Editing The Two Ronnies

{{Short description|British television comedy sketch show (1971–1987)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox television
| image        = Tworonniesspecs.JPG
| caption      = The spectacles logo from the show's opening. Both performers wore glasses; Barker's are on top, Corbett's underneath.
| runtime      = 40–58&nbsp;minutes
| creator      = [[Bill Cotton]]
| starring     = {{Plainlist|
* [[Ronnie Barker]]
* [[Ronnie Corbett]]
}}
| country      = United Kingdom
| company      = [[BBC]]
| network      = [[BBC One|BBC1]]
| num_series   = 12
| num_episodes = 93
| first_aired  = {{Start date|1971|4|10|df=y}}
| last_aired   = {{End date|1987|12|25|df=y}}
| related      = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[The Two Ronnies Sketchbook]]''
* ''[[The One Ronnie]]''
}}
| language     = English
}}

'''''The Two Ronnies''''' is a British television [[British comedy|comedy]] [[sketch show]] starring [[Ronnie Barker]] and [[Ronnie Corbett]]. It was created by [[Bill Cotton]] and aired on [[BBC One|BBC1]] from 10 April 1971 to 25 December 1987. 

The usual format included sketches, solo sections, serial stories, and musical finales. Their [[Four Candles]] sketch, first broadcast on 18 September 1976, was voted their funniest sketch in a television poll.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7155024.stm | work=BBC News | title=Fork handles script makes £48,500 | date=2007-12-20 | accessdate=21 February 2025}}</ref> In 2006, the British public ranked the duo number 6 in [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]'s poll of [[TV's 50 Greatest Stars]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5142726.stm|title=ITV to salute '50 greatest stars'|date=3 July 2006|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref>

==Origins==
[[Ronnie Barker]] and [[Ronnie Corbett]] met in 1963 at the Buckstone Club in [[Haymarket, London|the Haymarket]], London, where Corbett was serving drinks between acting jobs. At the time, Barker was beginning to establish himself as a [[character actor]] in the [[West End of London|West End]] and on radio. They were invited by [[David Frost]] to appear in his new show, ''[[The Frost Report]]'', with [[John Cleese]],<ref>"The True Ronnies" – ''[[The Australian|The Weekend Australian Magazine]]'' – 11–12 November 2006</ref> but the pair's big break came when they filled in, unprepared and unscripted, for eleven minutes during a technical hitch at a [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] awards ceremony at the [[London Palladium]] in 1971.<ref name="ITOW">{{Cite news |title=The Two Ronnies: In Their Own Words |url=http://www.channel5.com/show/the-two-ronnies-in-their-own-words/ |access-date=1 January 2018 |work=[[Channel 5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]] |date=2018-01-01 }}</ref> In the audience was [[Bill Cotton]], the Head of Light Entertainment for the BBC, and [[Paul Fox (television executive)|Paul Fox]], the Controller of BBC1. Cotton was so impressed by the duo that he turned to Fox and asked: "How would you like those two on your network?" Unknown to the pair, the renewal of their contract had just been declined by [[London Weekend Television]] of rival network [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]], freeing them to change channels.<ref name="ITOW" /> Barker and Corbett were given their own show by the BBC.<ref name=RB-obit>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/473779.stm |title=Entertainment &#124; Obituary: Ronnie Barker |publisher=BBC News |date=4 October 2005 |access-date=18 September 2010}}</ref>

==Production==

=== Writing ===
The show was based on the complementary personalities of Barker and Corbett, who never became an exclusive pairing, but continued to work independently in television outside of the editions of the ''Two Ronnies''. The show was produced annually between 1971 and 1987. It had many notable writers including [[Ray Alan]], [[John Cleese]], [[Barry Cryer]], [[Spike Milligan]], [[David Nobbs]], [[David Renwick]], Terry Ravenscroft, [[Eric Idle]], [[John Sullivan (writer)|John Sullivan]], [[Michael Palin]], Bryan Blackburn, [[Terry Jones]], and [[Laurie Rowley (writer)|Laurie Rowley]]. In addition, Barker used the pseudonym [[Gerald Wiley]] when writing sketches. Barker and Corbett would often structure each show themselves, alongside scriptwriters [[Ian Davidson (scriptwriter)|Ian Davidson]] and Peter Vincent.

===Theme music===
The main theme music for the show was composed by [[Ronnie Hazlehurst]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ronnie-hazlehurst-the-man-who-set-the-bbc-to-music-dies-aged-79-395811.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ronnie-hazlehurst-the-man-who-set-the-bbc-to-music-dies-aged-79-395811.html |archive-date=20 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Ronnie Hazelhurst obituary|last1=Byrne|first1=Ciar|date=2007-10-02|website=The Independent|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref> Although opening and closing credits appear to use different themes, they are respectively the first & third sections of a longer piece.

Another track associated with the show is the [[production music|stock track]] ''The Detectives'' by [[Alan Tew]] (also known as the theme to 1975 [[Yorkshire TV]] series ''[[The Hanged Man (TV series)|The Hanged Man]]''). This was used for the Charlie Farley & Piggy Malone story ''Stop You're Killing Me''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://randomramblingsthoughtsandfiction.blogspot.com/2016/03/theme-time-alan-tew-two-ronnies-and.html|title=Theme Time: Alan Tew - The Two Ronnies and The Hanged Man|date=2016-03-31|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>

== Format ==

===Newsdesk===
''The Two Ronnies'' always opened and closed at the newsdesk, which featured the Ronnies as newsreaders, reading spoof news items. This gave rise to the famous [[catchphrase]] at the end of each show:

<blockquote>
''Corbett:'' That's all we've got time for, so it's "Good night" from me.<br/>
''Barker:'' And it's "Good night" from him.<br/>
''Both:'' Good night!<ref>These lines were recently{{when|date=April 2011}} used in the second series of the BBC production of ''[[Robin Hood (2006 TV series)|Robin Hood]]''.</ref>
</blockquote>

=== Sketches ===
The show featured comic sketches in which Barker and Corbett appeared both together and separately, with various additions giving the programme the feeling of a variety show. Barker liked to parody officialdom and establishment figures, as well as eccentrics. Corbett appeared quieter, more often acting as a foil for Barker, but remained an important part of the chemistry. Some of the jokes involved Corbett's height and Barker's weight:

''Barker:'' And now, a sketch about an enormous embarrassment at a small party. Mr. Ronnie Corbett plays the small party.<br />
''Corbett'' (pause): And Mr. Ronnie Barker plays the enormous embarrassment!<br />

Other jokes could be playfully risqué, as found on [[seaside postcard]]s, for example:

<blockquote>
''Man'' (''sotto voce''): Tickle your botty with a feather tonight?<br />
''Woman'' (outraged): I ''beg'' your pardon? <br />
''Man:'' Particular grotty weather tonight.
</blockquote>

Some of the show's material contained elements of [[Surreal humour|surreal]] or left-field humour, in the vein of [[Monty Python]]. This wasn't surprising, because in the early years of the show many sketches were written by members of the Python troupe themselves (John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and Terry Jones) and featured eccentric people being comically violent. 

Corbett and Barker joined forces some time after their peers, by which time the comedy world had moved toward [[satire]], absurdist surrealism, and the beginnings of [[Alternative comedy|alternative humour]]. This left the field for more traditional comedy open to Corbett and Barker, who freely indulged in puns, wordplay, misunderstandings, and ridiculous situations.

====Notable sketches====

* Swedish Made Simple (1974) – A Swedish waiter simplifies his customer's orders using subtitles where each word is translated to a letter. ("Have you any tea?" becomes "F. U. N. E. T.?")
* [[Four Candles]] (1976) – A hardware shopkeeper becomes increasingly frustrated while misunderstanding what a farmhand is requesting.
* Mastermind (1980) – A contestant on the quiz show [[Mastermind (British game show)|''Mastermind'']] answers each question before last. 
* The Sweet Shop (1980) – A sweet-shop owner whose motto is "nothing is too much trouble" has to deal with a very fussy customer.
* Crossword (1980) – On a train, a slow-witted commuter struggles aloud with his easy crossword while a serious man tries to complete his own intellectual crossword.
* Crossed Lines (1981) – Two men next to each other at supermarket payphones have their conversations unintentionally answering each other.
* Courtroom Quiz (1984) – [[Patrick Troughton]] plays a judge overhearing a cross-examination that takes the form of quiz-show questions. 
* The Sheikh in the Grocery Store (1985) – An Arab man struggles to convey his shopping list to the vendor in a grocery store.

===Solo sections===
Both Barker and Corbett had their own solo sections on each show. Barker would have his own heavily wordplay-based sketch, often as the head of a ridiculous-sounding organisation (for example, the "Anti-Shoddy Goods Committee"). Likewise, Corbett always had a discursive solo [[monologue]] in each show, when he sat in a chair, facing the camera, attempting to tell a simple joke, but constantly distracting himself into relating other humorous incidents. The joke itself was normally deliberately corny; the humour came from Corbett's wild tangents, as well as the anticlimax when he finally reached the punchline.

An example of Ronnie Corbett's humour is this short excerpt from a monologue:

{{cquote|I was lying in bed with my wife last Sunday morning when she called me by a special pet name she has for me, a loving and endearing term that only she uses. 'Hey, Shorty' she said, 'would you like to hear the patter of little feet?' Somewhat taken aback, I replied 'Yes, I would.' She said 'Good. Run down to the kitchen and get me a glass of water.'}}

===Serial stories===
It became a tradition of the shows to have a continuing serial story which progressed through the eight episodes of a series. These were often fairly bawdy tales with special guest stars. The Two Ronnies also starred in two spin-off silent films labelled ''The Two Ronnies Present...'', ''[[By the Sea (1982 film)|By the Sea]]'' and ''[[The Picnic (1976 film)|The Picnic]]'', written by Barker, mainly silent comedies featuring a squabbling upper-class family with a 1920s feel about them.

====''Hampton Wick'' (1971)====
The very first serial of ''The Two Ronnies'' was written by Barker, and began as a pastiche of costume dramas about a governess called Henrietta Beckett, played by [[Madeline Smith]]. Barker played a sex-starved aristocrat called Sir Geoffrey, and Corbett played his son Edward, but further into the serial, the Ronnies portrayed a wide variety of other characters, including pick-pockets and royals. At the end it is revealed to be just a dream when she wakes up in Hampton Wick Cottage Hospital after having an accident.

====''Done to Death'' (1972)====
Piggy Malone (Barker) and Charley Farley (Corbett) are private detectives who investigate a mystery about a murdered family, featuring [[Sue Lloyd]] as Blanche Brimstone. As soon as Piggy finds out about the murder in the newspaper, a decision's made that means a trip to the country, and there's a second murder during an unusual gathering. Also featuring are secretary Miss Whizzer and the rest of the Brimstone family, through which the detectives narrow down the culprit. The first seven episodes of ''Done to Death'' ended with the words "Only one thing was for certain. There would be very little sleep for anyone that night."

====''Death Can Be Fatal'' (1975)====
Piggy and Charley's second serial begins when a frogman delivers a note, and the duo are sent in search of the formula for the Clumsy Drug, alongside [[Cyd Hayman]] as Madame Eloise Coqoutte. Corbett and Barker also play the two villains, the notorious Mr Greensleeves and his Japanese henchman Bobjob. In the end the mystery is solved as the formula is revealed on a pair of women's knickers. The endings for ''Death Can Be Fatal'' were based on more, as Corbett put it, 'exaggerated [[Dick Barton]] lines', such as "Is this the end for our two heroes? What of Madame Cocotte? Is she in some bedroom somewhere, lying in wait with a silencer? Or lying in silence with a waiter? Find out next week in another exciting episode, ''Villa of Villainy''."

====''The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town'' (1976)====
{{Main|The Phantom Raspberry Blower}}
Written by [[Spike Milligan]] and [[Ronnie Barker]] but credited as "Spike Milligan and a Gentleman" (after the fashion of 19th-century minister [[James Lord Pierpont]], who credited himself on occasion as "a gentleman"). Set in [[Victorian era|Victorian]] times, it is a [[Jack the Ripper]] parody in which a mysterious figure goes around blowing [[Blowing a raspberry|raspberries]] at members of the upper classes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00bvbn2|title=BBC One - The Two Ronnies, Series 5, Episode 1, The Phantom Raspberry Blower|website=BBC|date=28 October 2010 }}</ref> The raspberries were done by Barker's friend [[David Jason]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P-e6AwAAQBAJ&q=David+Jason+performed+the+required+%27Raspberrys%27+blown+by+the+Phantom&pg=PA232|title=David Jason: My Life|first=David|last=Jason|date=7 September 2014|publisher=Penguin Random House|isbn=9780099581161|via=Google Books}}</ref> This entire section of sketches was included in Milligan's book "I Told You I Was Ill".

====''Stop! You're Killing Me'' (1977–78)====
Piggy and Charley return as [[Devon]]'s yokels are murdered and dumped in London, with support from [[Kate O'Mara]] as the gypsy temptress, Lucy Lee.

====''Sid and Lily, George and Edie'' (1978-79)====
This is not so much a serial as a series of sketches with the same characters that spanned series 7. Sid and George enjoy pints while discussing their wives Lily and Edie.

====''The Worm That Turned'' (1980)====
[[Diana Dors]] guest-starred as the Commander of the State Police in this spoof piece of [[dystopian fiction]] set in 2012 in which women rule England. Male and female gender roles are completely reversed, even down to men having women's names and vice versa. Men are [[Housekeeper (domestic worker)|housekeeper]]s and wear women's clothes, and law and order is managed by female guards in boots and hot pants. [[Big Ben]] is renamed Big Brenda, the [[Tower of London]] is renamed [[Barbara Castle]], and the [[Union Jack]] becomes the Union Jill. The watching of chauvinistic films is prohibited, so the Two Ronnies (as Janet and Betty) prepare to escape to Wales.

==== ''Band of Slaves'' (1981–82)====
The last serial to include Piggy Malone and Charley Farley, in which an all-girl orchestra is sold into white slavery by a demented Chinaman. [[Elizabeth Larner]] plays Mrs Bumstead, who notices a mysterious blind man appearing on the cruise ship. Location filmed on board P&O [[SS Canberra]] cruise out of Southampton. This was the last of The Two Ronnies' serials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tworonnies.co.uk/2017/12/08/unseen-series-9-band-of-slaves-serial-filming-photographs-discovered/|title=Unseen Series 9 'Band of Slaves' Serial Filming Photographs Discovered|date=8 December 2017}}</ref>

===Outside performers===
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2022}}
Apart from Corbett and Barker, several actors from television appeared multiple times in the series, most notably John Owens and [[Claire Nielson]], who appeared in twenty-one and seventeen episodes respectively throughout the series. Other frequent performers include [[April Walker]], John Rutland, [[Michael Redfern]], [[Jenny Logan]], [[Alec Bregonzi]], [[Carol Hawkins]], [[Dilys Watling]], [[Joyce Windsor]], [[Julia McKenzie]], [[Barbara New]], Ian Gray, [[Johnnie Wade]], [[Patricia Brake]] (who starred with Barker in the sitcom ''[[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]'', which aired at the same time as the series), [[Josephine Tewson]] (who would go on to co-star in Barker's tv series [[Clarence (British TV series)|''Clarence'']]), [[Noel Dyson]] and [[Vicki Michelle]]. [[The Fred Tomlinson Singers]] appeared as background singers in twenty-five episodes. Also appearing as part of a dance group was Corbett's wife Anne.

As the series gathered more popularity, the sketches began to feature more famous and well-known British actors, including [[John Cleese]], [[Patrick Troughton]], [[Stratford Johns]], [[Joan Sims]], [[Patricia Routledge]], [[Jenny Agutter]], [[Lynda Baron]] (Ronnie Barker's co-star in ''[[Open All Hours]]'') and [[Peter Wyngarde]].

Before achieving fame in the sitcom ''[[Hi-de-Hi!]]'', [[Barry Howard]] appeared in several early episodes as an uncredited extra. Other actors who appeared as extras before their rise to fame include [[Andrée Bernard]] and [[John Scott Martin]].

===Music===
Another regular feature of the shows was an elaborate musical finale in which Barker and Corbett – sometimes with one or both in drag – and company would sing a medley of songs in character, in [[Barbershop music|barbershop]], [[music hall]], [[Gilbert and Sullivan]],<ref>Gilbert and Sullivan sketches were included in the second episode of the first series, first shown on 17 April 1971 and as the finale to [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000VA3J6G "The Two Ronnies Old Fashioned Christmas Mystery"], their 1971 TV Christmas special.</ref> [[George Formby, Jr.|George Formby]], or other styles, with the original words altered to suit whatever comic situation they were portraying. Some of the finales had Barker and Corbett imitating other performers, like [[Charles Aznavour]], [[Nana Mouskouri]], [[Dolly Parton]], [[Richard Burton]] and [[Elizabeth Taylor]], and [[Hinge and Bracket]].

In the middle of the show, there would also be a [[cabaret]] musician or group appearing as a special guest, including [[New World (band)|New World]], [[Tina Charles (singer)|Tina Charles]], [[Georgie Fame]] and [[Alan Price]], [[Samantha Jones (singer)|Samantha Jones]], [[Dana Rosemary Scallon|Dana]], [[Elkie Brooks]], [[The Manhattan Transfer|Manhattan Transfer]], [[Pan's People]], [[Michel Legrand]], [[Barbara Dickson]], [[the Nolan Sisters]], [[Elton John]], [[Marti Webb]], [[Clodagh Rogers]], [[Elaine Paige]], and [[Phil Collins]], the last of whom also took part in a few sketches. The program's earliest episodes also featured specialty acts, usually in pantomime, by international vaudevillians like [[Chaz Chase]] and Jo, Jac and Joni.

==Popularity==
''The Two Ronnies'' became one of the most successful and long-running light entertainment shows on British television, broadcast in the [[Prime time|prime-time]] slot of 8&nbsp;p.m. on a Saturday night, and at its peak, was watched by 18.5 million viewers a show.<ref name="RB-obit"/> Following the departure of [[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1978 TV series)|Morecambe and Wise]] from the BBC in 1978, ''The Two Ronnies'' became the BBC's flagship light-entertainment programme, regularly gaining the top viewing figures in the critical Christmas Day audience battle. A memorable ''[[Radio Times]]'' cover for the extended Christmas issue in 1973 had both double acts appearing side by side.<ref>[http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/galleries/christmas-covers/04/mainImage.jpg "Galleries: Christmas and New Year Double Issue"]. [[Radio Times]], 22 December 1973. Retrieved 8 May 2011.</ref>

===Spin-offs and compilation series===
In 1986, a multi-part compilation series titled ''Twenty Years of the Two Ronnies'' was aired, which featured the pair picking some of their classic sketches. It was followed by ''Twenty-One Years of the Two Ronnies'' in 1987 and ''Twenty-Two Years of the Two Ronnies'' in 1988.

The pair made no new shows after [[The Two Ronnies 1987 Christmas Special|Christmas 1987]], following Barker's decision to retire from show business. This was unknown to the audience and even the production team – the only person Barker told was Corbett, and they and their wives all went for a meal straight after the recording, keeping it a very low-key affair.

===''The Two Ronnies in Australia''===
''The Two Ronnies'' was regularly screened in Australia on [[ABC Television (Australian TV network)|ABC Television]], and was repeated several times. In 1986 the series was reported as being into its second or third airing, and being broadcast in a respectable time slot.<ref name="19860602CollierShayneAgain">Collier, Shayne. Again and again and again. ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] – The Guide'': 2 June 1986, p.1, 6. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jPMjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3379%2C1018520]</ref>

In 1979, a series was made for the [[Nine Network]] in Australia under the title of ''The Two Ronnies in Australia''. It was followed by another series in 1986 with six episodes.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} These episodes contain many of the original sketches done for the BBC, but reworked for an Australian audience.

===Parodies===
The show was parodied twice by the ''[[Not the Nine O'Clock News]]'' team, with [[Mel Smith]] as Barker and [[Griff Rhys Jones]] as Corbett. The first sketch was in Series 3 (1980) called "The Three Ronnies", including footage of [[Ronald Reagan]], at the time the President of the United States. The second sketch was in Series 4 (1982) and controversially parodied them as "The Two Ninnies", a pastiche of their opening routine and a musical routine, using exaggerated innuendo, e.g. ''"Oh vagina, oh vagina, over [[Chinatown]]!"'' Barker in particular was quite offended by this sketch, while Corbett was reportedly amused by it.<ref name="Remembering Ronnie Barker">{{cite book|last1=Webber|first1=Richard|title=Remembering Ronnie Barker|isbn=978-1407089355|page=196|date=2010-10-07|publisher=Random House }}</ref><ref name="Remembering Ronnie Barker, by Richard Webber">{{cite web|last1=Bennett|first1=Steve|title=Remembering Ronnie Barker, by Richard Webber|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/books/2010/11/03/12075/remembering_ronnie_barker,_by_richard_webber|website=Chortle|access-date=16 October 2015}}</ref><ref name="It's like being in a marriage - except that you always end up in bed together">{{cite news|last1=Rhys-Jones|first1=Griff|title=It's like being in a marriage - except that you always end up in bed together|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3620242/Its-like-being-in-a-marriage-except-that-you-always-end-up-in-bed-together.html|website=[[Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=16 October 2015|date=2005-10-08}}</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A6359556 "Ronnie Barker OBE – Comic Actor and Writer"]</ref> The latter sketch was written by [[John Lloyd (producer)|John Lloyd]] and [[Nigel Planer]], and the writer of the song was [[Peter Brewis]], who also wrote songs for ''The Two Ronnies''.

The show is also briefly parodied in ''[[The Fast Show]]'' during a segment of a 'chanel 9' sketch set during a [[BAFTA]] style award ceremony. One of the nominations are 'The Twelve Ronnies', and a camera pans across a group of men dressed up to look like Corbett and Barker as they utter their famous 'it's goodbye from me' line in Chanel 9's nonsense language.

===Adverts===
Barker and Corbett also made a number of advertisements that appeared on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]], including for [[British Leyland]] (Austin/Morris) in 1979 where Corbett played a villain on the run and, "needing some wheels", gets salesman Barker to show him round the Austin Morris range. They did a second ad in 1981, for the "BL Double Bonus" campaign, which featured Corbett playing a tax inspector inquiring as to why Barker is running four cars. They also did a series of ads for [[The Hertz Corporation|Hertz]] car rentals in the 1980s.

==Revivals and comebacks==
The show resurfaced in 1999 for a ''Two Ronnies Night''. Ronnie Corbett also presented a ''Two Ronnies at the Movies'' special that same year. In 2000 ''A Tribute to the Two Ronnies'' was hosted by Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett themselves.

In 2004, Barker announced that he and Corbett would return to make new episodes, entitled ''[[The Two Ronnies Sketchbook]]''. This involved the two sitting at the newsdesk introducing their classic sketches. A Christmas special was recorded in July 2005 due to Barker's failing health.

Whilst the ''Sketchbook'' series was transmitted, ''The Two Ronnies'' was also the subject of an episode of the BBC documentary ''[[Comedy Connections]]''. Ronnie Corbett, producers [[James Gilbert (producer)|James Gilbert]], [[Terry Hughes (film director)|Terry Hughes]] and [[Michael Hurll]], as well as writers [[Ian Davidson (scriptwriter)|Ian Davidson]], Peter Vincent, [[David Renwick]] and [[Barry Cryer]], all spoke about the making of the series. Ronnie Barker did not appear, but excerpts from an interview he gave in 1997 were included.

In 2012, full shows of ''The Two Ronnies'' were repeated on [[ITV3]] and [[Gold (UK TV channel)|Gold]]. Over Christmas 2006, the ITV3 channel devoted three days to the show, interspersed with Ronnie Corbett's reminiscences of the show and Ronnie Barker. On 28 May 2007 many more episodes new to ITV3 were broadcast as well a showing of ''[[The Picnic (1976 film)|The Picnic]]'' and ''[[By the Sea (1982 film)|By the Sea]]''.

==DVD releases==
The [[BBC Archives]] retains all episodes of ''The Two Ronnies'' in their entirety that were originally transmitted. In April 2007 (18 months after Barker's death), [[2 Entertain]] began releasing ''The Two Ronnies'' on DVD in Britain. Series One and Two, including a definitive collection of their Christmas specials with segments from ''[[Christmas Night with the Stars]]'', the Old-Fashioned Christmas Mystery and three other Christmas shows, were released on 30 April, 2 July and 29 October 2007.

As of 24 September 2012, with the release of ''[[The Picnic (1976 film)|The Picnic]]'', ''[[By the Sea (1982 film)|By the Sea]]'' and ''[[The One Ronnie]]'' as part of ''The Complete Collection'', every single episode has now been released on DVD.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/AVV293008/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130419195141/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/AVV293008/|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 April 2013|title=The Two Ronnies in the Picnic|publisher=BBFC|date=10 August 2012|access-date=14 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008RA56WM|title=The Two Ronnies: Complete Collection DVD |publisher=Amazon.co.uk|date=2 August 2012|access-date=2 August 2012}}</ref>

''The Two Ronnies'' were released in Region 4 (Australia) on the following dates: ''The Best of The Two Ronnies Volume 1'' on 4 March 2002, ''The Best of The Two Ronnies Volume 2'' on 17 March 2003, Series 1 on 4 July 2007, Series 2 (two discs) on 8 May 2008, Series 3 on 5 March 2009, Series 4 (two discs) on 4 August 2009, Series 5 on 4 March 2010, Series 6 on 5 August 2010, and Series 7 on 3 March 2011. ''The Two Ronnies in Australia'' was released on 28 June 2008 with all-region coding.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:99%; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"|DVD Title !! rowspan="2"|Discs !! rowspan="2"|Year !! rowspan="2"|No. of Ep. !! colspan="4"|DVD release
|-
![[DVD region code#2|Region 2]] !! [[DVD region code#4|Region 4]]
|-
| style="background:gray; width:1px;"|
|'''Complete Series 1'''
|2
|10 April – 29 May 1971
|8
|30 April 2007<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000NVI2AG|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 1 [DVD] [1971]| website=Amazon UK |date=30 April 2007|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|4 July 2007<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-1/dp/793556|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 1 DVD [1971]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=4 July 2007|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306025000/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-1/dp/793556|archive-date=6 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ed1c24;"|
|'''Complete Series 2'''
|2
|16 September – 4 November 1972
|8
|2 July 2007<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000R20Q7S|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 2 [DVD] [1972]| website=Amazon UK |date=2 July 2007|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|8 May 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-2-2-disc-set/dp/799097|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 3 DVD [1972]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=8 May 2008|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307154306/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-2-2-disc-set/dp/799097|archive-date=7 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ff7f00;"|
|'''Complete Series 3'''
|2
|27 September 1973 – 3 January 1974 (BBC Two)
|8
|17 March 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0013NAIUA|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 3 [DVD] [1974]| website=Amazon UK |date=17 March 2008|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|5 March 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-3/dp/804674|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 3 DVD [1974]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=5 March 2009|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130825161108/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-3/dp/804674|archive-date=25 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#1e90ff;"|
|'''Complete Series 4'''
|2
|2 January – 20 February 1975 (BBC Two)
|8
|19 May 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0015083T4|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 4 [DVD] [1975]| website=Amazon UK |date=19 May 2008|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|6 August 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-4/dp/806882|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 4 DVD [1975]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=4 August 2009|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#f00;"|
|'''Complete Series 5'''
|2
|4 September – 23 October 1976
|8
|15 June 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001BHTN7C|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 5 [DVD] [1976]| website=Amazon UK |date=15 June 2009|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|4 March 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-5-2-disc-set/dp/811171|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 5 DVD [1976]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=4 March 2010|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#c71585;"|
|'''Complete Series 6'''
|2
|12 November 1977 – 7 January 1978
|8
|22 February 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002ATVDH8|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 6 [DVD] [1978]| website=Amazon UK |date=22 February 2010|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|5 August 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-6-2-disc-set/dp/813993|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 6 DVD [1978]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=5 August 2010|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#E4D00A;"|
|'''Complete Series 7'''
| style="text-align:center;"| 2
|26 December 1978 – 10 February 1979
|8
|17 May 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003FSSKDS|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 7 [DVD] [1979]| website=Amazon UK |date=17 May 2010|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|3 March 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-7-2-disc-set/dp/818047|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 7 DVD [1979]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=2 June 2011|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307091239/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-7-2-disc-set/dp/818047|archive-date=7 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:blue;"|
|'''Complete Series 8'''
|2
|1 November – 26 December 1980
|8
|6 September 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003YCM04U|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 8 [DVD] [1980]| website=Amazon UK |date=6 September 2010|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|2 June 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-8-2-disc-set/dp/819551|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 8 DVD [1980]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=2 June 2011|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:red;"|
|'''Complete Series 9'''
|2
|5 December 1981 – 23 January 1982
|8
|28 February 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004EPYSDM|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 9 [DVD] [1982]| website=Amazon UK |date=28 February 2011|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|1 March 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-series-9/dp/6109704|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 9 DVD [1982]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=1 March 2012|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307154314/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-series-9/dp/6109704|archive-date=7 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:brown;"|
|'''Complete Series 10'''
|2
|10 December 1983 – 14 January 1984
|6
|9 May 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004P9MRKI|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 10 [DVD] [1983]| website=Amazon UK |date=9 May 2011|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|5 September 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-series-10/dp/6116297|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 10 DVD [1984]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=5 September 2012|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#00FFFF;"|
|'''Complete Series 11'''
|2
|13 February – 20 March 1985
|5
|25 July 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004YBICSS?keywords=two+ronnies+series+11|title=The Two Ronnies – Series 11 [DVD] [1985]| website=Amazon UK |date=25 July 2011|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|3 April 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-series-11/dp/6137998|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 11 DVD [1985]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=3 April 2013|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ff007f;"|
|'''Complete Series 12'''
|2
|25 December 1985 – 1 February 1986
|6
|26 September 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005C3G0SG|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 12 DVD [1986]| website=Amazon UK |date=26 September 2011|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|7 August 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-series-12/dp/6142543|title=The Two Ronnies: Series 12 DVD [1986]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]]Australia|date=7 August 2013|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130825161040/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-series-12/dp/6142543|archive-date=25 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:silver;"|
|'''The Christmas Specials'''
|2
|26 December 1973, 25 December 1982, 25 December 1984, 25 December 1987
|4 <!-- TBC -->
|29 October 2007<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000VA3J6G?keywords=two+ronnies|title=The Two Ronnies: The Complete BBC Christmas Specials DVD| website=Amazon UK |date=29 October 2007|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|6 November 2008<ref name="ezyXmas">{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-the-christmas-specials/dp/802380|title=The Two Ronnies: The Christmas Specials DVD [1987]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]]Australia|date=6 November 2008|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#FF003F"|
|'''The Complete Collection'''
|27
|1971–1987, 2010
|96
|24 September 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008RA56WM?keywords=two+ronnies|title=The Two Ronnies: The Complete Collection DVD |website=Amazon UK |date=24 September 2012|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|19 July 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://shop.abc.net.au/products/two-ronnies-the-complete-collection-26dvd|title=The Two Ronnies: The Complete Collection DVD|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC Shop]]|date=19 July 2017|access-date=25 June 2017}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#E4D96F"|
|'''The Picnic and By the Sea'''
|1
|1 January 1976 (''The Picnic''), 12 April 1982 (''By the Sea'')
|2
|—
| 10 June 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-the-picnic-by-the-sea/dp/6165750|title=Two Ronnies, The: The Picnic / by the Sea (DVD)|publisher=[[Ezydvd]]|date=10 June 2015|access-date=22 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308235349/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/two-ronnies-the-the-picnic-by-the-sea/dp/6165750|archive-date=8 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
|-
| style="background:green;"|
|'''Two Ronnies in Australia'''
|2
|1986
|6
|—
|28 June 2008<ref name="ezyXmas"/>
|-
| style="background:#c5b358;"|
|'''The Best of...Volume 1'''
|1
|1971–1984
|1 Compilation
|1 October 2001<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00005M6OP|title=The Best of The Two Ronnies (BBC) [1971] [DVD]
|website=Amazon UK
|date=1 October 2001|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|4 March 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/best-of-the-two-ronnies-the/dp/220070|title=The Best of...Volume 1 DVD [1986]|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=4 March 2002|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130825161100/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/best-of-the-two-ronnies-the/dp/220070|archive-date=25 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#daa520;"|
|'''The Best of...Volume 2'''
|1
|1971–1985
|1 Compilation
|29 September 2003<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000AISI8|title=The Best of the Two Ronnies – Volume 2 [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=29 September 2003|access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>
|17 March 2003<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/best-of-the-two-ronnies-the-vol-2/dp/222336|title=The Best of...Volume 2 DVD|publisher=[[EzyDVD]] Australia|date=17 March 2003|access-date=25 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130825161115/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/best-of-the-two-ronnies-the-vol-2/dp/222336|archive-date=25 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{BBC programme}}
* {{BBC Online|id=comedy/guide/articles/t/tworonniesthe_7776575.shtml|title=''The Two Ronnies''}} Comedy Guide
* {{IMDb title|0066721}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20211017191253/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4f4ba139451dd ''The Two Ronnies''] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}
* {{Screenonline TV title|572956}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Two Ronnies, The}}
[[Category:1970s British television sketch shows]]
[[Category:1980s British television sketch shows]]
[[Category:1971 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1987 British television series endings]]
[[Category:BBC television sketch shows]]
[[Category:British comedy duos]]