Caroline Aherne was born in London on Christmas eve, but her family moved north when she was a toddler.
With an IQ of 176, school was easy, so she kept herself busy, mimicking the nuns for the entertainment of her peers. After school, stand-up proved to be too nerve-wracking for her, but following a stint touch-typing for Janet Street Porter at the BBC, she met Craig Cash at a pirate radio station and the rest as they say, is history. Craig and Caroline's professional relationship lasted longer than their romantic one - they went on to write both Mrs Merton and The Royle Family together. Including clips from The Fast Show, The Royle Family, Sister Mary Immaculate and The Mrs Merton Show, as well as excerpts from an interview with friend and comedian John Thomson. The guest nominating Caroline Aherne is the Broadcaster Shaun Keaveny. The expert is David Scott, aka Argh Kid, author of Rebel in Disguise. Presented by Matthew Parris. Produced in Bristol for BBC Studios by Ellie Richold.
FeatureKultur & Gesellschaft
Great Lives Folgen
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Folgen von Great Lives
2 Folgen
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Folge vom 19.10.2026Shaun Keaveny picks Caroline Aherne
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Folge vom 05.10.2026Russell Kane on Iris MurdochIris Murdoch was born in Ireland in 1919, grew up in London and was educated in Bristol and Oxford. She's famous both as a novelist and a philosopher, and she won the Booker Prize in 1978 for The Sea, The Sea. Her nominator is Russell Kane, who is full of admiration for her work. This compelling discussion of what makes Iris great includes contributions from her friend and biographer, Peter Conradi; and from Miles Leeson, Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre in Chichester.Great Lives is presented by Matthew Parris and produced by Miles Warde. Other guests in this final series of Great Lives include Ruby Tandoh on children's author Brian Jacques; Pauline Black of The Selector on Poly Styrene of X Ray Spex; and Mel Giedroyc on her ancestor, Russia's first female military surgeon, Princess Vera Gedroits.