Beebfun - The Royle Family Desktop Theme Homepage

Welcome to

- our sole purpose in life is to provide you with original quality Desktop Themes for you to download and enjoy on your own PC. That's it! No hard sell. We just believe in having fun and for inspiration we have drawn on that great British institution - the British Sitcom (with the odd footie theme thrown in for good measure). With over 40 fun TV and soccer desktop themes to choose from we are sure you will find some fun here - be sure you visit the rest of the website before leaving - click on Frames or No Frames to access the main menu. This then is our small tribute to one of Britain's current sitcom favourites - The Royle Family.

The Royle Family are from the north west of England (Liverpool/Manchester area). Remarkable I can hear you say! No, not really. They are just like many other families from that area, and that's just the point! The real point of the programme is that there isn't one. There is no plot, there is no farce or slapstick, there is no comedy star! There are no jokes. The programme however is just about the hottest comedy programme of that last 90's. So what is it that makes this programme so distinctive! Let me begin by introducing the Royle Family to you in all their glory!

The Royle's comprise Jim (Dad) played by Ricky Tomlinson, Barbara (Mum) played by Sue Johnstone, daughter Denise (Caroline "Mrs. Merton" Aherne) and son, Anthony aka Lurch (Ralf Little). During the second series the family expands to include Denise's boyfriend, now husband - Dave played by Craig Cash. These are the central figures in this less than dynamic sitcom which is nothing more than a TV comedy programme about a family watching TV! Other characters include Barbara's Mum Norma, played by Liz Smith, Denise's best friend Cheryl (Jessica Stevenson), Jim's drinking partner Twiggy (Geoffrey Hughes) to name but a few. The action takes place in the front room of The Royle Family, who glued to the box, welcome friends and family to their humble grubby surroundings whilst they continue to watch TV, slump, slouch and give new meaning generally to the term couch potato! The real strength of the programme however is in the brilliant characterizations by the actors and clever script writing by Caroline Ahearn and Craig Cash who in true comic fashion capture life's funny moments and provide a fascinating if not accurate reflection of many working-class living rooms.

Jim is the archetypal work shy working-class Dad who holds court from the principle arm chair of his front room and doesn't have a good word to say about anyone. In the words of Barbara "Oh Jim, you have more faces than the town-hall clock" "Yes" says Norma, "and everyone of them is miserable!" Barbara is the long-suffering put-upon Mum "I've had enough I'm just his bl**dy skivy" who is facing the "change" in her life with absolutely no sympathy from her better half. Denise has by the second series worked out that by marrying Dave and announcing to all that "we're pregnant!" she can do even less work than she used to as a newly wed. Her culinary skills now extend to Spaghetti hoops on Toast to which Dave responds to by eating at the local fish 'n chipy. Anthony is well Anthony. The youngest member of the family, much maligned, misunderstood but can make a really great cup of tea - put the kettle on Anthony ........

The series first appeared on BBC2 in 1998 where it was launched to an unsuspecting public who soon took it to the hearts. A second series, shown in 1999, originally screened on BBC1 confirming its popularity. Recently a three-part Xmas special rounded of the old millennium. The third series is in the making and will appear some time during 2000 we understand. We also understand that the show has sold to the US networks. Quite what the American viewing public will make of our Royle Family remains to be seen but somehow I don't think it will work in the States. Having said that I would not have thought Stressed Eric would have worked but that seems to have gone down a treat. In any event we hope you enjoy our Desktop Theme and have one or two chuckles at the sights and sounds of the Royle Family.

Surprisingly, there is very little relating to the Royle Family currently on the net. Here is what I have found to date. If you find other links please let me know - I will add them here for subsequent visitors to explore.

Get the UK (PAL) Video

Click to go to Blackstar.co.uk

Get US (NTSC) Video

Click to go to Amazon.com

Get the Book

Click to go to Amazon.co.uk

The Royle Family Desktop Theme (Desktop Theme my Arse!) is the latest addition to our download goodies bag based on the hit BBC TV comedy of 1999. The Theme features themed start-up and shutdown screens, hi-colour (24-bit) desktop wallpaper, animated cursor set and new desktop icons. Also included are new event sounds taken from various Royle Family episodes. We have also included a full feature screensaver constructed using Screen Saver Studio Deluxe featuring more Royle Family sights and sounds. Full installation instructions are provided in the Readme file and the whole theme is available in a convenient zip file to download.

If you don't have a copy of Microsoft Plus! help is at hand in the form of Desktop Themes, a shareware desktop theme manager published by Jonathan Potter at Left Side Software. Click on

to get your copy.

The following thumbnails will give you an idea of the screens used in this theme.

You can now use GetRight.Com's downloading Utility GetRight for Java to download this desktop theme. Click on the GetRight Download button that follows to download The Royle Family Desktop Theme using GetRight for Java instead of your browsers usual download tool. Check out my Download Problems page to find out how to use this facility and for more great tips on how you can improve your downloads using Net Vampire.

If after successfully downloading the theme you think it could be improved or has bugs, then please E-Mail your comments and/or suggestions to me. If you liked this theme please tell future visitors to this web-site -