Caroline Aherne tribute from Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little: ‘We’ve lost one of our best’

Tribute: Caroline Aherne (centre) with the cast of The Royle Family (left to right) Craig Cash, Ricky Tomlinson, Sue Johnston and Ralph Little
PA
Jennifer Ruby4 July 2016
The Weekender

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Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little have paid tribute to their Royale Family co-star Caroline Aherne.

Speaking after her death on Saturday, the pair praised the actress and comedian for being ‘kind, funny and witty’.

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Tomlinson, 76, said: “I’m so bloody shocked. She was absolutely wonderful and amazing to work for. Kind, funny, witty.

“A true professional and one of the most generous people I ever worked with.”

The actor added: “She never flagged in work and the atmosphere when she was writing and acting was brilliant.”

Little, who played Aherne’s little brother on the much-loved show, told his Twitter followers that he was lost for words over the weekend.

“I... just don't know what to say. What a sad sad day. We've lost another one of our best,” he 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.”

He told The Sun: "I was just some skinny, big-nosed teenager plucked out of nowhere [when he joined the show], but Caroline was this superstar.

"And I have to confess, the 17-year-old me really fancied her."

Speaking to The Guardian, Little said that the death of Aherne left British TV short of strong ‘working-class voices’.

“Caroline was a leading light in showing that working-class people can be on TV, being ourselves,” he said.

“That you can be a working-class kid, living out your life, and that can be interesting and funny and dramatic and entertaining.

“Right now, I don’t see anyone else doing what she did and I do think there is a noticeable gap left in Caroline’s wake. Her death is a reminder how much she and her writing were, and still are, the exception.”

Sue Johnston has released a statement, saying: “I'm devastated at her passing and I am numb with grief.”

Aherne passed away on Saturday at the age of 52 after a battle with lung cancer, having been treated for bladder and eye cancer in the past.

Caroline Aherne - In pictures

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