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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Robbie Purves & Peter Hennessy

Channel 4's Gogglebox: Families who used to be on show - and what they're doing now

Gogglebox places families and friends in front of the television and films their reactions, becoming one of Channel 4's most successful ever productions. The most recent series of Gogglebox started in February with a bang, as more than five million people tuned in to see the cast react to The Masked Singer, First Dates: Valentine's, Dragons' Den and Dancing on Ice.

An important part of the show's rise has been the knack of getting the perfect cast. Rather than advertising for people to come on TV, producers went out into the streets to scout individuals suitable for the programme, the successful candidates being naturally funny without desperately wanting to become famous.

Beloved couple Leon and June were found in a bridge club, while Stephen and Chris were discovered in a hair salon. In later series, recruiters visited random houses and held up a card of the Prime Minister or a Daily Mail headline and waited for their reactions. Over the show's 19 series, many families have come and gone and here is what some are doing now, Leicestershire Live reports.

The One Show viewers taken aback at Dame Sheila Hancock's age - read more here.

Steph and Dom Parker

Famed for their sausage dog, mansion and abundant supply of red wine, Steph and Dom Parker appeared on Gogglebox between 2013-2016. The couple have gone onto appear in Channel 4's The Jump in 2017 and Celebrity Masterchef.

The pair also appeared together on a celebrity edition of Channel 4's Hunted and have released a book called Steph and Dom's Guide to Life. Most recently, Dom confirmed that their £5million hotel business had gone bust. "We are sorry to confirm that The Salutation Hotel Ltd, which has been managing The Salutation, has indeed become insolvent."

Sandi and Sandra

Sandi and Sandra were an iconic Gogglebox duo (Channel 4)

The two friends were larger than life characters and were on Gogglebox between 2013-2016. Sandi went on to feature in the Celebrity Big Brother house alongside the likes of X Factor's Amelia Lily and the late Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding. She also released her own musical album and appeared on Celebrity Fat Fighters.

Sandra continued on Gogglebox with her daughter for a further year, but soon quit and appeared on First Dates and 100 Years Younger in 21 Days. She was reportedly left close to becoming homeless and relying on her family's support immediately after quitting Gogglebox.

At the British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park, Sandra was spotted charging £1 for selfies and was moved into temporary accommodation after living in a hotel. Looking back on the ordeal, she said: "I thought it was the best thing to do to survive, living out of my suitcase. I've really been trying my best."

The Moffats

(Channel 4)

Comprising of daughter Scarlett, dad Mark and mum Betty, the Moffats first appeared on the show in 2014 and have gone onto big things. Scarlett is now a fully fledged celebrity and won I'm A Celebrity in 2016. Mark and Betty's daughter is now one of the most recognisable faces on celebrity TV shows across BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

In 2019, the Moffats, including younger daughter Ava, appeared on The British Tribe Next Door, where the family lived with locals in a Namibian village.

The Tappers

Jonathan Tapper, Amy Tapper, Nikki Tapper and Josh Tapper in 2017 (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

The family appeared on Gogglebox between 2013 and 2018, featuring dad Jonathan, mum Nikki, daughter Amy and son Josh. Jonathan and Nikki's son left the show after landing an apprenticeship with the UK Government and Amy soon followed Josh in leaving.

Amy has appeared on E4's Celebs Go Dating, then documented her amazing weight loss with her dad. Jonathan was left fighting for his life after contracting Covid-19 at the height of the pandemic. Thankfully, he has made a full recovery.

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