The Royle Family star Sue Johnston has opened up on how difficult it is to watch the once hugely-popular comedy series in the years since fellow star Caroline Aherne sadly died. Sue, who played family matriarch Barbara Royle in the iconic show from 1998 to 2012, was on-screen mum to daughter Denise (played by Caroline), and the pair joined show star Ricky Tomlinson as Jim Royle. Sadly, Caroline, who also created the sitcom, died of cancer after a short battle with the disease in 2016.