Sue Johnston couldn’t bear to watch The Royle Family after four of its stars died

The veteran actress, who spent 14 years playing downtrodden wife Barbara on the beloved sitcom, found it “very hard” to watch The Royle Family after it was hit by a string of its stars deaths

Sue Johnston has only recently been able to bring herself to watch beloved sitcom The Royle Family as she has been so scarred by the deaths of four of her former co-stars – including its creator Caroline Aherne.

The 80-year-old actress played Jim ‘My A**e’ Royle’s put-upon wife Barbara on the BBC comedy from 1998 to 2012, and was left so heartbroken by the tragedies she couldn’t bear to watch its episodes.

Caroline Aherne, who co-created the programme with Craig Cash, and starred as Sue’s on-screen daughter Denise Best, died in 2016 aged 52 after a cancer battle – and actress Liz Smith, who portrayed the beloved Norma ‘Nana’ Speakman, the mum of Sue’s character Barbara, died aged 95 on Christmas Eve in 2016.

Peter Martin, who starred as drowsy neighbour Joe Carroll, died aged 82 in April,  while Doreen Keogh passed away at 93 in 2017 from Alzheimer’s disease.

Johnston told the Christmas issue of the Radio Times about her grief over the deaths: “It was very hard, because there are so many people in it who are no longer with us, but The Queen of Sheba is my favourite, and I watch it with a lot of pride.”

Johnston as Barbara Royle with co-stars, from left, Ralf Little, Craig Cash, the late Caroline Aherne and Ricky Tomlinson (Rex)

The Queen of Sheba is the famously tear-jerking instalment of The Royle Family that sees Sue’s character’s mum Norma die in hospital.Johnston added about only now being able to watch the show: “The first series was re-run the other day, and do you know, little kids now ask for selfies with me because they love it as much as the older generations did. I think how proud Caroline would have been to know it’s still loved.

“It was one of the happiest jobs I have ever done. And yes, I miss her. All the time.

“She’s another one who would have loved to have got old and grown wrinkles… although maybe she would have had Botox!”

When Aherne died in 2016, Ricky Tomlinson, 84, who played the actress’ on-screen father Jim, said in a tribute: “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.”

Johnston and Aherne have one of their “Have you had your tea?” moments in The Royle Family (PA)

Johnston is set to star in new Channel 4 comedy-drama Truelove that tackles euthanasia.

She told the Radio Times everyone should “have a right” to end their lives if they want, declaring: “I think people should have a right to end their own lives. I know there is a delicate line here, so the temptation to bump someone off is removed. But I have had beloved dogs and cats put down if they are suffering.

“You think of yourself in that condition – everyone sitting round the bed while you’re lying there, zoned out on morphine – and you think, ‘I hope I don’t go like that.’

“I don’t think I would have the courage to go to Switzerland. And it would be so awful for my son to take me there and come back on his own.”