Caroline Mary Aherne was an English actress, comedian and writer.
24 Facts About Caroline Aherne
2.
Caroline Aherne was best known for performing as the acerbic chat show host Mrs Merton, in various roles in The Fast Show, and as Denise in The Royle Family, a series which she co-wrote.
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Caroline Aherne won BAFTA awards for her work on The Mrs Merton Show and The Royle Family.
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Caroline Aherne attended the Hollies Convent FCJ School in West Didsbury and then studied drama at Liverpool Polytechnic.
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Caroline Aherne began performing on the Manchester comedy circuit as characters such as Mitzi Goldberg, lead singer of the comedy country and western act the Mitzi Goldberg Experience, and Sister Mary Immaculate, an Irish nun.
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The Mrs Merton character originated as a voice on the 1988 Frank Sidebottom album titled 5:9:88, after Caroline Aherne worked as a receptionist for his show on Piccadilly Radio.
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Caroline Aherne was then invited by DJ Martin Kelner to develop the character on his show, where she would spend many years appearing as a comedy agony aunt across the north of England on the BBC Night Network.
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In 1990 Caroline Aherne became a late night radio presenter on KFM Radio in Stockport, joining a line-up which included Craig Cash as well as Jon Ronson, Spence MacDonnald and The Word's Terry Christian.
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In 1992, Caroline Aherne appeared as Mrs Merton in the local Yorkshire Television series, Frank's Fantastic Shed Show, with Chris Sievey in his Frank Sidebottom persona.
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Caroline Aherne rose to prominence in 1994 as her created character Mrs Merton on the mock chat show The Mrs Merton Show under her married name of Caroline Hook.
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Caroline Aherne starred alongside Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston, as their daughter Denise Royle.
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Caroline Aherne received BAFTAs for Best Sitcom in 2000 and 2007, and she won the BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance in 2000.
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Caroline Aherne wrote Dossa and Joe which was screened on BBC Two in 2002.
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Caroline Aherne appeared in The Royle Family special "The New Sofa" on Christmas Day 2008.
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Caroline Aherne co-wrote the ITV comedy-drama The Fattest Man in Britain, which was broadcast in December 2009.
16.
In November 2010, Caroline Aherne appeared in the special The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa shown on Gold, featuring clips of The Royle Family and interviews with Caroline Aherne, Cash and the cast, which was followed by another Christmas Day special, "Joe's Crackers".
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Caroline Aherne narrated a BBC1 documentary series Pound Shop Wars broadcast in November 2012.
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Caroline Aherne appeared in The Fast Show internet specials, sponsored by the lager brand Fosters, which reunited most of the original principal cast; only Mark Williams was unable to participate.
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Caroline Aherne wrote the 2013 one-off sitcom The Security Men, along with Jeff Pope for ITV.
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Caroline Aherne was married to Peter Hook of the bands Joy Division and New Order from 1994 until 1997.
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Caroline Aherne checked in to the Priory, where she was diagnosed as a binge alcoholic.
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Caroline Aherne suffered from bladder cancer and a rare cancer of the retina.
23.
Caroline Aherne spoke about how a sense of humour had helped her cope with the disease.
24.
In 2016, Caroline Aherne became the voice behind the UK government's "One You" health campaign, to persuade people to cut down on cigarettes and alcohol.