Noel Gallagher Dedicates ‘Half The World Away’ To Late Friend Caroline Aherne

Before the Mrs Merton Show, Aherne had written and performed on the BBC’s hit comedy sketch show The Fast Show alongside Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson, which ran from 1994 to 1997.

Announcing her death on 2July, the 52-year-old comedian’s publicist Neil Reading said: “Caroline Aherne has sadly passed away, after a courageous battle with cancer”. That being the case, she was alone in her bungalow in Timperley, Manchester, when she died.

Caroline’s devastated brother Patrick made a moving tribute to his sister yesterday as shocked friends and family came to terms with her sudden death.

Tributes poured in for the ever-so-popular lady who was most famous for her role in British sitcoms The Royle Family and Mrs Merton – amongst so many more. “She must have gone through a lot but I never saw her looking unwell”. “To me that just sums up her talent”.

Noel Gallagher paid a heartfelt tribute to his friend Caroline Aherne by dedicating his song Half The World Away to her during a show in the US. “But she is now in a better place and most of all she has no pain”, he said. Aherne was nominated for Baftas for her performance in both shows, as well as for her directing of “The Royle Family” in 2001.

It was the toast of the 1999 British Comedy Awards, and went on to take the best sitcom Bafta in 2000 and 2007.

Recalling the time he first met her, he said was “pretty nervous” and described himself as a “skinny, big-nosed teenager plucked out of nowhere”.

“I looked horrified as she pointed to Ricky Tomlinson and said, “Ricky’s going to shave and play your part now”. To me that just sums up her talent”.

‘People are already queueing up to speak at her memorial, ‘ they said.

Ellie Goulding said: ‘So so sad to hear about Caroline Aherne.

“I loved her. She used to make me cry with laughter. I’ll miss her silliness, her intelligence, her laughter and her joy”, he added.

These characters were duly introduced to us in the halcyon days of comedy in Manchester, particularly the infamous Buzz club, then working together with Steve Coogan on The Dead Good Show.

As a baby she had a rare cancer of the retina, retinoblastoma, which left her almost blind in one eye, and she also later suffered from bladder cancer.