Northern exposure
Royle Family veterans Ricky and Ralf jump into a camper van to explore Britain’s north
IT’S the comedy tour guide duo we never knew we needed. Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little take to the roads, and honestly it’s like a breath of fresh northern English air.
The Royle Family dad and son were on screen together two decades ago but remain good mates with a unique bond that’s wonderful to watch.
Scouser Ricky has just turned 80 and wanted to see more of the north, inviting Bury-bred Ralf, who’s nearly 40, along for the ride.
“There are some beautiful places in the north that we don’t know enough about. Why would you want to go anywhere else? Tell me!” says Ricky. “The weather?” quips Ralf.
As they hit the road in a campervan for six weeks, taking in the rich cultural diversity and doing many, many impersonations of Brian Blessed, it’s a hilarious and heartwarming staycation.
A ‘staycation’ may currently be redefined as having a holiday in your living room, but this whizz through beautiful countryside might go down on your post lockdown to-do list.
They begin in Ricky’s hometown of Liverpool before
The pair’s northern odyssey starts off in Ricky’s native Liverpool
heading to his birthplace Blackpool for some fun in the Vegas of the north. From the genuine thrill at spotting their names on Blackpool’s comedy carpet to Ricky’s terror on a Pleasure Beach ghost train, this is a funny tour de force.
And there are sweet moments too. Ricky absentmindedly strokes Ralf’s head when he falls into a post-pud coma at a pub.
With a father-and-son affection and some merciless ribbing, these are two proud northerners who are clearly having a grand old time.