Gogglebox’s Best Stars And Stories

Clare Sellers

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We are a nation that loves to watch other people watching TV. With hilarious commentary from ordinary people all over the United Kingdom, Gogglebox satisfies the country’s need to know what others think about the most popular shows and movies from the previous week.

Each week we have spent our Friday nights with them, laughing, crying, and wishing it would never end. But which cast members stand out from the rest, and what is their funniest moment so far? From the old to the young, let’s take a look at my top five members of the Gogglebox family.

The Malone Family

Fan favourites the Malone family and their four-legged friends have given us plenty of laughs throughout the years, from dogs stealing treats off a cake tray that never seems to be touched, to playful banter between husband and wife. Iconic duo Tom Malone Senior and Dave the Rottweiler are responsible for plenty of chuckles during the show’s run, with Tom shouting “Dave!” constantly as they both fight for room on a single armchair. Their children’s faces may change from time to time with the swapping over of couch duties but this family remains hilarious whatever the case.

Jenny and Lee

Hysterical best friends Jenny and Lee offer some of Gogglebox’s best and funniest moments, bickering like an old married couple and making jokes at the other’s expense. For some reason, watching Jenny break into tears at basically anything showing on TV – and Lee looking at her as if she has one too many screws loose – is a source of joy for so many. When the wide camera angle shows that much-loved caravan and these best friends’ voices shine through, you know you’re going to be laughing so hard you might cry. It is more than amusing to watch their antics, such as the time Lee tried to eat Jenny’s face cream out of the fridge because she thought it was yoghurt. Gross.

Pete and Sophie

Brother and sister duo Pete and Sophie have graced us with sibling banter and relatable humour since they started on the show, making inappropriate jokes and ridiculing each other for the sake of entertainment. They have enough funny moments to fill up an entire Gogglebox episode, but a stand out moment for these two would be when Pete tried to exit the living room in style, and instead found himself stumbling over the sofa and hitting the floor after one too many Quarantini’s. Add that to the constant overspilling of drinks and the occasional ripping of pants and you’ve got the perfect ingredients for a Gogglebox comedy duo in the form of Pete and Sophie.

Giles and Mary

While some may find this old couple annoying, others enjoy the complicated, and humorous relationship between Giles and Mary. There’s something about Mary constantly reprimanding Giles for seemingly anything and everything he attempts to do (like whistling, for instance), that plays like comedy. Whilst they may not be everyone’s cup of tea, they do offer a glimpse into another life for most people, seemingly posh and proper and living in a thatched cottage that is the complete definition of eccentric. There’s also the issue of the confusing mutual nickname that could bewilder new viewers for weeks: which one is Nutty?

Mary and Marina

Although they have since left the show, best friends Mary and Marina won the hearts of viewers with their witty humour and cheeky personalities. The pair were often shown commenting on their love lives and making notorious comments about shows like ‘Naked Attraction’. Funny and sweet, this pair feels a lot like the nation’s cheeky grandmothers, broadcasting from a retirement village and trying to piece together millenial television. Whether they were having a good old sing-along or lifting tins of food above their heads, they knew how to leave the audience in stitches.

There have been several other infamous cast members on Googlebox during its run time, some of which deserve an honourable mention for their services to the nation. The Siddiqui family known for their hilarious remarks, Ellie and Izzi popular for their relatable topic choices, and Dave and Shirley, famously funny for their light-hearted bickering.

Above are my personal top five cast members and some of my favourite moments from the series. Although some may disagree with the listing, and we all have our own favourites, one thing is for sure, Gogglebox promises fits of giggles and the funniest people our nation has to offer, its memorable moments will surely go down in the history books.

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Featured image courtesy of Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash. Image licence found here. No changes have been made to this image.