young Twice, Rockets Galore! and Casino Royale.
But he is probably best-known for appearing alongside Ronnie Barker in the Two Ronnies that ran for a staggering 16 years before it finally came to an end in 1987. Such was the success of the BBC One show, Barker and Corbett were named winners of the Best Light Entertainment Performance at the BAFTA’s in 1972.
Before his passing in 2016 at the age of 85, his contributions to the world of comedy and acting had been well-recognised having been made a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 2012.