1st August 2023
The nation's favourite comedy channel Gold is marking The Royle Family's 25th Anniversary with a refresh of its original 2010 documentary. The Royle Family: Down the Back of the Sofa (1x120') celebrates the much loved and critically acclaimed sitcom 25 years after it first aired.
Co-created by Craig Cash and the late Caroline Aherne and first airing in September 1998, The Royle Family was known for its unique approach to sitcom storytelling, breaking away from the traditional sitcom structure. Starring Aherne and Cash with Ricky Tomlinson, Sue Johnston and Ralf Little, the show resonated with viewers with its relatable portrayal of family dynamics and garnered a loyal fanbase.
The Royle Family: Down the Back of the Sofa provides viewers with another chance to see the original documentary interviews with the core cast, which includes Craig and Caroline's only ever filmed interview as a pair. In celebration of her legacy, the refreshed documentary will include fresh insights from celebrity fans such as Diane Morgan (Afterlife), Rosie Jones (Rosie Jones's Disability Comedy Extravaganza), Jamie and Natasia Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats), John Thomson (The Fast Show), Rachel Fairburn (Brand New Bonus Mum), Shobna Gulati (dinnerladies), Jack Rooke (Big Boys), Sharon Rooney (Barbie) and producer of The Royle Family, John Rushton.
The Royle Family: Down the Back of the Sofa is commissioned for UKTV by Mark Iddon, senior commissioning editor for comedy and entertainment and Jason Dawson, commissioning editor, and ordered by Gerald Casey, channel director for Gold and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning. The documentary is produced by Phil McIntyre Television, in collaboration with Craig Cash, with Lucy Ansbro as executive producer and Lindsay Jex as producer.
Jason Dawson said,
A quarter of a century! The Royle Family has without doubt left a permanent mark in television history and we're delighted to have commissioned this documentary for the 25th anniversary. Working alongside Craig and the brilliant team at Phil McIntyre is such a pleasure, and we hope viewers will enjoy reliving this celebration of one of the nation's most beloved shows.
Gerald Casey added,
We absolutely love an anniversary on Gold, and we know our viewers love these nostalgic trips down memory lane just as much as us. It is an honour to have this retrospective documentary airing on Gold this September.
Phil McIntyre Television said,
It's a real treat to be able to revisit Behind the Sofa for the Royle Family's Silver Jubilee. When we originally made this film, we were lucky enough to work closely with Craig and Caroline in what was their first on-screen interview, little did we know that it would turn out to be their last, so we're very grateful to the team at Gold to be able to re-look at a film that we're very proud of.
Royle Family: Down the Back of the Sofa will air on Gold later this year.
-
For more information, please contact:
Caroline Watt, Consumer Publicity Manager, UKTV
Jasmine Brewer, Communications Team Assistant, UKTV
About Gold
Dedicated to celebrating the best of British comedy, Gold is the nation's favourite comedy channel. Classic British comedy series loved by all the family sit comfortably alongside new UKTV Original scripted comedies crafted by some of the nation's finest comedic minds, such as Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes, Murder, They Hope, The Cockfields and Sandylands. Meanwhile Gold's unscripted series reunite the stars and partnerships of the nation's best-loved shows to get to the heart of what makes them so evergreen - from passion projects such as French & Saunders: Funny Women, Billy Connolly Does..., Lenny Henry's Race Through Comedy and Ricky and Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip to the retrospective likes of dinnerladies diaries and The Fast Show: Just A Load of Blooming Catchphrases.
Gold is the perfect tonic to make you laugh whatever the time of day.
gold.uktv.co.uk | @goldchannel
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.