Aherne plans series down under

Caroline Aherne is planning to write a new series based on an Australian family.

The creator of the Royle Family, who fled to Sydney to escape being hounded by the British press, says she's observing the life of Aussie folk for her next project.

But her plan to escape the paparazzi has failed, as a pack of photographers gathered outside her rented terraced house in Syndey last week.

"I came here for my anonymity, but it didn't really work, did it?" she told the snappers, as she left for a weekend in Melbourne, away from their attentions.

Aherne, 37, plans to live in Australia for at least a year, according to the Sydney-based Daily Telegraph.

She's believed to be writing her autobiography there, as well as working on the new series.

"I like writing about families," she said. "People don't know me here, so I will be able to study them and write about them, which is the whole point of me being here."

However, Aherne is not completely unknown in Australia, as the The Royle Family has been screened on ABC there.

Published: 18 Jun 2001