Loose Women star Denise Welch opened up on her time with Ricky Tomlinson as the veteran actor joined the panel for discussion on the popular ITV talk show

Denise Welch and Ricky Tomlinson

Denise Welch had the Loose Women panel in stitches as she recalled the time she worked with legendary actor Ricky Tomlinson.

Co-hosts Ruth Langsford, Kelly Brook and Ayda Field joined the Geordie actress on the infamous ITV panel show for a special edition focusing on the Oscars party. As they all dressed for the golden and glamorous theme, the women invited Scouse star Ricky to the stage to speak about the key highlights of his career.

The actor, now 85, who is best known for playing character Jim Royle in The Royle Family, as well as starring in soap opera Brookside as Bobby Grant and DCI Charlie Wise from Cracker, gushed over his success. It led to Denise posing a cheeky question, saying: “Obviously, it’s Oscars day, who would you say in the whole of your career – and it’s been a really long and wonderful career – was your favourite leading lady?” jokingly pointing to herself.

Ricky Tomlinson joined Denise Welch on Loose Women(Image: ITV)

Charmingly, Ricky took her hand and, after kissing the back of it, replied: “I can’t remember her name!” which caused the co-host to burst into laughter. Denise then added: “We did three series of a show called Down to Earth and Ricky and I were husband and wife. We spent three years, pretty much, in Cornwall together and I have never laughed and gone through as many panty pads in my entire life, I can tell you.”

Ricky added: “I’ve been so lucky, I’ve worked with so many people and I know nothing about show business. I was a political prisoner and I didn’t star in the game until my late 40s.” He went on to reminisce how little he knew about the industry when he asked someone “are you in show business?” Shockingly, it turned out Ricky had indeed posed the question to Robert De Niro.

Ricky worked as a plasterer before his stint in showbiz. He took part in the UK’s first national building workers’ strike in 1972 as workers hit out at low pay, dangerous working conditions, and unfair employment practices. He went on to spend two years in prison due to his involvement after he was arrested and sentenced.

Last year, during an appearance on The One Show, Ricky caused chaos as he dropped the F-word live on air before the watershed. He had been regaling hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas about his time on the smash-hit Royle Family. Recalling working with co-star Sue Johnstone, who played his beleaguered wife Barb, he said: “When we met, I’d done one job and I bluffed my way into it – a movie with Roland Joffe. He upset me in the audition and I told him to stick it. I hadn’t long been out of jail and he was winding me up in the audition and I told him to stick it and was walking down the stairs and he shouted, ‘I know who you are, you’re Ricky Tomlinson’. And I’m shouting…”

It was then that the actor mouthed “f*** off” in full view of the camera as he shook his fist in the air as though to express his anger from the encounter. The episode was quickly pulled from the BBC’s catch-up service, iPlayer.