The creator of Gogglebox, Tania Alexander, has expressed her devastation following the death of Caroline Aherne, the narrator of the Channel 4 show, at the age of 52. Alexander tweeted that she was 'beyond sad about the loss of my dear pal Caroline Aherne', describing her as 'funny, clever and a huge inspiration'.
Aherne, who also starred in The Royle Family and hosted The Mrs Merton Show, had been diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago, having previously battled cancer of the bladder and eye. A statement from the Gogglebox team said: 'On behalf of the whole Gogglebox family, we are devastated about the passing of our dearest Caroline, who we all adored.'
Cast members paid tribute, with Louis Michael writing: 'It was a privilege having you soothe the nation with accounts of my family's antics. We'll miss you Caroline.' Scarlett Moffatt said the show would 'never be the same', while Lee and Jenny described the news as 'heartbreaking'. Studio Lambert, the production company, said it was 'desperately sad' to lose a 'brilliant comic'.
Comedians including David Walliams and Ralf Little also paid tribute. Walliams called her 'one of the all time greats', while Little, her co-star in The Royle Family, wrote: 'A character. A legend. A boss. A sister, real and (for me) fake. A boss. A writer. An actor. A genius. A friend. Big, big heart. Goodbye. X'
