Teary Ricky Tomlinson hailed a ‘spectacular human’ as he slams inequality on Who Do You Think You Are?

RICKY Tomlinson was hailed a "spectacular human being" after getting teary during a passionate rant about his ancestors' struggle with poverty on Who Do You Think You Are.

The Royle Family actor blasted inequality and the class divide in 1900's Liverpool which saw his great, great grandfather William Tomlinson and his wife Mary, along with their six kids, squashed into a house of eleven - with just one bathroom between them.

On tonight's BBC One show Ricky, a political activist, dabbed tears from his eyes as he raged: "It's absolutely scandalous.

"Land of Hope and Glory - my arse!"

He then quipped: "I have four toilets in my house," before adding: "How can you get upset about something that happened 150 years ago?

"But I am, I am so angry.

"They are getting by on pauper's poverty while Liverpool is booming"

During his journey back into his family tree, the Liverpool TV star then learned William died, leaving Mary to raise their children alone.

Records then showed two of her children were classed as "deserted by mother" which he then learned meant she was forced to send them to an industrial school as she was too poor to look after them.

After marrying a second time - which an expert said could have been her way to secure cash to raise her family - she later died of a stroke.

As the episode aired this evening, fans quickly took to Twitter to heap praise on the TV funnyman.

One bluntly wrote: "Ricky Tomlinson is a spectacular human being."