My Arse!
Jim Royle's most-quoted two-word review of everything.
Sitcom File No. 006
BBC Two / BBC One · 1998–2012
The Royle Family
- Network
- BBC Two / BBC One
- Years
- 1998–2012
- Seasons
- 3
- Episodes
- 20
Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash's Manchester-set masterpiece: a family sitcom filmed almost entirely in the living room, in front of the telly, with a cup of tea and a fag on the go.
DomesticObservationalCharacter comedy
Created by Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash, Henry Normal
The Review
Our verdict
Rating
9.4/10
The Royle Family arrived in 1998 and quietly threw out the sitcom rulebook. No studio audience. No laugh track. No plot to speak of. Just a working-class Manchester family, sat on the sofa, watching telly and talking rubbish — and it turned out to be one of the most tender, funny and painfully observed things British television has ever produced.
Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash wrote dialogue that sounded like eavesdropping. Jim's endless moaning, Barbara's quiet patience, Denise's cheerful uselessness — every character was a person you'd met. The show found extraordinary comedy in ordinary rhythms: adverts, biscuits, whose turn it was to make a brew.
The specials that followed the original run — especially 'The Queen of Sheba' — pushed further into melancholy without ever losing the warmth. Few sitcoms have earned the right to make you cry. This one earned it repeatedly.
Cast & Creators
Who made this one
Names linked to their Laughter File are part of the archive. Follow the thread.
Caroline Aherne
Denise Royle
View Laughter File →
- R
Ricky Tomlinson
Jim Royle
- S
Sue Johnston
Barbara Royle
- C
Craig Cash
Dave Best
- R
Ralf Little
Antony Royle
- L
Liz Smith
Nana
Memorable Episodes
Episodes to revisit
- 01
The Queen of Sheba
Nana's final episode. Devastating and beautiful in equal measure.
- 02
Christmas Special (1999)
The proposal. Denise and Dave. Perfect television.
- 03
Antony's Wedding
The Royles descend on a wedding, all chaos, warmth and borrowed suits.
Classic Clips
Four scenes to revisit
Denise and Dave on the Sofa
The couple who made cuddling on the settee look like sitcom gold.
The Proposal
Dave asks Denise. Perfect Christmas television.
Nana's Queen of Sheba
Liz Smith's final scenes — devastating and beautiful.
Awards
- 2000
BAFTA: Best Sitcom
For the second series.
Legacy
Redefined what a British sitcom could look like: no plot, no jokes on the surface, just people — and it opened the door for everything from Gavin & Stacey to Him & Her.
Where to watch
Available on BBC iPlayer and BritBox.