{{Short description|English magician and puppeteer (born 1948)}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Matthew Corbett | image = | imagesize = | caption = | birth_name = Peter Graham Corbett | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|3|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Guiseley, West Yorkshire, England | death_date = | death_place = | othername = | known_for = Host of ''The Sooty Show'', ''Sooty & Co.'' | occupation = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|magician|puppeteer|singer|television presenter|writer}} | spouse = Sallie Corbett | children = 3 | father = Harry Corbett }} '''Matthew Corbett''' (born '''Peter Graham Corbett''' on 28 March 1948) is an English former actor, singer, comedian, magician, puppeteer, television presenter, and writer,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179181/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0|title=Matthew Corbett Filmography|website=IMDb|access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref> best known for presenting ''The Sooty Show'' and later ''Sooty and Co''.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/aug/06/how-we-made-sooty-show|title=How we made: Brenda Longman and Matthew Corbett on The Sooty Show|last=Tims|first=Interviews by Anna|date=6 August 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=9 August 2016}}</ref> He is the son of Sooty's creator, Harry Corbett, and took over the show from his father in 1976. He retired in 1998.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/leisure/interviews/10481836.From_sooty_to_the_canals___life_with_Matthew_Corbett/|title=From sooty to the canals - life with Matthew Corbett|website=Warrington Guardian|date=14 June 2013 |access-date=9 August 2016}}</ref>
==Career== Peter Graham Corbett was born in Guiseley, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 28 March 1948. In the late 1960s he had to choose another name when joining the performing arts trade union Equity, as there was already a Peter Corbett registered. He kept his surname and chose to go by the first name Matthew, retaining the name throughout his television career.<ref name="auto1"/>
Corbett appeared in the ''Doctor Who'' serial ''The Dæmons'' (1971) as a character called Jones<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/daemons/detail.shtml | title= The Dæmons | work=BBC Online | access-date=8 February 2021}}</ref> 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; after he left they eventually became Rod, Jane and Freddy.
In 1976, Corbett left ''Rainbow'' to take over ''The Sooty Show'' from his father Harry, who was retiring (he made a special guest appearance on ''Rainbow'' with Sooty in the episodes "1000th Birthday Party" and "The VIP"). Corbett retired in 1998 after 22 years, and chose Richard Cadell to replace him.
In January 2008, he reappeared on television, presenting ''Locks and Quays'', a regional interest program shown in the ITV Granada area (North West England),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waterscape.com/features-and-articles/features/locks-and-quays-2008 |title=Canal & River Trust |publisher=Waterscape.com |date= |accessdate=17 February 2013}}</ref> featuring a journey from the east to the west coast of England, along waterways such as the Humber estuary, the Aire and Calder Navigation and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.<ref name="auto1"/>
On Sooty's 60th birthday in 2012, he said that the bear was "in, or should I say on, the right hands".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article4360933.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504035927/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article4360933.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2009|title=The Times & The Sunday Times|website=The Times}}</ref>
==Personal life== Corbett's great-uncle was the fish and chip shop chain owner Harry Ramsden.<ref name="auto"/>{{notinref|date=November 2023}}
Corbett contracted COVID-19 in 2020. He nearly died after he contracted pneumonia, which led to atrial fibrillation and had to spend 10 days in intensive care.<ref name="SR">{{cite web|url=https://www.smoothradio.com/news/entertainment/sooty-matthew-corbett-coronavirus-now/|title=Sooty star Matthew Corbett 'nearly died from coronavirus' after 10 days in intensive care |website=Smooth Radio}}</ref>
As of 2020, he stated he and his wife planned to reside in a retirement village in Horsham, West Sussex.<ref name="SR" />
==Filmography== {|class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1971 | ''Doctor Who'' | Jones | Episode: ''The Dæmons'' |- | 1971–1992 | ''The Sooty Show'' | Himself/Presenter | 127 episodes; also writer |- | 1972 | ''Pardon My Genie'' | Waiter | 1 episode |- | 1974–1976, 1986, 1990 | ''Rainbow'' | Himself | 148 episodes (Main) 2 episodes (Guest) |- | 1993–1998 | ''Sooty & Co.'' | Himself/Presenter | 90 episodes; also writer and producer |- | 1998 | ''Blue Heelers'' | Dion Cameron | 1 episode |- | 2011 | ''Sooty'' | Himself | 1 episode |}
==References== {{Reflist|40em}}
== Further reading ==
* Tibballs, Geoff (1990). ''The Secret Life of Sooty''. Letchworth, UK: Ringpress Books. {{ISBN|0-948955-56-2}}.
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0179181|name=Matthew Corbett}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Matthew}} Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from the City of Leeds Category:Comedians from West Yorkshire Category:English children's television presenters Category:English magicians Category:English male comedians Category:English male singers Category:English male television actors Category:English male writers Category:English puppeteers Category:Male actors from West Yorkshire Category:People from Guiseley Category:Television personalities from West Yorkshire