Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip

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Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little go on staycation in their beloved northern England.

Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little – Royle Family dad and son – head home and celebrate the best of their beloved northern England, from the Angel of the North to the Lake District.

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Ralf Little

Ricky Tomlinson

John Quinn

Kelly Lawlor

Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip: Series 1: North East

North East

BBC One - Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip, Series 1, North East

The pair explore the north east, visiting the Angel of the North and a working coal mine.

The Royle camper van hits the north east to experience the Angel of the North, a working coal mine and glass blowing – and meet pigeon racers, food bank heroes and a soccer legend.

Ricky and Ralf  are in the north east, a part of the world they both love. It is where a bit-part acting gig got Ricky noticed for his breakthrough TV role on Brookside, and where Ralf’s secondary career as a semi-pro footballer took off – on a TV charity match. The pair get their heads around the region’s fanatical love of footy, talking to Middlesbrough legend, much-loved TV star and part-time singer Chris Kamara. 

There is more sport as Ricky and Ralf glean some secrets from two expert local trainers on the ancient pastime of pigeon racing. But things also get emotional with an evocative trip back in time to a working coal mine, now a museum to the industry decimated in the 80s. The pair also visit one of Ricky’s favourite charities, which helps families still struggling in the wake of the industry’s collapse.

But the trip ends on a high as Ricky and Ralf visit the end of Hadrian’s Wall in Newcastle’s aptly named Wallsend and enjoy a Guy Fawkes fireworks display fit for a Roman emperor.

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