The Royle Family, a BBC comedy that aired from 1998 to 2000, followed the daily lives of a working-class family in Manchester, with their antics and bickering taking place in their living room. The show returned for standalone episodes between 2006 and 2012, with the final instalment being the Christmas special 'Barbara's Old Ring'. Despite ending over a decade ago, the series remains popular and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Ricky Tomlinson's Health and Advocacy
Ricky Tomlinson played Jim Royle, the loud and lazy patriarch. He has stayed close with his co-stars, appearing in travel series with Ralf Little and Sue Johnston. In 2007, he underwent a quadruple heart bypass after doctors found severe blockages. Praising the NHS on Loose Women, he said: "I had open heart surgery, a four-way bypass, I've had both cataracts done, I've had a growth on that eye taken off, and I'm asthmatic. I wouldn't be alive except for the National Health Service."
Sue Johnston's Recent Roles
Sue Johnston, who played Barbara Royle, has appeared in Coronation Street as Gloria Price. She now stars in the new BBC sitcom Ann Droid, playing a grieving widow who receives a humanoid eldercare robot. Reflecting on the themes of loneliness and grief, she said: "It was more the humour of it that I took on board first of all, and a lot of the human aspects and the sadness then came in, which is funny because comedy isn't supposed to be making you cry!"
Caroline Aherne's Legacy
Caroline Aherne co-created The Royle Family and played Denise. She later narrated Gogglebox. Born with a rare form of retinal cancer, she battled bladder cancer and was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2014, dying at age 52. Speaking at a conference, she praised her Macmillan nurse: "The brilliant thing was the Macmillan nurse was like an angel because when you hear them telling you you have cancer, it's true you don't take it in properly, or you just don't think of the questions."
Craig Cash and Ralf Little Today
Craig Cash, who played Dave and co-developed the series, now narrates Gogglebox. In the documentary Caroline Aherne: Comedy Queen, he recalled learning of her diagnosis, saying: "I just kept saying no, just kept repeating no. But there's a lot to be said for denial." Ralf Little, who joined at 17 as Antony, has starred in Death in Paradise and now appears in the stage production of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. He also played semi-professional football for clubs including Maidstone United and Edgware Town.
