The Royle Family will be making a comeback for show's 25th anniversary

04 August 2023 , 10:00

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The hit series will return to screens for a on-off special (Image: BBC)

The Royle Family will be back on our screens this autumn, much to the delight of the BBC sitcom's devout fanbase.

It has been confirmed that a documentary to mark the show's 25th anniversary will air on Gold this September, nearly three decades after its 1998 premiere. Aptly named, The Royle Family: Down the Back of the Sofa, the two-hour-long special promises to be an updated version of its original 2010 documentary and is expected to deliver a 'nostalgic trip down memory lane' for loyal viewers.

In celebration of the comedy's Silver Jubilee, several celebrity fans, including Diane Morgan, Rosie Jones, Jamie and Natasia Demetriou, John Thomson, Rachel Fairburn, Shobna Gulati, Jack Rooke and Sharon Rooney, will appear to give their witty takes on the BAFTA-winning show. The Royle Family's legendary producer, John Rushton, will also star in the revamped documentary.

The Royle Family began 25 years ago (BBC)

"A quarter of a century! The Royle Family has without doubt left a permanent mark in television history and we’re delighted to have commissioned this documentary for the 25th anniversary," commissioning editor Jason Dawson said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Phil McIntyre Television said, "When we originally made this film, we were lucky enough to work closely with Craig and Caroline in what was their first on-screen interview, little did we know that it would turn out to be their last, so we’re very grateful to the team at Gold to be able to re-look at a film that we’re very proud of."

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Emma Dooney