Gogglebox

Gogglebox
Genre	Reality
Directed by	Tania Alexander
Starring	Various Viewers
Narrated by	Caroline Aherne Craig Cash
Theme music composer	Kodaline – "Perfect World" & "Brand New Day"
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	7
No. of episodes	80 (as of 6 May 2016) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Tania Alexander
Camera setup	Dual cameras
Running time	50 minutes (inc. adverts) (series 1–2) 60 minutes (inc. adverts) (series 3–)
Production company(s)	Studio Lambert
Distributor	All3Media
Release
Original network	Channel 4
Picture format	16:9
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	7 March 2013 (2013-03-07) – present
External links
Website
Production website

Gogglebox is a British reality show that has aired on Channel 4 since 7 March 2013. The show features recurring couples, families and friends from around Britain sitting in their homes watching weekly British television shows. The show won a BAFTA award in 2014 and a National Television Award in 2015 and 2016. Series 7 began on 19 February 2016.

A junior version of the show, called Gogglesprogs, launched as a Christmas special on Christmas Day 2015, and will be followed by a full-length series, which is slated to air in 2016.

Transmissions

Main article: List of Gogglebox episodes

Gogglebox

Series		Episodes	Originally aired		Avg. UK viewers (millions)
			First aired	Last aired
	1	4	7 March 2013 (2013-03-07)	28 March 2013 (2013-03-28)	N/A
	2	13	25 September 2013 (2013-09-25)	18 December 2013 (2013-12-18)	1.94
	3	12	7 March 2014 (2014-03-07)	23 May 2014 (2014-05-23)	3.22
	4	12	26 September 2014 (2014-09-26)	19 December 2014 (2014-12-19)	3.41
	5	12	20 February 2015 (2015-02-20)	8 May 2015 (2015-05-08)	4.21
	6	15	11 September 2015 (2015-09-11)	18 December 2015 (2015-12-18)	4.35
	7		19 February 2016 (2016-02-19)	2016 (2016)	TBA

Gogglesprogs

Series		Episodes	Originally aired		Avg. UK viewers (millions)
			First aired	Last aired
	1	7	25 December 2015 (2015-12-25)	2016 (2016)	TBA

Production

The show is a production of Studio Lambert, a company run by British media executive Stephen Lambert, who was behind other Channel 4 shows such as Faking It, Wife Swap, Undercover Boss and The Secret Millionaire. The executive producer is Tania Alexander, who said the original idea was for the show to be a "mix of Harry Hill and The Royle Family".

Farah Ramzan Golant, the boss of All3Media, said: "Everyone loves watching TV and talking about TV. But the show isn't really about TV. The show is about people's lives, their relationships, their living rooms and the way children and parents talk about TV. It's near real-time because you're watching what happened in the seven days before. That’s quite priceless. It captures a cultural response to something that's happening in the world. Gogglebox shows TV in people's living rooms is alive and well and thriving. It is asserting the indispensable role of TV in the fabric of people's lives."

Filming

The show is filmed in the viewers' homes by two small HD remote-control cameras known as "hot heads" operated by a small team elsewhere in the home that have set up a temporary production control room; the team consisted of a producer/director, gallery operator, assistant, audio engineer, researcher (for live logging) and a runner.

Cast

Current

Viewers	Series
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Leon & June
Steph & Dom
The Tapper family
Christopher & Stephen
Sandy & Sandra
The Siddiquis
The Michael family
Linda, Pete & George
The Woerdenwebers
Bill & Josef
The Moffatt family
Reverend Kate & Graham
The Malone family
Jenny & Lee
Giles & Mary
Ellie & Izzi
David & Shirley
The McCormicks
The Manuels

Former

Viewers	Series
	1	2	3	4	5	6
Chris & Colin
Allen sisters
Steven & Michael
Audrey & Brenda
Jeff & Tracey
Gill & Helen
Annie & Marc
David, Kye & James
The Da Silva family

Notes

Viewers

Current

Viewers	Location	Duration	About (Information)
Leon and June Bernicoff	Liverpool	Series 1–	They have been married for 54 years and are both retired teachers. Leon taught History and June taught English. Leon is somewhat of a curmudgeon, whose behaviour and comments often embarrass June.
Stephanie and Dominic Parker	Sandwich, Kent	Series 1–	Known as 'the posh couple from Gogglebox', they own and run an upmarket B&B and have had UKIP leader Nigel Farage stay in it. The eccentric but light-hearted couple are always seen with an alcoholic drink in-hand. They are usually joined on the sofa by their dachshund Gigi. They appeared on episodes 11-15 of series 4 daytime series Four in a Bed, presenting their B&B on episode 14 and finishing in second place. Dom also appeared on the second series of The Jump. In 2014, they starred in a one-off 30-minute documentary on Channel 4 entitled Steph and Dom Meet Nigel Farage, in which they met and interviewed UKIP leader Nigel Farage. In October 2015, they hosted their own one-off Channel 4 chat show, At Home with Steph and Dom, in which they invited four celebrities to their B&B, each for a day of light-hearted chat and fun activities.
The Tapper family	Edgware, North London	Series 1–	Husband and wife Jonathan and Nikki, and their children Josh and Amy. Jonathan at one time ran a kosher restaurant in Golders Green. The couple were spotted by a Gogglebox researcher after Nikki reached the final stages of Channel 4's Jewish Mum of the Year competition. They are members of Edgware Synagogue. They were seen celebrating Hanukkah on the episode on 19 December 2014.
Christopher Steed and Stephen Webb	Brighton	Series 1–	Both are hairdressers. The pair were in a relationship during series 1 but have since separated, though they remain close friends. They like to ridicule each other. In February 2015, the two appeared in an advert for EE.
Sandy Channer and Sandra Martin	Brixton	Series 1–	With both women possessing larger-than-life personalities, they are often very loud and animated. The two friends are always seen enjoying a takeaway meal or some kind of snack.
Mohammed ('Sid'), Umar and Baasit Siddiqui	Derby	Series 1–	The Siddiquis like to consider and discuss the most serious side of things, though still laugh and enjoy the programmes watched. Umar and Baasit's brother, Raza, previously appeared as well.
The Michael family	Brighton	Series 1–4, Series 6–	Husband and wife Andrew and Carolyne, and their children Alexandra and Louis. They were dropped after Andrew became a candidate for UKIP, but were brought back after he failed to get elected.
Linda and Pete McGarry and George Gilbey	Clacton on Sea	Series 2–3, 7–	The family were removed from the show as a result of George's participation in the fourteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother. They were told in advance of George's appearance on the Channel 5 show. In 2016, Channel 4 invited the family back, and they returned for series 7. George is currently expecting his first child in June 2016.
The Woerdenwebers	The Wirral	Series 2–	Husband and wife Ralph and Viv and Viv's daughter Eve. The family were previously accompanied by Eve's boyfriend Jay Makin, who quickly gained the nickname "Silent Jay" for rarely moving and not talking during his entire time on the show, but broke his silence to root for Andrea in the 2014 X Factor semi-final by uttering the subsequent loser's name. Jay had his hair cut drastically shorter for the fourth series of the show. It was reported in March 2015 that Eve and Jay had split up, and it was reported that he was keen to quit the show but had been asked to stay on by producers. Although some reports claimed he had signed on for another series, Jay did indeed leave the show mid-series, making his final appearance on 3 April 2015.
Bill and Josef	Cambridge	Series 2–	Board game champions: Josef had appeared on Countdown 30 years earlier, and Bill is a former British Chess Champion.
The Moffatt family	County Durham	Series 3–	Husband and wife Mark and Betty, and daughters Scarlett (who previously appeared as part of Beauty School Cop Outs on MTV) and Ava-Grace (first appeared in Series 7)
Kate and Graham	Nottinghamshire	Series 3–	Kate is a vicar and can often be seen wearing her clerical collar while watching TV alongside quiet husband Graham. The couple's greyhound Buster can usually be seen partly in shot, lying on the sofa next to Graham.
The Malone family	Manchester	Series 4–	This Mancunian family are often seen with their dogs and have a table with sweet desserts on it.
Jenny and Lee	Kingston upon Hull	Series 4–	Best friends - they watch from a static caravan at a holiday park
Giles and Mary	Wiltshire	Series 5–	This couple from Wiltshire are obsessed with art and design.
Ellie and Izzi	Leeds	Series 6–	Sisters based in Leeds, who are judgemental and mostly upsetting during sad moments when watching the television.
David and Shirley	Caerphilly	Series 6–	Husband and wife David and Shirley based in Caerphilly, Wales. David previously won an Office Baking Contest in Wales.
The McCormick Family	Peterborough	Series 7–	Father Scott is an engineer, Georgia is learning to sign and Isaac is 14 years old and has Tourette's syndrome.
The Manuel Family	Croydon	Series 7–	The family are originally from Glasgow. Husband and wife Charles and Donna and their son Grant. They first appeared in the seventh episode.

Former

Viewers	Location	Duration	Notes
David, Kye and James	Reading	Series 4–5	They are flat mates and live in Reading.
The Da Silva family	Central London	Series 5	They are a Latin-descended family. Only appeared in one episode reviewing one programme in the fifth series.
Annie and Marc	Warwickshire	Series 3	Annie was known to TV audiences in the 1970s as actress Ann Curthoys. She appeared in episodes of The Tomorrow People and The Sweeney both for Thames Television.
Gill and Helen	Maidstone, Kent	Series 2
Jeff and Tracey	Tiverton, Devon	Series 2
Audrey and Brenda	Liverpool	Series 2
Steven Dermott and Michael Wilcock	Wigan	Series 1–2	Both from Liverpool, Steven has previously appeared on Desperate Scousewives
Allen sisters	Essex	Series 1–2
Chris and Colin	Manchester	Series 1

Awards and nominations

Award	Year	Result
BAFTA TV Award for "Reality & Constructed Factual Programme"	2014	Won
BAFTA TV Award for "Radio Times Audience Award"	2014	Nominated
Broadcasting Press Guild for "Best Factual Entertainment Programme"	2014	Won
National Television Award for "Factual Programme"	2015, 2016	Won

International versions

Australian version

Main article: Gogglebox Australia

An Australian edition of the programme debuted on 11 February 2015. It is a co-production between pay TV provider Foxtel and commercial Network Ten. It airs on Foxtel's Lifestyle Channel first, and is repeated 24 hours later on Ten. The programme started its second season on 30 September 2015, and its third season in 2016.

United States/Canadian version

Main article: The People's Couch

Canadian (Bell Media), and American broadcasters. The American and Canadian versions, both called The People's Couch, premiered on Bravo on 10 March 2014 (however a three-episode pilot run was aired in October 2013) and Bravo (Canada) in July 2014.

Other versions

Following the success of the British series, the rights to the show have been sold to both Chinese (Jiangsu Television) and Ukrainian (ICTV) broadcasters. Irish broadcaster TV3 will air an Irish version of Gogglebox; it was initially expected to broadcast from January 2015, but has been delayed until September 2016.

An Italian version of the show was scheduled to air on Mediaset in the autumn of 2014.

In Poland, the show will begin airing in autumn 2014 on TTV, who bought three-year broadcast rights.

The Slovenian version is called Bognedaj, da bi crknu televizor ("God, please don't let the TV die", which is the title of a popular song). A second series began on 11 March 2015 on Planet TV, the third season is scheduled for autumn 2015. The fourth season began March 2016.

In Israel, the version called "Tadliku (Switch on)" premiered on Channel 2 in June 2014 and was abruptly canceled after two episodes.

In Germany there have been two attempts at the show, in December 2014 and January 2015: Wohnzimmerhelden (Living Room Heroes) on Sat.1 which was identical to the original format and Sofa Stars on RTL Television which only let the viewers/participants comment on shows of RTL group. Both German versions each had two episodes which received poor ratings so that it is unlikely that there will be a continuation of either one.

In Finland, the show is called Sohvaperunat (couch potatoes) and is aired by the Finnish broadcasting company, Yle.

In Norway, the show is called "Sofa" and is aired by NRK from October 2014.

In Belgium, the show is called "Hallo Televisie" (Hello Television) and is shown on Eén since 6 January 2015.

In France, the show has been adapted under the title Vu à la télé (Seen on TV) and broadcast on M6, starting October 2014.

In South Africa, the show will be a 10-part local version starting on the 3 March 2016 at 21:00 on the Sony Channel (DStv Channel 127).

In Spain, the show has been adapted under the tile Aquí mando yo (I'm in control here) and premiered on Antena 3 on 15 April 2015.

External links

• Gogglebox at channel4.com
• Gogglebox at Radio Times
• Gogglebox at IMDb