FUNNY OLD HOUSE
During the 1970s and 80s a good Christmas meant an hour sat in front of the TV watching The Two Ronnies Christmas Special on the BBC awash with cheeky jokes, innocent gags and famous guests including Elton John, David Essex and Elaine Paige.
These specials became such an institution that there was genuine national mourning in 1987 when their final Christmas show was aired. The end of their specials was prompted largely by both men’s desire to do more solo projects, although Barker was already suffering the effects of his heavy smoking, which eventually helped cause his death in 2005 from heart failure, aged 76. But his work endures today.
Barker’s 1976 sketch ‘Four Candles’ about a man ordering ‘fork handles’ in a hardware store, but being misunderstood, was recently voted one of the best TV sketches of all time.
Barker enjoyed a prolific career far beyond The Two Ronnies including, before it, working with David Frost on his famous Frost Reports during the 1960s, and later with the prison comedy Porridge and corner shop sitcom Open All Hours.
He was born in Bedford but brought up in Oxford and developed his comedy and singing talents at the local school. His former family home from 1935 to 1949, a two-bedroom end-ofterrace house, is now for sale with a blue plaque outside. The property is for sale at £350,000 through local agent Premier Residential Sales & Lettings (01865 792299).