Gogglebox: people watching people watching TV

Published by Mason Oldridge, 26 February 2025

CONTAINS SPOILERS!

When I tried explaining the concept of the popular Channel 4 reality series Gogglebox to my American friend, it’s safe to say she didn’t understand how this show is such a success. After all, people watching people watching TV does sound pretty boring. So how does this simple yet effective formula keep viewers kicking back on their sofas and tuning in every Friday night?

Well I think we can definitely attribute the cast to the show’s success this time. Narrated by Craig Cash in his unique register, taking over from his late Royal Family co-star Caroline Aherne following her passing, different families across the UK offer their opinionated, emotional and humorous takes on the past week’s TV choices as they invite us into their living rooms. Many previous cast members have gone on to further their reality careers, there’s been a couple serve as politicians and it even launched the career of television personality Scarlett Moffatt! As the show returns for its 25th series, let’s take a look at some of the best cast members, past and present!

The Siddiqui family

Sid Siddiqui and his sons Baasit and Umar (plus occasionally third son Raza) reside in Derby and are the only original cast members to still appear. They aren’t above finding humour in Asian representation on TV and their quick-witted remarks make them one of the funniest families on the show.

Jenny and Lee

Best friends Jenny and Lee watch TV from Lee’s static caravan in Hull. Lee is known for pranking Jenny and giving her the puzzled raised-eyebrow side-eye combo when she comes out with something bizarre or becomes irrationally tearful, yet their long-tenured friendship is clear to see. A highlight has to be the incident when Lee accidentally ate Jenny’s face mask, believing it to be some sort of dip.

The Malone family

In Manchester, truck driver Tom and his wife Julie are joined by their adult son Shaun and their array of rottweilers. The father of the family isn’t shy to a sweary rant and often expresses dismay at his happy-go-lucky son’s comments. They were previously joined by eldest son Tom Jr., who left to pursue an online career.

Giles and Mary

Marmite couple Giles and Mary live in their thatched roof cottage in Wiltshire and do their viewing from their very floral living room. Etiquette expert Mary is often frustrated at her husband’s various eccentricities, though Giles seems to enjoy being his wife’s personal wind-up merchant.

Ellie and Izzi

In Leeds, sisters Ellie and Izzi love to talk about food and recall stories of their Auntie Margaret, as well as discussing what they’re watching on the box too, and no topic is too personal for the sisters to share with a national audience.

Dave and Shirley

Married couple Dave and Shirley discuss the week’s offerings from their home in Caerphilly, where the Welshman is left in hysterics at some of his wife’s hilarious misunderstandings and no-nonsense comments.

Alison, George and Helena

Alison, her rarely-speaking husband George and her daughter Helena share their thoughts from Alison and George’s colourful living room in Manchester. Alison is a keen knitter, while Helena is prone to a quirky dress sense herself. The trio are sometimes joined by Helena’s young son Erwin.

Pete and Sophie

Pete and his little-yet-taller-than-him sister Sophie are in Blackpool and are related to the legendary comedy duo the Chuckle Brothers. Along with Sophie’s recognisable laugh and their excessively sized teapots, the siblings have become known for their political scathings and silly humour.

Abbie and Georgia

Best friends Abbie and Georgia broadcast from the North East and are often joined by Georgia’s baby and her pet staffie Vinnie. The girls are regularly confused at both the content they watch and the discussions they have outside of their viewing.

Simon and Jane

In North London, siblings Simon and Jane watch TV together. Simon doesn’t shy away from joking about his dwarfism and has occasionally been subjected to uncomfortableness during the racier scenes whilst sharing the room with his sister.

Roisin and Joe

Flying the flag for Scotland is Roisin and her boyfriend Joe in Glasgow. Roisin can usually be seen with her feet up across her boyfriend’s lap while Joe makes some witty remarks.

Stephen and Daniel

Hairdressing husbands Stephen and Daniel dissected the week’s TV from their home in Brighton. Stephen would take centre stage with his impressions of the various faces that crossed the small screen, before the couple left the show in 2023. Stephen was a cast member since the show’s inception, having previously been joined by his late mother and, before that, his former partner Chris.

Mary and Marina

Good friends Mary and Marina shared residency at the St Monica Trust Retirement Village in Bristol. Mary loved to sing and was often met with praise from Marina as this sweet natured friendship warmed hearts across the nation. Kicking around the age of 90, this didn’t stop the elderly pair from making crude comments from time to time and having a keen eye for some of the men on their screen. A highlight of these two was when they were thoroughly entertained by Christmas film Home Alone as the classic movie transcended their age to make them laugh still. Mary passed away in 2021 at the age of 92.

Leon and June

Husband and wife duo Leon and June presented their opinions from their side-by-side armchairs in their Liverpool home. Leon may have been sharp-tongued at times but the love of the retired teachers ultimately shone through. They passed away in 2017 and 2020 respectively.

Steph and Dom

Known as ‘the posh couple from Gogglebox’, married couple Steph and Dom were rarely seen without a drink in hand, with their alcohol cabinet on display behind them. Residing in Kent, the B&B owners were fan favourites on the show until their departure in 2016.

With an extensive cast that nicely reflects families up and down the country, Gogglebox has earned its longevity on the Channel 4 Friday night lineup and in British culture as a whole. After all, people watching people watching TV has never been more entertaining!