Sir David Jason starred alongside Ronnie Barker on the hit series Open All Hours which debuted in 1976 on the BBC. The comedy great retired from television in 1988, aged just 59, after a glittering career with credits including Porridge, The Two Ronnies and Open All Hours. His career proved controversial to both his fans and peers, when he announced his retirement including his co-star and close friend Sir David who was said to be disappointed by the news. Ronnie thought about retiring at age 56 after the deaths of Eric Morecambe and Tommy Cooper and working himself into an early grave was playing on his mind. He decided to retire on New Years Day, 1988 at the age of 59. David Jason was disappointed but respected his decision.

In his autobiography, This Time Next Year, the Only Fools and Horses star wrote: “I felt it was far too soon for a man of Ronnie’s talents to be stepping down…but there was nothing I or anyone else could do or say to change his mind. He was adamant and it was hard to challenge him on it because I knew he had his own personal reasons for being so.

“Put bluntly, he feared the work might one day kill him.”

Ronnie had struggled with grief following the deaths of his fellow colleagues which forced him to reevalute his life and career.

In 1984, his colleague Eric Morecambe collapsed on stage with a heart attack at the age of 58 and died that night in hospital.

A few months later, Rising Damp star Leonard Rossiter also died from a heart attack while waiting to go onstage in London. He was just 57.

Ronnie was particularly affected by the death of his Porridge co-star, Richard Beckinsale, in 1979 aged just 31. The actor suffered a heart attack at home, and his death sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry.

Sir David continued: “In addition to grief, Ronnie felt that all these losses were warnings to him. So, he withdrew and spent the next 10 years happily tending to his house and his garden.”

Ronnie did come out of retirement for a few projects, including The Two Ronnies Sketchbook.

He died in October 2005, aged 76, due to longstanding heart issues.