Gogglebox: Everything you need to know about the Channel 4 show
Series 23 is upon us!
Believe it or there has now been 23 series of hit Channel 4 show Gogglebox, with fan-favourite families Jenny and Lee, Sophie and Pete, Ellie and Izzi and The Malones, as well as many more!
Whether you've somehow avoided Gogglebox over the last 10 years, or love the show and want to learn more about it, we've gathered together some frequently asked questions about Gogglebox as series 23 airs every Friday night!
When is Gogglebox back on TV?
The 23rd series of Gogglebox started on Friday 16th February 2024.
Series 22 of Gogglebox started on Friday 8th September, with new episodes airing every Friday night on Channel 4.
What is Gogglebox?
Where to begin! Gogglebox is a TV show that began in the UK, where normal people are filmed watching the telly... It sounds bizarre, but just one viewing and you'll be hooked.
When did Gogglebox start?
Gogglebox first aired in the UK on 7th March 2013. There have since been 22 series that have aired on Channel 4, with series 23 airing now.
Gogglebox: How to apply for the show
Sadly, there's no process to appear on Gogglebox. A Channel 4 spokesperson recently confirmed that they're "not currently casting" and that there's "no way to apply" to be on the show.
The production team spend time scouting out the perfect candidates for the show, and being spotted remains the only way to be on Gogglebox. Show creator Stephen Lambert said in 2015, "Everybody on Gogglebox has been found and persuaded to be on the show and I think that’s the key to why they are likeable and why the show works, because we get to know these people. We’ve never advertised for people on Gogglebox."
Gogglebox cast: Who is on the show?
Read up on Gogglebox's current cast and find out what jobs the Gogglebox cast do outside of the show.
Ellie and Izzi Warner
Sisters Ellie and Izzi Warner from Leeds have also become fan favourites after first joining the show in 2015.
Izzi gave birth to a beautiful baby girl called Bessie Rose in early 2020, whilst Ellie recently announced she was expecting her first child with her boyfriend Nat.
In early 2022, Izzi also introduced fans to her brand new puppy called Cookie.
Ellie and Izzi took a break from Gogglebox during season 19, following Ellie's boyfriend Nat being left 'fighting for his life' after he was hit by a car during a night out in Leeds in March. Ellie later revealed on 13th May that her and sister Izzi would be returning to our screens that night, thanking fans for their well wishes.
Ellie and Izzi returned for series 23.
Pete and Sophie
Brother and sister duo Pete and Sophie Sandiford have become one of the most popular castings in Gogglebox history! The funny siblings first joined the cast in 2017.
It seems that comedy runs in the family for these two, with the recent revelation that the pair are related to none other than Paul Chuckle himself!
After getting married to his girlfriend Paige Yeomans, the pair welcomed their first child into the world in 2021, with little Jimmy already making an appearance on Gogglebox. In December 2022, Pete then confirmed Paige is pregnant with the couple's second child.
During series 21, Pete confirmed the birth of his second child, and the pair returned for series 23.
Jenny and Lee
Best friends Jenny and Lee are also back, they first joined the show on series 4 back in 2014! The pair have us in fits of giggles with their banter both on and off the show.
Jenny and Lee, who film the show from Lee's caravan in Hull, have been best friends for over 20 years and often delight fans by sharing throwback photos of each other.
In series 19, Jenny and Lee took a break from the show after Jenny underwent surgery for a minor illness. However, the pair were back for series 20 and have appeared on the show since.
The Malone family
The Malone family, made up of Tom, Julie, Tom Jnr and Shaun, are one of the most popular families with fans. They first joined the cast in 2014.
In February 2021, just one day before series 17, Tom Jr announced he'd quit the show.
In March 2021, Tom and Julie's daughter Vanessa joined the show! During series 20, the Malone family also introduced their brand new puppy. In October 2023, the family revealed the sad news that their beloved dog Dave had sadly passed away.
Abbie and Georgia
Durham girls Abbie and Georgia first joined the show back in 2018.
In 2022, just one month before series 19 hit our screens, Georgia announced she was expecting her first baby. After giving birth to a baby boy in July, baby Hugh James Newby appeared in series 20.
Dave and Shirley
Welsh couple Dave and Shirley, who have been married for over 40 years, first joined the show back in 2015.
The Siddiqui family
The Siddiqui family, made up of Umar, Baasit and their dad Sid, have become Gogglebox legends since joining the show back in series 1.
Brother Raza also occasionally makes an appearance on the show, but due to working away, he can't always commit to filming.
Giles and Mary
Gogglebox fans fell in love with Giles and his wife Mary when they joined the cast in 2015, mainly due to Giles' hilarious stories... Much to Mary's annoyance.
The Worthingtons
The Worthingtons, made up of Alison, her husband George and her daughter Helena, joined the cast in series 10. In 2019, Helena welcomed a baby boy called Edwin, and he's already made his debut.
Amira and Iqra
Amira and Iqra first joined the show back in 2017 with their other friend Amani, but now it's just the two of them leaving viewers in stitches with their comments.
Tremaine, Twaine and Tristan
Tremaine, Twaine and Tristan, brothers from Bristol, joined back in 2016, quickly becoming a big hit with viewers.
Simon and Jane
Joining the cast for series 18, Simon and his sister Jane appeared on the box for the first time on 22nd October 2021!
They were also back for series 20, 21 and 22, with the pair expected to return for series 23.
Ronnie and Annie
Joining the cast in November 2021 was Ronnie and his wife Annie!
Roisin and Joe
Unveiled as brand new cast members on Friday 25th February 2022, young couple Roisin and Joe are the first Scottish people to appear on the show since 2016!
Danielle and Daniella
Best friends Danielle and Daniella from Leeds joined the show during series 20 in 2022.
Elaine and Seb
Mother and son duo Elaine and Seb made their debut on the show during the opening episode of series 22 in September 2023. The pair are from Forest of Dean.
Teresa ad Anita
Married couple Teresa and Anita from Solihull joined the show for series 23.
Do Gogglebox stars get paid?
They certainly do - read up on how much Gogglebox stars get paid.
Which celebs took part in Celebrity Gogglebox?
There have been five series of Celebrity Gogglebox! Read up on which celebrities have been on Gogglebox AND how much they earned.
Joel Dommett and Hannah Cooper
The Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett confirmed on Instagram that he and his model wife Hannah Cooper would be joining the Celebrity Gogglebox sofa in June 2021.
Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell
Derry Girls stars Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Jamie-Lee O'Donnell joined the show on Friday 25th June.
Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling
Love Island voiceover Iain Stirling gives hilarious commentary as his job, so we can't wait to hear his comments on Gogglebox! The comedian will be joined alongside his wife, Love Island host Laura Whitmore.
Denise van Outen and Eddie Boxshall
Following her appearance on The Masked Singer, Denise van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall have returned for series three of Celebrity Gogglebox.
Anne-Marie and Tom Jones
Superstar singers and The Voice UK judges Anne-Marie and Tom Jones have also teamed up for the new series.
Martin and Roman Kemp
Father and son duo Martin and Roman Kemp are back for series three of Celebrity Gogglebox.
Bez and Shaun Ryder
Happy Mondays star Bez and Shaun Ryder will once again reunite for the third series.
Clare Balding and Alice Arnold
Presenter and author Clare Balding has been announced for series three of Celebrity Gogglebox! She will be joined on the sofa by her wife Alice Arnold.
Mel C
Singer and Spice Girl Mel C has also be lined up to appear in the next series. 'Sporty Spice' will be joined by her brother Paul.
Clara Amfo
DJ and presenter Clara Amfo will also be enjoying 'lots of great telly' in the next series of Celebrity Gogglebox. She will settle on the sofa with her brother Andy.
Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards
Former Premier League stars and football pundits Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards will also be making their Celebrity Gogglebox debuts.
Lorraine Kelly and Rosie Smith
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly will also join the Celebrity Gogglebox family this year. She'll be joined by her daughter Rosie Smith.
Nick Grimshaw and Liv Grimshaw
Nick Grimshaw and his niece Liv will also be returning to the Celebrity Gogglebox line-up!
Gyles Brandreth and Maureen Lipman
The lovely Gyles Brandreth and Maureen Lipman will reunite for series three.
Sunetra Sarker and Georgia Taylor
These two bring lots of laughs so we can't wait to see them again!
Chris Eubank Sr and Chris Eubank Jr
Boxing legend Chris Eubank Sr and his son Chris Eubank Jr have also been confirmed for the new series.
Zoe Ball and Woody Cook
Returning to the Celebrity Gogglebox line-up is Zoe Ball and her son Woody Cook.
Anne-Marie and Ed Sheeran
Anne-Marie took a break from her regular seat next to Sir Tom Jones to tune in with none other than 'Bad Habits' legend Ed Sheeran on Friday 9th.
Is Gogglebox scripted?
Absolutely not! If you've ever watched the show, you'll be able to tell that the telly watchers' remarks are always off the cuff. An anonymous former star of the show claimed that the show was scripted in 2014, but this was rubbished by producers.
They told the Daily Star, "We don’t film across the week. You set aside a night for filming and it can go on for hours. We also keep changing clothes, food and drinks to make it look we’re filmed on different nights.
"Sometimes we are told, ‘Louis Walsh is going to say something shocking on X Factor so we want you to react to that. If you can’t think of anything, the producers come up with a joke. If you fluff it they film it again."
But a Channel 4 rep said, "The Gogglebox cast are filmed for two to three nights per week. We film them watching live television and some that has been recorded. The cast have received fees for their time on every series. The production team do not influence the comments. The reactions are genuine."
Also, a former crew member took to Reddit in 2015 to answer questions about working on the show, saying, 'No it's not scripted. However the families are briefed before filming as to what they're going to watch that evening. Also the producers watch the shows before the families and they know which sections are likely to provoke reactions.'
However - this was all a long time ago and things could have changed since then!
How does Gogglebox work? Does Gogglebox have a camera crew?
Sort of! Each family has two cameras pointing at them - one for wide angle shots and one for close-ups. The crew are set up in another room of the house, and producer Tania Alexander told Vice, "We rig a mini gallery, which is set up in a kitchen or bedroom. There’s a small team in the field – a producer, a camera person, and a sound person and a logger – and those four people are squashed in whatever room is available for the entire shoot.
"It’s like a mini TV studio. There’s nobody ever in the room with the families. For the show we mainly stay on the wide angle but the close-up shot is often used to capture an eye-roll or facial expression that we’ll use in the edit for comedy punctuation."
Each family does around eight hours of filming per day for two days a week, normally around the weekend to fit in with their normal jobs. The crew then work tirelessly throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, with the voiceovers added on Thursday before it's aired on Friday evening. Whew!
The crew worked remotely during the 2020 Coronavirus lockdown to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Who does the voiceover on Gogglebox?
The original voiceover for Gogglebox was Caroline Aherne, who commentated the show from its inception in 2013 until just before her sad passing in July 2016, with her comedy partner and Royle Family co-star Craig Cash stepping in on 8th April 2016. He's done the voiceover for Gogglebox ever since.
When is Gogglebox on? How can I watch it?
Series 23 is currently airing every Friday night at 9pm on Channel 4.
You can watch past series of Gogglebox on Channel 4's catch-up service, All 4, series 7-22.
A number of old series of Gogglebox are also now airing on Netflix.
Gogglebox: Who has left the show?
In September 2023, original cast member Stephen Webb confirmed that he was leaving the show. The popular cast member had been on the show since it began in 2013.
Stephen announced that he and his husband Daniel Lustig-Webb were leaving the show in a statement on Instagram. He said: 'After careful consideration, Daniel and I have decided we will not be returning for the new series of Gogglebox. We feel the time is right to move on and explore other opportunities.
'We would both like to thank Channel 4 and Studio Lambert for letting us be part of this amazing, funny and heartwarming show. We are also extremely thankful to the cast and crew, or Gogglebox family as we call them and of course the fans, thank you for all of your love & support over the years.'
Daniel joined the Gogglebox cast alongside Stephen in 2019.
Following series 20 in December 2022, fan favourites Marcus and Mica announced they'd quit the show after 10 series.
The couple, who went on to film an episode of BBC quiz show Pointless in aid of charity, told fans on Instagram: '💐We just want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to @c4Gogglebox for having us for the last 5 years, even though we had to travel so far for filming (downstairs & through the corridor😆) it was so worth it, it’s been an epic journey! You guys are the bestest of the best🤗
'We’ve had so much fun with you all tuning in at home & the hardworking Gogglebox crew’s but it’s time to put down the remote and see what else God has in store for us.
'To everyone that has tuned in & sent us messages of love and encouragement over the years, we appreciate every last one of you🤗Thank you so much❤️
'To the amazing cast, you’ll forever be our G’box brothers & sisters 4life💯❤️
'And lastly, To all our Yardie 🇯🇲 friends & family that always big us up to whoever will listen, when you’re chatting about our departure, the program’s called GOGGLEBOX not GOOOOOGLEbox, it’s not a dam search engine😂
'We love youuuuuuu🥰
'Marky & Big Meesh 👊🏽❤️👊🏿'. (sic)
Read our handy guide to former cast members of Gogglebox.
Other Gogglebox spin-offs
Aside from Celebrity Gogglebox, we've also had two series of Gogglesprogs and one series of Vlogglebox. Gogglesprogs saw children taking on the role of professional telly watcher, running in June 2016 and June 2017. One series of Vlogglebox ran in July 2017, with teenagers watching online content.
There are also international versions of Gogglebox; the Australian version started in February 2015, and series 12 started in August 2020. The US edition is entitled The People's Couch and started in March 2014, and a celebrity version called Celebrity Watch Party aired in May 2020, starring Meghan Trainor, Sharon, Ozzy, and Kelly Osbourne, Tyra Banks and Lindsay Lohan among many others.
The show also exists in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, South Africa and Spain.
Which awards has Gogglebox won?
Gogglebox has won plenty of awards in its time, the first of which was the BAFTA TV Award for Reality & Constructed Factual Programme in 2014. It also won the National Television Award for Factual Programme in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, as well as being nominated in 2019 and 2020.
It's also been nominated for the 2020 TV Choice Award for Best Entertainment Show, going up against Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Beat The Chasers and The Graham Norton Show.
Celebrity Gogglebox was nominated at the BAFTA TV Awards for Reality and constructed factual, but lost out to Race Across the World.
In August 2021, Gogglebox won the award for Factual Entertainment Programme at the National Television Awards.
In May 2022, Gogglebox won the award for Reality and Constructed Factual at the BAFTA TV Awards.
In June 2023, Gogglebox won Best Entertainment show at the TRIC Awards.
In October 2022, Gogglebox won another NTA in the Factual Entertainment Programme category, with cast members such as Dave and Shirley, and Tremaine, Twaine and Tristan in attendance to accept the award.
In August 2023, Gogglebox landed a nomination for The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award at this year's National Television Awards, and they only went and won it during the live ceremony on Tuesday 5th September!
Cast members Jenny and Lee headed up on stage to collect the award, after the show beat the likes of I'm A Celebrity, The Masked Singer, and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
In February 2024, Gogglebox won their 5th TV Choice Award, picking up the award for Best Entertainment Show.
Which Gogglebox family had Coronavirus?
Although they're not on Gogglebox anymore, the Tapper family came down with the Coronavirus in April 2020 and spoke out about how they'd had COVID-19.
Gogglebox series 23 airs every Friday night.
Now read:
Meet Gogglebox's favourite sibling duo Sophie and Pete Sandiford
Everything you need to know about Gogglebox sisters Ellie and Izzi Warner