Actress and comedian Caroline Aherne has died.
In a statement, her publicist said: "Caroline Aherne has sadly passed away, after a brave battle with cancer.
"The BAFTA award-winning writer and comedy actor died earlier today at her home in Timperley, Greater Manchester. She was 52.
"The family ask for privacy at this very sad time."
Aherne was perhaps best known for her work on The Mrs Merton Show, where she played the titular elderly character as she interviewed guests in a faux naïve manner.
One of her most famous lines was the question to Debbie McGee, the wife of late magician Paul Daniels: "What first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?"
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She also co-created and starred in The Royle Family, which also starred Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston, and was part of The Fast Show line-up in the 1990s.
More recently, she provided the narrative voice over for Channel 4's Gogglebox. The show has paid tribute to Aherne on Twitter, saying the Gogglebox family was "devastated". One of the show's stars, Scarlett Moffat, called Aherne a "beautiful, inspiring woman".
In 2014, she revealed that she was recovering from lung cancer, previously battling bladder and eye cancer.
Tributes have already come in for Aherne:
Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
