Television Tomlinson played
Bobby Grant in the soap opera
Brookside from the show's inception in 1982 until being written out in 1988, followed by DCI Charlie Wise in
Cracker and
Jim Royle in the BBC sitcom
The Royle Family in 1998. In 2001, Tomlinson starred in the BBC Series
Nice Guy Eddie playing a Liverpool private investigator. Using down-to-earth cases — actually based upon real-life ones from Liverpool
private investigator Tony Smith — the show also starred
Tom Ellis and
John Henshaw. He featured heavily in series two of
Paul Abbott's series
Clocking Off, in a
BAFTA-nominated episode written by
Danny Brocklehurst. Tomlinson has fronted a series of
television adverts for the utility company
British Gas. In January 2010, he began to appear in a series of advertisements for the frozen food chain
Farmfoods. In 2017, he provided a voiceover for an advert for
McCain Foods. On 19 June 2006, Tomlinson made his début as the guest celebrity in Dictionary Corner on the long-running UK
Channel 4 game show
Countdown. In December 2006, he presented a programme in
Channel Five's Disappearing Britain series entitled "When Coal Was King". In March 2007, Tomlinson presented BBC's
One Life: Guilty My Arse, detailing his version of the "Shrewsbury Two" case, in which he compared his political activism as a trade unionist to the work of the
suffragettes. In March 2011, Tomlinson appeared in an advertising campaign for UK retail chain
The Range. The BBC broadcast a programme in its
Who Do You Think You Are? series 13 on Tomlinson's ancestors, which traced his family back through a number of carters working around Liverpool at a time when the city was a bustling port. In 2020, Tomlinson and his
Royle Family co-star
Ralf Little presented a travel series called ''Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip'' for
Gold. The
2023 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Liverpool, with the UK replacing the planned host country Ukraine following the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine; Tomlinson appeared and recited a poem dedicated to
the Beatles, then reprised his role as
Brookside character
Bobby Grant, who was seen putting up Ukrainian-themed
bunting outside the Grant home on Brookside Close. In September 2025, it was confirmed that Tomlinson would again reprise the role of Bobby Grant in a special crossover episode of
Brookside to mark the 30th anniversary of
Hollyoaks.
Film Tomlinson has starred in films such as
Mike Bassett: England Manager,
Raining Stones, and
Hillsborough. In 2017, he starred in the
LGBT-themed short film ''Tellin' Dad'' as the father of the main character who
comes out to him. (2017)
Music Tomlinson is a keen
banjo and
harmonica player, and has played the instruments in several episodes of
The Royle Family. In 2001 he teamed up with fellow
Brookside actor
Michael Starke and other friends for his own rendition of well-known
folk songs including "It's a Long Way To Tipperary" and a cover of
Shane MacGowan and The Popes' "Are You Lookin' at Me?" that reached No. 28 in the
UK Singles Chart in 2001. A CD album entitled
Music My Arse was released the same year, peaking at No. 127 in the
UK Albums Chart. He released a
single at Christmas 2006 entitled "Christmas My A*se" which reached No. 25.
Theatre In 2006, Tomlinson toured to theatres across the UK with his show
An Evening with Ricky Tomlinson where he was interviewed about his life by
Elton Welsby. During 2008 and 2009, Tomlinson took his
Laughter Show theatrical revue on a UK tour with fellow comedians Tony Barton,
Duncan Norvelle and Pauline Daniels. In 2009, he took a lead role as the Head Judge in the "VMH Club Star Talent Trail", a local talent-based competition held at the VMH Club in
Garston. A large number of
North West-based performers entered the competition, which was ultimately won by 14-year-old Shaun Walsh from Liverpool. In May 2010, Tomlinson opened The Green Room, his own
cabaret club on
Duke Street in Liverpool. ==Personal life==