British television star Caroline Aherne, who became a household name after starring in comedy hits The Royle Family, The Mrs Merton Show and The Fast Show, has died of cancer aged 52, her publicist announced Saturday.

"Caroline Aherne has sadly passed away, after a brave battle with cancer," said publicist Neil Reading.

"The Bafta award-winning writer and comedy actor died earlier today at her home in Timperley, Greater Manchester. She was 52."

Little Britain star David Walliams was among many paying tribute, calling her a "true comedy genius," adding her work was "equally funny & touching."

Aherne revealed previous battles with cancer in 2014, saying: "I've had cancer and my brother's had cancer and we know how it affects people."

Both her and her brother were born with cancer of the retina. "My mum told us that only special people get cancer. I must be very special because I've had it in my lungs and my bladder as well," she said.

Aherne first hit small screens as a sharp-talking checkout girl in sketch program The Fast Show, but later became famous for her elderly agony aunt alter-ego Mrs. Merton, who delivered subtle but deadly criticism to celebrities from behind a gentle exterior.

Her talents as a writer came to the fore during her work on sit-com The Royle Family, set almost exclusively in the living room of a working-class northern English family.

She played the family's feckless chain-smoking daughter Denise, whose idea of Christmas dinner included a Cup-a-Soup starter, Walls Vienneta dessert and a turkey defrosted in the bath.