Caroline Aherne's tragic last wish and where her Royle Family co-stars are now
Caroline Aherne, who was one of Britain's best loved comedy actors and writers, died in July 2016 following a "lifelong" battle with cancer.
Both Caroline and her older brother Patrick were born with a rare form of eye cancer. She received treatment for bladder cancer and was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013, which was related to the cancer she was born with.
Just two months before she died she found out that her condition was terminal. A relative told The Mirror: "It was too quick, we didn't expect her to go. She wasn't in a hospice. She was just at home. She left on her own."
Caroline also suffered with depression and alcoholism during her life and was admitted into The Priory in 1998 following a suicide attempt. After her death, her brother Patrick said: "My heart is broken as I loved her so much.
"But she is now in a better place and most of all she has no pain. I have lost a beautiful sister and the world has lost an amazing talent." The comedian was alone at her home in Timperley, Cheshire when she died with only a few of her close friends and family realising how sick she was.
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The Royle Family is one of Britain's best love sitcoms (BBC)Heartbreaking last wish
Caroline co-created and starred in iconic BBC sitcom The Royle Family with close friend Craig Cash - playing Denise Royle and her husband David respectively.
Craig previously opened up on carrying out his friend's dying wish. “In November 2013, when she was gravely ill with cancer, Caroline asked if I’d narrate Gogglebox when she wasn’t up to it,” he told Radio Times.
"Of course, I said yes; it was a very sad time and I wanted to do right by her and by the programme. Caroline was well and then unwell, well and unwell, so I filled in whenever she needed me to."
Caroline subsequently returned to narrate Gogglebox, but after her death, Craig took on her voiceover role on Gogglebox, as had been her wish. "When Caroline died in July 2016, I took over narrating duties," he told Radio Times.
"She will of course forever be in my life, but it was heartbreaking going into the small studio in Manchester at 8am on a Friday morning to record the narration for the show, knowing that Caroline used to sit in the same room."
Caroline and Craig co-wrote The Royle Family (BBC/Jellylegs)Royle Family cast now
Ricky Tomlinson, who starred as lazy Jim Royle, was devastated when he heard the sad news that Caroline had died. "Her death is the biggest shock in the world. It’s knocked me for six," revealed Ricky, who was unaware of how truly ill she was.
"I’m so bloody shocked. She was absolutely wonderful and amazing to work for. Kind, funny, witty," he told The Sunday Mirror. "A true professional and one of the most generous people I ever worked with."
After his starring role on The Royle Family, Ricky played the titular character in fly on the wall documentary Mike Basset England Manager and later released a Christmas single called "Christmas My Arse", based on his character's catchphrase, which reached number 25 in the charts.
He went on a comedy tour in 2008 and 2009, opened his own cabaret club the Green Room in Liverpool and appeared in many TV adverts. In 2020 Ricky took part in a well-received travel series with his on-screen son Ralf Little.
Long-suffering wife Barbara was played by Sue Johnston, who starred in Waking The Dead for over a decade then played Gloria Price in Coronation Street for two years.
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Sue appeared in the fifth series of Downton Abbey as Miss Denker and in the films Golden Years and Walk Like A Panther. She also teamed up with Craig Cash again in Sky One comedy Rovers in 2016.
Sue was very close to Caroline Aherne and has a painting of her in her house, which is the first thing she sees every morning. "For me, she was the most generous of women and that showed in her spirit," said Sue.
"She was very funny, naturally funny, but her generosity was extraordinary. At the end of a week’s filming there would be a table laid out with champagne, beers, sweets for the crew and everyone, she spoiled everyone."
Craig Cash, who played Caroline's on-screen husband Dave Best, wrote BBC sitcom Early Doors following The Royle Family. He also starred and directed Sky comedy Rovers with on-screen mum-in-law Sue Johnston.
Barbara and Jim's son Anthony, was played by Ralf Little went on to appear in a number of BBC series. He appeared in BBC series Robin Hood, Doctor Who, Inside Number 9 and in 2019 was confirmed as the new lead star of Death in Paradise.
Liz Smith, who played Norma 'Nana' Speakman in the series, left the nation in tears when her character died during the 2006 Christmas special. As well as The Royle Family, Liz starred in the iconic Vicar of Dibley as Letitia Cropley.
She also starred in the first series of Lark Rise to Candleford and was made an MBE in the 2009 New Year's Honours for services to acting. The veteran TV star died on Christmas Eve 2016 at the age of 95.
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