Comic actor Ronnie Corbett has died aged 85, his publicist has confirmed.
The Edinburgh-born actor, known for his impeccable comic timing, small stature, and his association with comedian Ronnie Barker, died this morning.
A statement from his publicist said: “Ronnie Corbett CBE, one of the nation’s best-loved entertainers, passed away this morning, surrounded by his loving family.
“They have asked that their privacy is respected at this very sad time.”
Born Ronald Balfour Corbett, the comedian had retired from showbusiness in March 2014 after a career spanning 40 years.
Stars took to Twitter this morning to pay their respects.
Comedian David Baddiel: “And, truly sadly, it’s goodnight from him. #RIPRonnieCorbett”.
Kirsty Fairclough-Isaacs, from the University of Salford’s School of Arts and Media, said: “Robbie Corbett was a huge figure in the entertainment industry and played an incredibly significant role in an important era of British television.
“But while to many people he represented a genre of TV that is no longer with us, he was also a huge influence on a younger generation of comedians, particularly Peter Kay who studied here at the University of Salford.”
