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The Royle Family has been a British comedy favourite for almost three decades, but it can be easy to forget that it is more than just the original Gogglebox template.

First broadcast on 14 September 1998, written by comedian Caroline Aherne and her long-time writing collaborator Craig Cash, the programme captured working class family life at the tail end of the 20th Century.

Whilst initially, the almost theatre-like, single location set (the Royle living room - all centred around communal family TV viewing) might have appeared a little too bare, it was this kitchen-sink style, almost ‘accidentally funny’ setup that would prove both commercially and critically popular.

Although TV bosses were not convinced about the simple format, Aherne dug in her heels and used the clout earned from the success of the Mrs Merton Show, to stand her ground regarding her artistic vision.

"We kind of wanted to do something about our world and Caroline was certain that it would work, it would travel" said co-creator Craig Cash.

"Acting on the telly was new to me. It was like wow, you know, who could work in telly? And she'd be like, 'Telly's full of people with more confidence than talent and you've got talent.' She gave me confidence."

Veteran actor Ricky Tomlinson stars as Jim Royle, the family patriarch and eternal complainer.

He does not work, routinely berates the rest of the family, frequently erupts with gripes against the world but yet on occasion still manages to shine a little light, that makes him a favourite with his own family and viewers alike.

The character is something akin to a British Homer Simpson, but nuanced in a way that could only make sense in the setting of the North West of England.

Along with Sue Johnston playing Barbara, Tomlinson’s long-suffering wife (a role she had previously played in Brookside years earlier), the central cast was made up by Aherne as Jim's perhaps not-so-bright but loving daughter Denise, Cash as her easy-going other half Dave, and Ralf Little as youngest son and eternal dogsbody Anthony.

The series also had bit-part players such as the legendary Liz Smith, as well as early appearances by Jessica Hynes, Joanne Froggatt and Sheridan Smith.

A summation of typical Britishness, the characters could be found placing small bets on the values of items on the Antiques Roadshow, talking about other people as soon as they walk out of the room and most importantly, getting someone else to make the tea.

As well as proving popular as a traditional ����ý sitcom with familiar characters, setups and even the odd catchphrase (Jim's unique way of 'announcing' his backside), the programme also found its way into the wider popular culture.

Having arrived at the tail end of the 1990s, just after the boom of Britpop and Cool Britannia, the use of Oasis B-side Half The World Away as the programme's theme tune, mutually gave both northern institutions further leases of life.

Noel Gallagher would later introduce the song live by dedicating it to “the ‘Real’ Royal Family” and recording an exclusive Slade cover version for one of the Christmas specials.

It also turned out that Craig Cash not only looked like Bonehead from Oasis, but was a real-life cousin of the rhythm guitarist.

Having already worked with comedians Steve Coogan and Chris Sievey aka Frank Sidebottom, Caroline Aherne was already a rising comedy star by the time she had success with the Mrs Merton Show in 1994.

The success of the Royle Family thrust her further into the media spotlight. In fact, like Oasis, her foray into mainstream culture would lead to relentless tabloid press intrusion.

The Royle Family ran for three series until 2000, followed by a number of sporadic special episodes.

In 2013, Aherne was once again involved in another hit television show, narrating the Channel 4 series Gogglebox.

The programme combined the Royle Family's living room set-up with a reality TV format, showing real-life families and their telly habits - watching the watchers watch.

Like the Oasis B-side, Gogglebox has gone on to have a life of its own, with at last count, 24 series (the latest of which, aptly begins this weekend, on the anniversary of the pilot episode of the Royle Family), with many much-loved returning characters, celebrity editions and global franchises.

At the heart of that programme ultimately, are the same values that made the Royle Family so popular: real, human, British family interactions that hold a mirror up to the viewer - a plenitude of characters that we see in ourselves, empathise with and root for, warts and all.

The Royle Family effectively came to an end with the death of Caroline Aherne in 2016.

Her warmth and talent was celebrated in the 2023 Arena documentary Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy.

Aherne had asked Cash to cover for her on Gogglebox after her cancer diagnosis. Cash said that since her death, the work was like having "a gift that she left me".

Perhaps the Royle Family's secret weapon, similar to the work of Shane Meadows and Ricky Gervais, was how it managed to disarm the audience with humour and light touches.

It could lull the viewer into a false sense of security by making them laugh and feel comfortable, before unloading a barrel of raw emotion when they were at their most vulnerable.

It was a trick that Aherne and Cash managed to get away with again and again, their audience wilfully winding the jack in the box, even though they are almost sure they know what happens next.

When Tomlinson and Little recently reunited for their own , they took a moment to reflect on the show's impact.

Discussing how ‘the North’ has changed in the time since their programme first appeared, Little himself referred to the Royle Family as being a “cultural timestamp for where we were and what the North was at that time”.

Tomlinson was quick to note that "the North has changed tremendously and I think for the better".

Whether Jim Royle would have felt that all the regeneration or gentrification since the programme first aired, was for better or worse, is perhaps another question and one, no doubt, that might once more, bring up mention of his posterior!