Matthew Corbett
Encyclopedia
Matthew Corbett is an English
television personality best known for The Sooty Show
and laterly Sooty and Co
. He is the son of Harry Corbett
. He took over Sooty from his father Harry Corbett in 1976, and retired in 1998.
Corbett was born in Guiseley
, then a town in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire
. In the late 1960s or early 1970s, he had to choose another stage name, as there was already another Peter Corbett registered. He kept his surname, but when choosing his new first name he was told it must be a name that is long, and so he chose the name of Matthew; for television purposes he has always remained as Matthew Corbett.
He appeared in the 1971 Doctor Who
serial The Dæmons
and was a regular performer in the Thames Television
children's show Rainbow, where he sang and performed and wrote with Rod Burton
and Jane Tucker
as Rod, Matt and Jane, later better known as Rod, Jane and Freddy
.
In 1976 Corbett left Rainbow to take over The Sooty Show from his father, Harry Corbett
, on his retirement. He himself retired in 1998 after twenty two years, and hand picked Richard Cadell
to replace him, and the show is still going strong.
Of late, Corbett has withdrawn from most public and media attention and lives in Lymm
with his wife Sallie. In 2005, he noted that he would be playing guitar
with his friend John Gray around pubs in Manchester
. For this, he has gone back to his real name Peter Corbett. He is now playing guitar and singing in local pubs without John Gray. He's kicking off his solo career at pubs local to his home in Lymm, such as The Star Inn and The Bull's head.
In January 2008, Corbett reappeared on television, presenting Locks and Quays, a regional interest programme shown in the ITV Granada
area (North West England
), featuring a journey from the east to the west coast of England along waterways such as the River Humber
, Aire and Calder Navigation
and Leeds and Liverpool Canal
.
On Sooty's 60th birthday in 2008, he said that the bear was "in, or should I say on, the right hands".
Corbett's great uncle was the famous chip shop chain owner Harry Ramsden, as revealed on his cable canal based series 'Locks and Quays'. Matthew returned as a guest on the new series of Sooty in 2011.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
television personality best known for The Sooty Show
The Sooty Show
The Sooty Show is a British children's television series that aired on the BBC from 1955 to 1967 when the BBC eventually cancelled The Sooty Show after Paul Fox, the controller of BBC1 at the time, cleared out some of the long running shows. After it was cancelled from the BBC that year, The Sooty...
and laterly Sooty and Co
Sooty & Co.
Sooty & Co is a British children's television series that was aired on ITV from 1993 to 1998 for six series, replacing the 37 year old Sooty Show. The programme centres on Matthew Corbett, and puppets Sooty, Sweep, Soo and Scampi, as they try to run a shop in Manchester. In 1998 Matthew Corbett...
. He is the son of Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett OBE was a British puppeteer, known as the creator in 1948 of the long running 'Sooty' glove puppet character.He was born in Bradford to coal miner James W...
. He took over Sooty from his father Harry Corbett in 1976, and retired in 1998.
Corbett was born in Guiseley
Guiseley
Guiseley is a small town in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Otley and Menston, it is a suburb of north west Leeds. At the 2001 census, Guiseley together with Rawdon had a population of over 21,000. The A65, which passes through the town, is the...
, then a town in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
. In the late 1960s or early 1970s, he had to choose another stage name, as there was already another Peter Corbett registered. He kept his surname, but when choosing his new first name he was told it must be a name that is long, and so he chose the name of Matthew; for television purposes he has always remained as Matthew Corbett.
He appeared in the 1971 Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial The Dæmons
The Dæmons
The Dæmons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in five weekly parts from May 22 to June 19, 1971.-Plot:...
and was a regular performer in the Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
children's show Rainbow, where he sang and performed and wrote with Rod Burton
Rod Burton
Rod Burton is a singer, songwriter, and musician best known for being part of the trio Rod, Jane and Freddy. He originally studied at the London College of Printing as a graphic designer and had a highly successful career in illustrating books, but songwriting was his main ambition so he quit the...
and Jane Tucker
Jane Tucker
Jane Tucker is a singer, song writer and pianist. She is best known for being part of the musical trio Rod, Jane and Freddy. Jane was born into a family with an artistic background. Her grandmother was an opera singer, her mother a pianist, and her father was Rex Tucker, the drama director for the...
as Rod, Matt and Jane, later better known as Rod, Jane and Freddy
Rod, Jane and Freddy
Rod, Jane and Freddy was the most famous name for a singing trio who appeared in children's programming on the British TV channel ITV in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. They starred both in the long-running series Rainbow as well as their own 15-minute show, The Rod, Jane and Freddy Show...
.
In 1976 Corbett left Rainbow to take over The Sooty Show from his father, Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett OBE was a British puppeteer, known as the creator in 1948 of the long running 'Sooty' glove puppet character.He was born in Bradford to coal miner James W...
, on his retirement. He himself retired in 1998 after twenty two years, and hand picked Richard Cadell
Richard Cadell
Richard Cadell is an entertainment entrepreneur and magician, best known for being the hand of Sooty since 1999. He also owns and runs "the largest amusement park in the South West of England", Fun City, Brean and also works as a consultant for TV productions....
to replace him, and the show is still going strong.
Of late, Corbett has withdrawn from most public and media attention and lives in Lymm
Lymm
Lymm is a large village and civil parish within the Warrington borough of Cheshire, in North West England. Lymm was an urban district of Cheshire from 1894 to 1974. The civil parish of Lymm incorporates the hamlets of Booths Hill, Broomedge, Church Green, Deansgreen, Heatley, Heatley Heath, Little...
with his wife Sallie. In 2005, he noted that he would be playing guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
with his friend John Gray around pubs in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. For this, he has gone back to his real name Peter Corbett. He is now playing guitar and singing in local pubs without John Gray. He's kicking off his solo career at pubs local to his home in Lymm, such as The Star Inn and The Bull's head.
In January 2008, Corbett reappeared on television, presenting Locks and Quays, a regional interest programme shown in the ITV Granada
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
area (North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
), featuring a journey from the east to the west coast of England along waterways such as the River Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
, Aire and Calder Navigation
Aire and Calder Navigation
The Aire and Calder Navigation is a river and canal system of the River Aire and the River Calder in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. The first improvements to the rivers above Knottingley were completed in 1704 when the Aire was made navigable to Leeds and the Calder to...
and Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
.
On Sooty's 60th birthday in 2008, he said that the bear was "in, or should I say on, the right hands".
Corbett's great uncle was the famous chip shop chain owner Harry Ramsden, as revealed on his cable canal based series 'Locks and Quays'. Matthew returned as a guest on the new series of Sooty in 2011.