LEGENDARY actor Ricky Tomlinson has re-called spending a Christmas in Wrexham as he took a special look back at his time on The Royle Family.

The 84-year-old is probably best known for his role as Jim Royle in the hit British Sitcom.

On Christmas Day this year, a special show entitled 'Ricky Tomlinson Remembers ... The Royle Family' was aired.

On that, Ricky sits back in his chair and takes a fond look back at the much-loved comedy series, sharing his memories of playing head of the family and his experiences working with the show’s co-creator Caroline Aherne, who, as well as writing the show with co-star Craig Cash, also played Jim’s daughter Denise. 

Ricky talks about how a chance encounter helped him get the part of Jim, recounts what it was like filming some of the show’s most iconic moments, and tries to get the bottom of the origins of Jim’s famous, below-the-belt catchphrase; 'My A***'. 

He also re-calls a Christmas episode in which Jim and Denise cry 'real tears' as she prepares to give birth to a baby.

The actor and comedian explains that that was partly down to an experience he had in his off-screen life in north Wales.

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Ricky said: "(During filming) I'm crying because my own daughter was born on Christmas Day, when I was going through a tough time.

"I was living in a little cottage in a village called Coedpoeth in north Wales. I've got my two boys and my wife was in hospital having Casey - my daughter - and I can't cook.

"So, for their Christmas dinner they had turkey and ice cream. The turkey had been cooked and that was it."

Earlier this year, Ricky declared his love for Wrexham and the football club in a hilarious video.

He said he was “thrilled to bits” that they Reds had won the National League - but couldn’t get a ticket to the match, a familiar feeling for many fans as the club continues to grow in popularity.

Ricky had originally lived in Queens Park (now Caia Park) before moving to Coedpoeth and mentioned in the video that his son, who sadly passed away, had also been a ball boy at Wrexham.

Ricky’s connections to Wrexham even extend into politics, referencing his arrest and subsequent prison sentence in 1972 during a builders workers’ dispute, where he lead the strike.

He said he had been doing it for the “Welsh lads” and the “Wrexham lads” at the time.