I always think too much happens in sitcoms, because people are funny, aren’t they?” If you were to try to sum up Caroline Aherne’s comedy credo, you’d struggle to do better than this soundbite from the woman herself. It features in the opening moments of a new Arena documentary celebrating her life and work.
Too much happening is not a charge you would ever level at her most beloved TV creation, The Royle Family, a show that barely ventured out of Jim and Barbara Royle’s front room in Wythenshawe, Manchester, playing out almost in real time. Canned laughter and zippy punchlines were out, replaced by banal questions (“Have you had your tea yet?”) and long pauses.
