The Royle Family is considered one of the greatest British comedy programmes of all-time. The short-lived classic, which ran from 1998 to 2000, is remembered for its utterly genius and hilarious moments that have since gone down in television history.
Like many shows of its generation, the sitcom followed a pretty simple concept, charting the ordinary lives of a television obsessed family. The Royles, comprised of family patriarch Jim Royle, his wife Barbara, their two children, daughter Denise and son Antony, and Denise's fiancé and later husband, David.
The laugh out loud sitcom managed to successfully launch the careers of the actors who graced our screens. After a quite hard to believe 22 years since its conclusion, it's fair to say that some of the stars have come a long way since playing their iconic characters.
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Ricky Tomlinson - Jim Royle
Lazy Jim Royle loved nothing better than sitting in his armchair all day watching TV with a cuppa. After playing his role on the sitcom, Ricky enjoyed cult success starring in Mike Bassett: England Manager back in 2001. The same year he appeared in Hollywood legend Samuel L Jackson's comedy drama, the 51st State.
He then 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 2009, the 82-year-old actor also starred in the hit Christmas film Nativity, however, more recently, Ricky was part of the cast for the 2022 BBC sitcom The Witchfinder. Ricky also toured the north of England with The Royle Family co-star Ralf Little for the Gold show Ricky & Ralf's Great Northern Road Trip.
Sue Johnston - Barbara Royle
Sue Johnston played Barbara Royle who was the caring wife to her usually grumpy husband Jim. Not long after the sitcom, the 78-year-old's career went from strength to strength.
From 2000 to 2011, she starred in Waking the Dead with the BBC, before featuring in eight episodes of the hugely popular period drama Downton Abbey. The actress also played Gloria Price in Coronation Street for two years. For her dedication ad hard work, Sue was later awarded an OBE in the 2009 Birthday Honours and an honorary doctorate from the University of Chester in 2010.
Caroline Aherne - Denise Best
Caroline starred in The Royle Family as Denise Best and co-created the iconic BBC sitcom with close friend Craig Cash, who played her on-screen husband David. After the show ended, Caroline decided to take a step back from acting to focus on her her writing career.
However she returned to TV (but in a different way), after being appointed as the narrator for Gogglebox in 2016 and made her final screen appearance on the Sky 1 show After Hours, reuniting with Cash who produced and directed the programme. Tragically, the famous actress died of lung cancer in July, 2016, at the age of 52.
Ralf Little - Antony Royle
Ralf played the only son of Barbara and Jim, during the early stages of his career. Since the show, Ralf enjoyed a series of successful theatre roles, including a stint as the lead character in a production of Billy Liar at the Theatre Royal in Windsor.
The 42-year-old then joined the cast of Death in Paradise in the middle of series nine as DI Neville Parker. In his personal life, Ralf is engaged to his playwright and screenwriter fiancée Lindsey Ferrentino.
Craig Cash - David Best
A simple man, Dave was the husband of Denise and son-in-law of Jim and Barbara. After the show, Craig wrote BBC sitcom Early Doors and starred and directed Sky comedy Rovers with on-screen mum-in-law Sue Johnston.
Craig also took over Caroline's role as Gogglebox voiceover when she took time off to have cancer treatment. "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."
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