Stephen Webb, a long-time Gogglebox personality, startled fans this week by announcing his departure from the programme after a decade.
He has been a regular on the show since its inaugural season in 2013, when he shared his thoughts with former colleague Christopher Steed.
Stephen’s mother Pat Webb took over the series from series 10 to 12 after Christopher retired in 2017.
The next season, his companion Daniel Lustig-Webb joined, and he began appearing on Gogglebox in 2019.
When asked why they were leaving the programme, the pair said it was “the right time to move on and explore other opportunities,” and that they had enjoyed being a part of the “amazing, funny, and heartwarming show.”
While Stephen will no longer be visible, the other 16 cast members will continue to provide their thoughts on the finest and largest TV events.
The show’s 22nd season is set to premiere today, but if you need a refresher on who will return, here’s a list of the rest of the cast.
Siddiqui family
Dad Sid and his three sons Umar, Bassit, and Raza Siddiqui have been on Gogglebox from the show’s inaugural season.
Sid has two daughters and three boys, and he worked for the NHS for 37 years.
He has been married for over four decades and resides in Derby.
Malone family
The Malone family from Manchester, who joined the programme in season 4, features truck driver dad Tom and his wife Julie, as well as their children Shaun and Vanessa.
Jenny Newby and Lee Riley
Favourites among the public Jenny and Lee have been featured on Gogglebox since 2014, with the Hull best friends so dedicated to the project that they moved in together to self-isolate and allow shooting to continue during the first lockdown in 2020.
Jenny’s passion to Line of Duty and her efforts to test her investigative abilities with her ‘H’ notebook have been among the most memorable moments since their introduction.
Jenny was requested to take part in the spectacle at the Beverley Races Ladies’ Day, but her husband Ray denied the chance to star with her.
Giles Wood and Mary Killen
Wiltshire couple Mary Killen and Giles Wood, one of the longest-standing members of the Gogglebox family, met when they were both 21 years old and Giles was studying at Wimbledon Art School while Mary worked as a model.
The pair joined the programme for the fifth season in 2015 after being approached by a friend on the production crew.
Ellie and Izzi Warner
Ellie and Izzi, sisters, have been on the show since 2015.
They’ve revealed parts of their family life over the years, with Izzi’s children Bobby and Bessie making cameos, and Ellie recently received her son Ezra, who will most certainly be shown this season.
After Ellie’s partner Nat was left ‘fighting for his life’ after being hit by a car last year, the sisters took a hiatus from the show in season 19, but he has now recovered.
David and Shirley Griffiths
Husband and wife David and Shirley from Caerphilly in South Wales have been on Gogglebox since 2015.
They have been married for more than 40 years and have two children, Simon and Gemma.
Plummer family
Tremaine, Twaine, and Tristan Plummer of Bristol have been in the reality series since 2016 and have amassed sizable social media followings in the years afterwards.
Tristan worked as a footballer for Championship team Bristol City between 2007 and 2010, Twaine for Bradford Town, and Tremaine presents a breakfast show on Bristol’s Ujima FM.
Amira and Amani Rota
Amira, who describes herself as a “full-time couch potato,” has been on Gogglebox since 2018, initially with her friend Iqra and now with Amani.
Worthington family
Alison, George, their daughter Helena, and her baby, Erwin, make up the Worthington family, with the adults first appearing in 2017.
Despite appearing in a programme about watching TV, Helena said earlier this year that she doesn’t possess a TV and only watches it when she visits her parents.
Pete and Sophie Sandiford
Pete and Sophie from Blackpool, one of the show’s most endearing couples, have been on since 2017.
Pete announced the arrival of his second kid, a daughter named Eva, on the programme earlier this year, as part of the show’s recent baby boom.
Pete and his wife Paige Yeomans already have a one-year-old kid named Jimmy.
Abbie Lynn and Georgia Bell
Friends Abbie and Georgia have appeared on the show for six years.
They are scheduled to return this time.
Sue and Steve Sheehan
Sue and Steve, a married pair from South London, joined Gogglebox in 2019.
Sue is semi-retired, while Steve is a black cab driver, and the couple has two kids.
Simon and Jane Minty
Simon and Jane Minty, from Surrey, joined the show in 2021.
Simon, a disability rights activist, recently expressed his and his sister’s thanks for becoming a member of the Gogglebox family.
‘We’re so happy to be a tiny part of a lovely, warm, happy television show that only went and won a BAFTA,’ he wrote on social media.
‘You never know what’s coming around the corner.
‘What isn’t in the photo but essential, is all the amazing people who watch the show and enjoy it,’ he wrote.
Ronnie and Annie
Ronnie and Annie from south-east London joined the show two years ago, following the deaths of three other cast members that year.
Pete McGarry, Mary Cook, and Andy Michael died in 2021, and their friends and relatives – Linda McGarry, Marina Wingrove, and Louis, Alex, and Carolyn Michael – later left the programme.
Roisin Kelly and Joe Kyle
When Glasgow-based couple Roisin and Joe signed up last year, they were the first Scots to appear on the programme in six years.
The young couple have been together for five years and when announcing their appearance for the first time, Roisin wrote on social media: ‘I still cannot quite believe this is happening or that we kept it a secret or that so many people will have seen me looking like a baked bean! Gbox here we come.’
Danielle and Daniella
Friends Danielle and Daniella from Leeds were introduced as the show’s most recent cast members last year.
The new season of Gogglebox starts tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.
