Aherne to resurrect the Royles

Caroline Aherne is to resurrect The Royle Family for a one-off BBC special.

She is currently working on the script, and is expected to reprise he role as Denise.

The last new episode of the show aired on Christmas Day 2000, since when Aherne reportedly struggled with personal problems

Aherne's writing partner Craig Cash, who also plays her husband Dave, is also involved on the development of the script. The pair had previously been reported to have had a falling out over his show Early Doors.

The show has been commissioned by the BBC and is being made by ITV Productions at Granada studios in Manchester.

Andy Harries, ITV's controller of drama and comedy, said the sitcom was 'one of the greatest comedy shows of the last 20 years'.

He said: 'We've been talking to Caroline a lot and we knew that she was thinking about doing it.

'She's an extraordinary person, but she has had a tough time over the last three or four years... she had to take some time off.

'But I've seen her lots in the past few months and she is brilliant ... She's on great, great form.

'The show won't have moved on that much. They'll be talking about different TV programmes.'

He added that actor Ricky Tomlinson, who played Jim Royle, was keen to be involved in the new show.

Aherne and Harries both had their first TV hit with The Mrs Merton Show more than a decade ago.

The special is scheduled to air on BBC One later this year, although no date has been set.

Published: 8 Apr 2006