Caroline Aherne was a comedy icon – and it’s no wonder she left an incredible fortune of half a million pounds behind after her untimely death.
The Royle Family actress was known for her role as Denise Royle in the classic , which she co-created and wrote alongside Craig Cash. She was also known for her role as chat show host Mrs Merton, and narrated series for three years.
Sadly, Caroline’s personal life was marred by tragedy. In her early life, she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma – the same condition her brother Patrick struggled with. The condition left Caroline partially sighted in one eye.
Her health woes continued into adulthood, when Caroline was diagnosed with bladder . Eventually she was also diagnosed with lung cancer, which eventually killed her at the age of just 52 in 2016 after disclosing to her family that her illness was terminal.
Caroline also struggled with depression and was diagnosed as a binge alcoholic, checking into rehab facility the Priory to help her deal with her mental health struggles after a suicide attempt in 1998, prompted by the death of her former boyfriend Matt Bowers from stomach cancer a year before.
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Caroline Aherne left behind an incredible fortune (Image: Getty)
Despite her struggles, Caroline went on to become a keen supporter of Macmillan Cancer, with a tribute to the late star appearing at the 2016 Stand Up to Cancer event to mark her passing.
After her death, Caroline didn’t leave behind a will – and her £500,000 fortune went straight to her mum Maureen. But sadly, as the amount was over the threshold of £325,000, Maureen was forced to pay more than £71,000 to .
Caroline’s business – Mitzi Entertainment – had £76,000 in the bank when she died, after being valued at £300,000 in 2011.
Caroline was just 52 when she died (Image: Getty)
She wasn’t married at the time of her death and never had children, meaning her cash went straight to her mum. She had previously been married to New Order musician Peter Hook, from 1994 until 1997, but the pair later divorced.
Caroline died alone at her bungalow in Timperley, near Altrincham. Her family weren’t aware her condition had deteriorated, with one family member explaining to The Mirror: “It was too quick, we didn’t expect her to go. She wasn’t in a hospice. She was just at home. She left on her own.”
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