Sue Johnston says Caroline Aherne would treat the ‘Royle Family’ cast and crew to champagne on set.
The 76, year-old actress has reflected on how "generous" her late co-star – who passed away in 2016 aged 52 after losing her battle with lung cancer – was while they were filming the beloved sitcom.
Appearing on ITV’s ‘Loose Women’ on Thursday (02.07.20) – which marked four years since Caroline’s death – she said: "For me, she was the most generous of women and that showe d in her spirit.
"She was very funny but generosity was extraordinary.
"At the end of a week’s filming there would be a table laid out with champagne, beers, sweets for the crew and everyone. She spoiled everyone."
Sue – who was joined via a video link by her former on-screen husband Ricky Tomlinson – revealed Caroline would even ask the producer for some booze for the cast when they got towards the end of the working week.
She added: "Sometimes, what used to make me laugh – especially these days – we’d get to about Thursday and we’d been constantly filming and on that sofa and she’d suddenly call the producer over and she’d go: ‘John, I think we’ve all gone a bit flat, I think we need champagne!
"And it would come! We’d be drinking champagne in those mugs."
Fans have always called for the a comeback for the hit BBC comedy – which ran for three years from 1998 to 2000 and spawned six specials between 2006 and 2012 – but Ricky, 80, wouldn’t feel right without his on-screen daughter.
He said: "Not for me, if it’s not broke don’t try and fix it. She was wonderful."