The Royle Family. Image shows from L to R: Denise Royle / Best (Caroline Aherne), Dave Best (Craig Cash), Jim Royle (Ricky Tomlinson), Antony Royle (Ralf Little)
The Royle Family

The Royle Family

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One / BBC Two
  • 1998 - 2012
  • 25 episodes (3 series)

The Royles are a family of couch potatoes who watch television in their dirty living room whilst chatting, arguing, and drinking copious amounts of tea and alcohol. Stars Ricky Tomlinson, Sue Johnston, Caroline Aherne, Ralf Little, Craig Cash and more.

  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 924

Press clippings Page 2

How The Royle Family changed comedy forever

This was comedy like I'd never seen it before. It arrived in an era when studio sitcoms were the only form of comedy.

Luke Knowles, The Custard TV, 18th March 2022

Only Fools And Horses voted favourite ever BBC show

Half of the best-loved BBC programmes of all time are comedies, a new poll has found. Only Fools And Horses topped the survey of viewers of The One Show to mark the Corporation's 100th birthday.

Chortle, 29th January 2022

The Royle Family's finest hour: The Queen of Sheba

On the 15th anniversary of The Royle Family's landmark episode, its cast remember making TV's funniest, most emotional hour.

Michael Hogan, The Telegraph, 2nd November 2021

The last laugh: is the television sitcom really dead?

From Friends to The Thick Of It, the TV sitcom has evolved - but it's no longer in rude health. Enter offbeat shows like Stath Lets Flats, bringing joy and potential redemption.

Rachel Aroesti, The Guardian, 26th October 2021

How the sitcom wife evolved in 10 classic characters

Here we chart their evolution via 10 of sitcom's most memorable wives, from both the UK and USA...

Rachel Aroesti, The Guardian, 21st August 2021

Why the mum is TV's most compelling character

Parental comedy Motherland is back - a reminder that some of pop culture's most watchable matriarchs are anything but perfect.

Nell Frizzell, The Guardian, 10th May 2021

BBC to broadcast The Festival Of Funny

The BBC has announced The Festival Of Funny. Running across its TV, radio and online channels from late February to mid-March, the festival will see fourteen hours of new content broadcast.

British Comedy Guide, 15th February 2021

Royle Family content warning is more offensive than Jim

The BBC's Royle Family 'content warning' is more offensive than anything Jim Royle ever said.

Who is the idiot trawling through the archives looking for imaginary offence in one of our warmest, wisest sitcoms?

Michael Hogan, The Telegraph, 14th January 2021

Royle Family 2009 Xmas special had disastrous blunder

After days of hard work filming integral scenes, there was horror when the footage came back from the processing lab. Two days worth of filming was for The Golden Egg Cup was ruined - putting the whole episode in jeopardy. And it came at a staggering cost - £100,000.

Kyle O'Sullivan, The Mirror, 24th December 2020

iPlayer adds Vicar Of Dibley, Catherine Tate and Royle Family

BBC iPlayer has added all the episodes of The Vicar Of Dibley, The Catherine Tate Show and The Royle Family. Further box sets are to follow, including Blackadder and Gimme Gimme Gimme.

British Comedy Guide, 24th October 2020

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