Comedian and writer Ben Elton is to deliver the inaugural The Ronnie Barker Talk on BBC One. 

A passion project of Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning at the BBC, the annual The Ronnie Barker Talk is a lecture on a comedy=related theme, named in honour of the late, legendary comedian, actor and writer Ronnie Barker OBE and has been developed with the approval of his family. 

Allen says: “British Comedy reflects and defines our national character as well as bringing us together through laughter. We’re delighted to have Ben kick this off for us as a hugely influential stand up and master of the sitcom whose work across the decades continues to hit the funny spot.”

The topic of each lecture will be entirely of the invited speaker’s choosing, but always with comedy at its heart. The lecture will be recorded this summer at the BBC Radio Theatre in front of a star studded audience, made up of comedy talent from both on and off the screen, and will air on BBC One later in the year.

Ben Elton says: “What an honour. I grew up loving Ronnie Barker and can only hope the news that I am to give a talk in his name doesn’t leave him spitting spiritedly splenetic spoonerisms in Comedy Heaven."

The Ronnie Barker Talk was commissioned by Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning and Charlotte Moore, Director, Content and is a BBC Studios production. The executive producers are Tara Duffy and Gareth Edwards, director Julia Knowles and production executive Sarah Hitchcock.