• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Caroline Aherne had a sad final Gogglebox request before she died

Home> Entertainment> TV

Updated 10:16 26 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 16:04 24 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Caroline Aherne had a sad final Gogglebox request before she died

The beloved actor and comedian died in 2016 after a battle with lung cancer

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

The Royle Family and Gogglebox star Craig Cash once revealed the final ‘sweet’ request his long-time collaborator Caroline Aherne asked of him before she passed away.

Beloved actor and comedian Aherne tragically passed away back in 2016 at the age of 52, two years after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Aherne is, of course, best known for portraying Denise Royle in the iconic BBC sitcom, where she also worked as a writer, director and producer.

Her career spanned 26 years, seeing her star in projects such as The Mrs Merton Show and The Fast Show.

Advert

Aherne's final work would see her narrating the long running Channel 4 series Gogglebox, a role which her close friend and The Royle Family co-star Craig Cash would later take over after her death.

He later revealed in an interview with the Radio Times that Aherne had personally asked him to fill for her during periods where she was too ill to work.

Cash was more than happy to help out his friend - as fans will know, the 63-year-old voiced Gogglebox on and off between 2013 and 2015, before taking over full-time in 2016.

Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash in The Royle Family. (BBC)
Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash in The Royle Family. (BBC)

Reflecting on the request, and the decision to take over full-time after her death, Cash said: "In November 2013, when she was gravely ill with cancer, Caroline asked if I'd narrate Gogglebox when she wasn't up to it.

Advert

"Of course, I said yes; it was a very sad time and I wanted to do right by her and by the programme. Caroline was well and then unwell, well and unwell, so I filled in whenever she needed me to."

Cash has previously said the show feels like a ‘gift’ from his late friend and writing partner.

"It was really lovely, because it feels like a gift she has left me and I'm very grateful," he said. "It felt like only natural I should keep doing it and I feel like she's with me sometimes.

"When I go in the studio where we used to record it, I can feel her presence sometimes.

Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash photographed together in 2000. (JMEnternational/Getty Images)
Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash photographed together in 2000. (JMEnternational/Getty Images)

Advert

"That feels a bit weird but true."

A documentary celebrating Aherne’s life - titled Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy - aired on the BBC on Christmas Day last year, featuring those who knew her best, including Cash.

In one particularly emotional part, Cash recalled the moment he was told Aherne had just months left to live.

“I was just in denial,” he said. “I just kept saying, ‘no’, just kept repeating, ‘no’. There’s a lot to be said for denial.

“And she was like, ‘but we had some laughs though didn’t we, Cashy?’”

Advert

Cash became tearful remembering the interaction and had to leave the interview to give himself a moment.

Featured Image Credit: Rune hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images/Channel 4

Topics: Celebrity, TV and Film

Claire Reid
Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
9 hours ago
11 hours ago
13 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Oasis issue critical warning to everyone attending Manchester concerts

    The Gallagher brothers play their first homecoming gig at Heaton Park on Friday night

    Entertainment
  • 9 hours ago

    Every Scrubs actor who has died as reboot confirmed after 15 years

    The show is returning after 15 years, however some actors involved in the show have tragically died

    Entertainment
  • 11 hours ago

    Superman fans make iconic discovery after former actor brands new film 'woke'

    The most woke thing of all: Arguably the most famously American character of all time

    Entertainment
  • 13 hours ago

    Netflix viewers are being left constantly guessing by mystery mini-series you can watch in one sitting

    The Netflix series is a great binge with a bonkers plot twist

    Entertainment
  • Unemployed Gogglebox star admits she doesn’t pay back ‘celebrity loans’ as she lives off her fame
  • Shannen Doherty's doctor recalls actor's final moments before she died
  • The Office fans left shocked after finding out fan-favourite character had wild rockstar life before show
  • Tony Bellew praised after admitting he nearly died before entering I’m a Celeb