Caroline Aherne dead: Ricky Tomlinson pays poignant tribute to Royle Family co-star

'Her death is the biggest shock in the world. It’s knocked me for six'

Tomlinson says he never once heard her complain about her ill health and she always remained energetic

Ricky Tomlinson has paid tribute to his co-star Caroline Aherne, saying her death has come as a tremendous shock.

The popular English comedian, who had cancer for a number of years, died at her home in Timperley in Greater Manchester on Saturday. She was 52.

Tomlinson, 76, played Aherne’s on-screen father in The Royle Family - a classic British sitcom which which ran from 1998 to 2002.

“Her death is the biggest shock in the world. It’s knocked me for six,” Tomlinson told The Sunday Mirror.

“I’m so bloody shocked. She was absolutely wonderful and amazing to work for. Kind, funny, witty,” he added.

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

Tomlinson said he never once heard Aherne complain about her ill health and said she was an energetic, animated actor.

“She never talked about her health, ever. I can never ever remember her complaining. She must have gone through a lot but I never saw her looking unwell,” he said. “She never flagged in work and the atmosphere when she was writing and acting was brilliant.”

Aherne was known for her role as Denise Royle in popular BBC comedy series The Royle Family, which she co-created. She also co-wrote ITV comedy drama The Fattest Man in Britain and provided the voiceover for Gogglebox between 2013 up until the months just before her death.

Aherne was born with a rare type of cancer in her retina which meant she was nearly blind in one eye. She later developed bladder cancer and was then diagnosed with lung cancer in 2014.