Sue Johnston says Caroline Aherne treated Royle Family crew to champagne

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."