Inside The Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson's life from family tragedy to time in prison

Ricky Tomlinson, a star of The Royle Family, had a life filled with drama before he settled into Jim Royle's armchair.

The actor, born in Blackpool, celebrated his 85th birthday last month, 12 years after the beloved The Royle Family ended following just three seasons and several Christmas specials.

Given the enduring popularity of the Gogglebox-style comedy, it's no surprise that many are keen to learn more about one of its biggest stars, Ricky Tomlinson.

Although he was born near Blackpool in 1939, Tomlinson spent the majority of his life in Liverpool. He was actually christened Eric, but is universally known as Ricky, reports the Liverpool Echo.

He was one of three sons to his father, a baker, while his mother held various jobs, from house cleaning and working in an ice cream factory to employment at a British American Tobacco factory and a launderette.

From a young age, Tomlinson had a passion for entertaining. He learned to play the banjo in his late teens and reportedly performed comedy sketches in a popular local group.

The star of The Royle Family worked as a plasterer, which remained his primary day job until the mid-1970s.

He was also a trade unionist, and in 1972, Tomlinson was embroiled in a workers' dispute in Shrewsbury and was part of the so-called Shrewsbury 24.

As a consequence, the star was controversially sentenced to two years in prison for "conspiracy to intimidate" and became one of the UK's last political prisoners.

He successfully overturned his conviction in 2021, after a lengthy battle to clear his name.

During the More4 series, Ricky, Sue And A Trip Or Two, Tomlinson revisited the Midland prison where he was once held, alongside his Royle Family co-star Sue Johnston.

Reflecting on the