Name: The Royle Family
Genre: Comedy
Rating: 6.8
Cast: Ricky Tomlinson, Sue Johnston, Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash, Ralf Little

Ricky Tomlinson

Sue Johnston

Caroline Aherne

Craig Cash

Ralf Little

Liz Smith

Jessica Hynes

Doreen Keogh

Peter Martin

Geoffrey Hughes

The Royle Family is a British sitcom created by Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash, and produced by Granada Television for BBC Two (series 1) and BBC One (series 2 and 3). It centres on the lives of a television-fixated Manchester family, the Royles, comprising lazy patriarch Jim, his hard-working wife Barbara, their entitled daughter Denise, their put-upon son Antony, and Denise's lad fiancé–later husband–David.

The Royle Family

O Neill

The Royle Family, Dave's Finger

Jim is annoyed when the latest telephone bill arrives just before Dave and Denise's wedding.

Bills, Bills, Bills

Jim Royle is getting more and more worried about finding the money to pay for his daughter's wedding.

Making Ends Meet!

It's Sunday afternoon and Nana is visiting. Everyone is more interested in the television.

Sunday Afternoon

Jim Royle is trying to ignore the fact that it's his birthday. His family refuse to let him go on ignoring it.

Jim's Birthday

Denise is upset after Dave is accused of chatting up another woman.

Another Woman?

The morning of Dave and Denise's wedding arrives. Will everything go as planned?

The Wedding Day

Denise announces that she's pregnant. Jim thinks that Antony may be a "gay boy".

Pregnancy

Nana and Twiggy come round for Sunday dinner. Barbara loses her temper during lunch. She's feeling the onset of "the change".

Sunday Lunch

Jim isn't best pleased when he learns that Barbara has invited Nana to come and stay with the Royles after her cataract operation. Antony announces that he's become the manager of a band called 'Exit'.

Nana's Coming to Stay

Nana has had her cataract operation, so she comes to stay with the Royles. Jim is even less pleased now that she's arrived. Antony's band has split up.

Nana Comes to Stay

Barbara loses patience with Jim and storms out of the house. Jim tries to show that he's concerned about Barbara by offering to make her a cup of tea!

Barbara's Finally Had Enough

It's Antony's 18th birthday and the Royles are planning a family party. They finally get to meet Antony's girlfriend Emma.

Antony's Birthday

It's Christmas Day. The family have just finished a big Christmas dinner. Barbara learns her turkey wasn't up to scratch, and Dave buys Denise a mobile phone for when the baby is born, even though she uses it to call Barbara on the house phone from upstairs! Antony goes to Emma's shortly afterwards, and Dave takes Nana home. Soon after Dave and Nana have left, Denise goes into labour upstairs in the bathroom, and Jim is left to comfort her. Denise reveals the baby isn't due until 3 weeks. Will the baby and Denise be alright?

Christmas with the Royle Family

Baby David finally arrives at the Royle's House, dressed from head to toe in the 'latest Gear', that is obviously Manchester slang for complete tack, but it seems that Denise is taking a back seat and letting Dave do all the work, will it continue?

Baby

The Royles decide that it's time for a pint, but who will be left babysitting?

Babysitting

Twiggy and Jim are redecorating the dining room for the Christening, but because Jim is so tight they don't have a steamer. The pair, and later Dave, use kitchen utensils to remove the wallpaper, whilst Dancing to Mambo No. 5! They don't get very far ...

Decorating

Nana's dear old neighbour Elsie dies, and today is the funeral. It's full of the usual admiration of her house, and Nana has also been taking stuff from Elsie's since she has passed on, so Jim gets one back for her!  Nana is also hinting that she wants to move in:  "I would never ever think of asking you to let me stay here, but well that back bedroom is free now!"

Funeral

Antony declares that he and Darren, the managers of their band 'Exit', are going to London to find a record deal, of course they get the usual barrage of insults from Jim and Dave, and Nana makes a small contribution to the fund!

London

The day of the christening is finally here, but the decorating is still not finished in the background. Everyone is there for a buffet, including Twiggy's 'bird'.

Christening

Baby David's first birthday comes around and the Royles sit down as they did last Christmas. This time they are joined by Darren and Emma, including her parents. Emma's father, Roger can't seem to stop boasting which annoys Jim. When they leave, an unhappy and mad Jim gets the best present of them all.

The Royle Family at Christmas

It's Christmas Day. The family have just finished a big Christmas dinner. Barbara learns her turkey wasn't up to scratch, and Dave buys Denise a mobile phone for when the baby is born, even though she uses it to call Barbara on the house phone from upstairs! Antony goes to Emma's shortly afterwards, and Dave takes Nana home. Soon after Dave and Nana have left, Denise goes into labour upstairs in the bathroom, and Jim is left to comfort her. Denise reveals the baby isn't due until 3 weeks. Will the baby and Denise be alright ?

Christmas Special 1999

Christmas Special 2000

Whilst times have moved on, not much has changed in the Royle household except for one major thing - finally after years of hints Nana has got her way and has moved in with the Royles. Nana, now bedridden, has Barbara waiting on her hand and foot, and has even come between Jim and his beloved TV, but just how long will her reign as 'The Queen of Sheba' continue ?

The Queen of Sheba

Interviews with the cast of The Royle Family (DVD Feature)

The Queen of Sheba - Cast Interviews

Deleted Scenes from The Queen of Sheba (DVD Feature)

The Queen of Sheba - Deleted Scenes

Outtakes from The Queen of Sheba (DVD Feature)

The Queen of Sheba - Outtakes

In 2006, the BBC commissioned a talking heads programme, Why we Love the Royle Family, which included celebrity fans such as Noel Gallagher, Paul Heaton and J.K. Rowling.

We Love The Royle Family

It's Children in Need night and Barbara announces to Denise and Dave that Jim is being generous and giving some of his spare change to Children In Need, but Jim is looking for some in his armchair!

Children in Need Sketch

Inspired by Nigella Lawson, Denise decides to cook Christmas dinner for the whole family. Jim provides the yuletide log and, much to his dismay, Dave's Mum and Dad are invited to join in with the festivities. What could possibly go wrong ?

The New Sofa

Jim is 'dying' of flu, and it's Comic Relief Night 2009. Antony comes to the house after raising £4,000 for Comic Relief by skydiving from a plane and everybody complaining about the smell coming from Jim's 'sweaty balls' !

Jim's Balls - Comic Relief Sketch

There's a new buzz in the Royle family household, as it's a special time for Jim and Barbara and a celebration is planned. Poor Mary from next door can't be present though as, sadly, she has lost all bladder control and has leaked in a number of shops in the precinct.

Jim and Barbara have received a gift of money from their loving children, but what to do with it ? Barbara wants to go abroad for the first time having only been away once on their honeymoon to Ormskirk. Will Jim persuade Barbara that an HD satellite box is a more appropriate way to spend their children's generous gift ? Tension mounts, a family discussion ensues - the question is where will they go ? Down to the television superstore as Jim suggests, or Barbara's dream holiday to the Bermuda triangle ?

The Golden Egg Cup

Barbara is up to her eyes in it on Christmas Day, with Jim incapacitated due to an unfortunate incident. Meanwhile, neighbour Joe is unusually garrulous.

Joe's Crackers

Brand spanking new and made by GOLD. Cast, crew and famous fans of The Royle Family revisit the very best bits of the landmark sitcom. Plus the writers' personal top ten moments. After GOLD's sneak behind the Royle's sofa, uncovering unseen material and revelations about how the sitcom and characters were conceived, it's time to hand over to the cast and the legion of celebrity fans to pick the bits they hold with highest esteem. Not only will the cast and celebrity fans - like Catherine Tate, Paul Whitehouse, Jimmy McGovern and John Prescott - pick their favourite Royle moments, but creators, writers and stars of the show Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash will also pick their all time, top ten personal highlights and talk us through what each moment meant to them. And what a canon of work to choose from!

Royle Family Portraits

A definitive look at square-eyed sitcom The Royle Family, featuring hilarious outtakes and exclusive interviews with cast, crew and famous fans

Behind the Sofa

A new neighbour's cleavage is one of the many topics of conversation as the couch-potato clan gathers for another fun-filled Christmas Day.

The Royle Family

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