Caroline Aherne dead: David Walliams leads tributes to late comedian and actress

Aherne died from lung cancer in her Manchester home

(PA)

David Walliams has led tributes to his friend, former partner and “true comedy genius” Caroline Aherne.

The Royle Family actress and co-creator died in her Manchester home earlier today from lung cancer. She was 52.

Walliams said Aherne’s work was “equally funny and touching”. The journalist Suzanne Moore praised her for writing “with love and class”.

After studying drama in Liverpool and launching her career in the stand-up circuit, Aherne’s big break arrived with her starring turn in The Mrs Merton Show, where she played an elderly talk show host who would give her famous subjects what she summarised as "a warm and gentle kicking”. Perhaps her most famous faux-innocently asked question was the one posed to Debbie McGee: “What attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”

An equally memorable turn came in the role of Denise Royle in the cult comedy sitcom she co-created with Craig Cash and starred in, The Royle Family. Aherne’s character was the nonchalant, idle daughter of her considerably more tightly wound on-screen father Jim, played by Ricky Tomlinson. Neither veered far from the sofa throughout the series.

Ralf Little, who played Denise's younger brother Anthony, wrote on Twitter: “Sorry for silence - I just... don't know what to say. What a sad, sad day. We've lost another one of our best.

“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.”

McGee, whose husband Daniels died from a brain tumour earlier this year, reacted with sorrow to the news.

“Just heard the very sad news about Caroline Ahearne she was wonderful especially as Mrs Merton. My interview will be a treasured memory.”