{"id":670084,"date":"2026-07-02T16:26:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T16:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/670084\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T16:26:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T16:26:09","slug":"from-mrs-merton-to-scorchio-its-caroline-ahernes-10-best-moments-caroline-aherne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/670084\/","title":{"rendered":"From Mrs Merton to Scorchio! It\u2019s Caroline Aherne\u2019s 10 best moments | Caroline Aherne"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s 10 years since the tragic loss of TV genius Caroline Aherne<\/a>. The brilliant but too brief career of the actor, comedian, writer and director was cut heartbreakingly short on 2 July 2016 when she died at 52 from lung cancer.<\/p>\n

A decade on, we pay tribute by selecting 10 Aherne highlights<\/a>. From The Royle Family to rude nuns, here are her best bits \u2026<\/p>\n

That Debbie McGee question (1995)<\/p>\n

Aherne\u2019s blue-rinsed, cardigan-clad pensioner character was first developed in the late 80s. By 1994, Mrs Dorothy Merton landed her own spoof BBC Two chatshow. Real-life celebrities would find themselves asked outrageous mock-innocent questions that a less cosy interviewer would never get away with. The peak came with her opening salvo to magician\u2019s wife, Debbie McGee: \u201cSo what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?\u201d An all-time classic, still oft-quoted today.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Other memorable inquiries from the Bafta-winning series included alcoholic footballer George Best (\u201cDo you ever think, if you hadn\u2019t done all that running around playing football, you wouldn\u2019t have been so thirsty?\u201d) and boxer Chris Eubank (\u201cWere you surprised when Steve Collins came from behind and licked you in the ring?\u201d).<\/p>\n

Scorchio! (1994-1997)<\/p>\n

The recent heatwave gave it fresh meme-worthy momentum. Aherne\u2019s most quotable character on quick-fire sketch show The Fast Show was meteorologist Poula Fisch from low-budget Mediterranean broadcaster Chanel 9. After the news bulletin was delivered in generic faux-foreign gibberish (\u201cBoutros Boutros Ghali, sminky pinky, Chris Waddle\u201d), Poula\u2019s weather forecast would invariably predict temperatures of 45C across the region.<\/p>\n

Every time, she would exclaim \u201cScorchio!\u201d with apparent surprise. Except on one occasion when there was a single cloud on the coast, which was immediately declared a national disaster.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Queen of Sheba (2006)<\/p>\n

Aherne\u2019s most beloved creation is BBC gem The Royle Family, co-written with her longtime collaborator Craig Cash. Its high point came with bittersweet, Bafta-winning special The Queen of Sheba. One of the most emotional hours of sitcom ever made, it helped haul Aherne out of a deep depression and process her grief for her own grandmother.<\/p>\n

Bed-bound Nana (Liz Smith) had moved into the Royles\u2019 sitting room. As her health declined, we watched each character caring for her in their own unique way \u2013 whether it was reading Mills & Boon romances aloud or tenderly brushing her hair. A devastating final act saw Denise (Aherne) give birth to a daughter and name her Norma after her great-grandma, who soon slipped away as the family kept vigil by her bedside.<\/p>\n

Proceedings climaxed with the clan \u201cputting the fun into funeral\u201d, as per Nana\u2019s wish, complete with \u201cvolly-vents\u201d on the \u201cbuffy\u201d. In the ultimate mark of respect, son-in-law Jim (Ricky Tomlinson) solemnly placed her ashes on top of the telly. After all, her final words had been \u201cTrevor McDonald\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Royles said goodbye to Norma as Denise gave birth to a girl, named after her great-grandma. Photograph: BBCSecond to nun (1991)<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople ask me, \u2018Where does the Bible stand on homosexuality?\u2019 Well, three times in the Bible, Jesus said: \u2018Get thee behind me Satan.\u2019\u201d Aherne\u2019s convent school education provided the inspiration for Sister Mary Immaculate<\/a>, a character first performed on the Manchester comedy circuit with an accent copied from her Irish parents.<\/p>\n

Introduced with church organ music, wearing a full nun\u2019s habit and carrying a Bible, the sexually voracious nun dispensed deadpan digs at religion. Her ambition was to \u201ckiss the pope\u2019s ring\u201d, and she asked: \u201cHow many Protestants does it take to change a lightbulb? None. They live in eternal darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs Merton skewers Bernard Manning (1998)<\/p>\n

It became a defining moment in comic history when Bernard Manning braved The Mrs Merton Show and found his offensive brand of humour challenged throughout. He ultimately admitted he was a racist, which was booed by the studio audience.<\/p>\n

Running rings around the unreconstructed standup, Aherne called boorish Manning \u201cthe devil\u2019s work\u201d and begged fellow guest Richard Wilson to \u201chit him with something\u201d. She said she laughed upon visiting his venue The Embassy Club (\u201cIt was the night it burnt down\u201d) and asked, \u201cWho do you vote for now that Hitler\u2019s dead?\u201d.<\/p>\n

Checkout girl (1994-1997)<\/p>\n

An underrated Fast Show creation<\/a> was Aherne\u2019s no-filter supermarket till worker. She would pass comment with brutal honesty on every product she scanned, no matter how personal.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrown bread, very posh. Keeps you regular, though, don\u2019t it? \u2026 Ribbed condoms. Very thoughtful \u2026 Anti-dandruff shampoo. Nowt wrong with a scabby scalp \u2026 K-Y Jelly. Bit of vaginal dryness?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Stealing the show at the Brits (1997)<\/p>\n

The Brit awards was must-see TV in the Britpop era, but all the rock\u2019n\u2019roll stars found themselves upstaged by a little old lady. After poking fun at host Ben Elton, Mrs Merton made an important announcement: \u201cCharlie, wherever you are, can you make yourself known? They\u2019re all asking for you backstage.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Aherne would return to the bash three years later, this time as herself, and say of gong-winner Robbie Williams that he was \u201ca little bit common \u2026 I\u2019d have a little go on him but not forever\u201d. Fair.<\/p>\n

Denise\u2019s Christmas dinner (2008)<\/p>\n

As a woman who tends to eat crisps, Dairylea on toast or spaghetti for tea (\u201cBolognese?\u201d \u201cNo, hoops\u201d), Denise Royle was somewhat ambitious to cook Christmas dinner for the extended family in festive special The New Sofa. Inspired by Nigella Lawson, she optimistically offered four guests a turkey leg until dad Jim asked: \u201cBloody hell, love, are we having an octopus?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sadly, the poultry centrepiece was still deep-frozen, despite having been in a bubble bath, kicked around the lounge, wrapped in a Manchester City shirt in the airing cupboard and attacked with various power tools. After offering to hack bits off and put them in the toaster, Wythenshawe\u2019s own domestic goddess instead served Cup a Soup (\u201cwith a twist \u2013 it\u2019s in a bowl!\u201d), followed by her signature \u201ccarrot crush\u201d and a traditional dessert of Wall\u2019s Viennetta.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The voice of Gogglebox (2013-2016)<\/p>\n

The Royle Family was a major inspiration for Gogglebox, the reality show in which regular families sit in front of the TV and react to what they\u2019re watching. Aherne was the first choice for narrator, and her warm, twinkly tones helped to make it a surprise hit. As the nation\u2019s unseen sofa companion, she radiated love for the medium she clearly adored.<\/p>\n

Aherne would narrate the Channel 4 favourite from its inception in 2013 until April 2016, when she became too unwell. Her friend and Royle Family co-creator Craig Cash agreed to fill in for her, temporarily at first, and still does the job a decade later. \u201cGogglebox is a gift that Caroline left me,\u201d says Cash, adding that he often feels Aherne\u2019s \u201cpresence\u201d when recording his voiceovers.<\/p>\n

What did I say, Roy? (1994-1997)<\/p>\n

Aherne teamed up with John Thomson<\/a> to play northern couple Ren\u00e9e and Roy in a series of acutely observed Fast Show skits. Smug Ren\u00e9e would chatter endlessly to strangers, occasionally turning to ask \u201cWhat did I say, Roy?\u201d in the expectation that her submissive husband would meekly agree. Each conversation ended with Roy embarrassing her and being chastised with: \u201cThat\u2019s not what I said, Roy!\u201d<\/p>\n

In the 25th anniversary documentary Just a Load of Blooming Catchphrases, made in 2020, after Aherne\u2019s death, a poignant callback saw Roy sitting alone at home, heartbreakingly mute for 20 seconds. His occasional glances at the empty sofa cushion next to him made it evident that Ren\u00e9e was no longer there to reprimand him.<\/p>\n

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