Bishop's Waltham mum recalls filming with Ronnie Corbett

Sheila Booth-Millard, 63, told The News how she met the funnyman at Marwell Zoo in 1995 after applying to be a film extra.

Now she is telling her story after the actor and comedian died last month.

Sheila, then 42, had taken her son Travis, then three, to Marwell Zoo to be an extra in the comedy Fierce Creatures.

She said: ‘He was lovely, he was really sweet.

‘I saw an advert in The News for extras wanted because I was just along the road in Curdridge at the time.

‘They wanted people with kids. I actually spoke to Ronnie Corbett, and asked him if he could have a photo with my son, Travis.

‘I handed him to him and Ronnie was so tiny he couldn’t even lift him.

‘He said “phwoar, he’s so heavy, do you mind if I sit him on the bar?”.’

Sheila, now of Bishop’s Waltham, and son Travis posed for a photo in a scene but it never made the cut.

Sheila added The Two Ronnies co-star was friendly to her on the day.

She said: ‘He was really friendly. Him and Michael Palin were the friendliest.

‘Unfortunately the scene we were in was never used.’

Ronnie began his acting career at the age of 15, when he starred in a pantomime at his local church youth club.

He and Ronnie Barker rose to fame in the popular BBC comedy sketch show The Two Ronnies.

The versatile comedian also hosted the BBC1 game show Small Talk for two years from 1994-96.

He and wife Anne Hart celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last year.

The much-loved actor was awarded a CBE in the 2012 New Year Honours for his services to charity and the entertainment industry.

His wife later revealed that, during a celebration to mark the achievement, he had collapsed in a restaurant and was rushed to hospital.

A statement from his publicist on the day his death was announced said: ‘Ronnie Corbett CBE, one of the nation’s best-loved entertainers, passed away this morning, surrounded by his loving family.’