Oh dear, what can the matter be? It’s Ronnie locked in the lavatory
IT sounds like something straight from a classic Two Ronnies sketch.
Indeed it could have been one of Ronnie Corbett’s tall tales during his famous monologues on the show.
But the Edinburgh-born comedian has admitted for the first time to a rather embarrassing habit of finding himself locked in the loo – not just his own, but also some royal toilets.
The 83-year-old revealed he once even had to free himself with a screwdriver moments before giving a reading at a memorial service.
He made the admission on BBC1’s The Graham Norton Show, which is being aired tonight.
‘I have been trapped in some posh toilets including those in Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, and at Victor Spinetti’s memorial at St Paul’s Covent Garden, I got locked in the loo,’ he said.
‘I had to scream and shout and eventually someone threw a screwdriver over the door.’
He also took the opportunity to brush off recent health fears after a report claimed he was retiring due to illness. Corbett said: ‘It was absolute nonsense.’
He said the tabloid newspaper whi c h made the error had apologised, adding: ‘They sent me some booze and plenty of money which I’m dividing among a number of care homes.’
He also put to rest an urban myth that he appeared as an ape in the movie classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. He said director Stanley Kubrick had thought he would be ‘ideal’, but he said: ‘I turned it down.’
Despite the death of partner Ronnie Barker, Corbett is determined to carry on with his showbiz career. He recently forged a partnership with Ricky Gervais – who appears on tonight’s show – in sitcom Extras. Corbett admitted he had to think carefully about it, as the role showed him snorting cocaine.
Speaking at the time, he said he only agreed after news veteran Moira Stuart was recruited as the ‘drug supplier’. He explained: ‘That was the safety valve.’