The original families from the first series of Gogglebox have moved on since their time on the sofa.
For more than a decade, Channel 4’s Gogglebox has entertained viewers across the country as its armchair critics deliver amusing observations and responses to the week’s television programmes.
While the show has welcomed several fresh faces recently, numerous beloved households have appeared and departed over the years.
The debut series featured only a small number of families, a marked difference from today’s line-up.
With the Siddiqui family being the sole remaining original participants from 2013, we examine what became of the other stars including the likes of Sandi and Sandra, Steph and Dom and the Tapper family.
Leon and June Bernicoff
Leon and June won over audiences during their time on the reality programme through their tender exchanges and Leon’s touching words to his wife, reports the Mirror.
June chose to step away from the reality show in 2017, after her husband Leon’s passing, who tragically died aged 83 in December of that year.
Though no longer appearing on screen, June remained a dedicated Gogglebox fan, tuning in weekly and maintaining contact with the production crew.
Following her departure from the programme, June relocated to be nearer her family before also passing away in 2020 aged 82.
Prior to her death, June penned her debut book about their six-decade marriage, entitled Leon And June: Our Story. The couple first met in 1955 while attending teacher training college.
Steph and Dom Parker
Steph and Dom featured on the Channel 4 programme for seven series before choosing to depart in 2016 to pursue other ventures and concentrate on running their hotel.
Nevertheless, the couple maintained a public profile for some time following their Gogglebox departure, appearing on Celebrity Hunted, The Jump, Celebrity Masterchef, and even their own documentary, Steph and Dom: Can Cannabis Save Our Son?
Despite hosting their own radio show for more than a year and co-authoring a book, the pair reportedly encountered serious financial troubles, accumulating debts of £1.8million.
Ultimately, the couple sold their Kent mansion and relocated to the Canary Islands, though their Instagram suggests they have since returned to Britain. The duo have now embarked on a fresh endeavour, launching their very own gin brand.
The Tapper Family
Following a five-year run, the Tapper family — comprising mum Nikki, dad Jonathan, daughter Amy, and son Josh — made their exit from the show in 2018.
Josh had at that point secured a Government Communications Apprenticeship, with ambitions of entering politics. He was subsequently selected as the Labour candidate for Hertsmere in 2024, though he lost by 7,992 votes. More recently, he married his long-term partner.
His sister Amy has continued to court public attention, featuring on Celebs Go Dating in 2018. She also regularly updates her Instagram followers on her remarkable weight loss, chronicling her journey of shedding more than 7.5 stone. According to her Instagram profile, their mother Nikki works as a Nursery Manager.
The Michael Family
The Michael family were amongst Gogglebox’s most enduring families, appearing from 2013 until 2021. They did take a brief hiatus in 2014 while father Andrew stood as a UKIP parliamentary candidate.
The household featured Andrew, his wife Carolyne and their two children, daughter Alex and son Louis. While their other daughter, Catheryne, joined in subsequent series, another son chose to remain away from the cameras.
Tragically, the family’s permanent departure from the programme five years ago followed Andy’s death after a brief illness aged 61.
Following their exit from the show, the family have maintained a relatively private life, with Louis’s Instagram remaining dormant since 2019. Alex, however, regularly posts content online and has demonstrated her entrepreneurial skills, creating and selling fleeces.
Sandi and Sandra
Best friends Sandi and Sandra became beloved fixtures on the programme thanks to their amusing dynamic and witty observations about television content.
In 2016, Sandi departed to explore different professional opportunities, while Sandra remained on the show alongside her daughter Chanchez until 2017.
Following her departure, Sandi has been seen on Celebrity Big Brother and Famous and Fighting Crime. More recently, she’s reconnected with Sandra to launch a YouTube channel called Sandi and Sandra show. Sandra currently works as a cleaner at a funeral parlour, having previously spoken publicly about her money worries.
Chris Ashby-Steed and Stephen Webb
Chris and Stephen initially appeared as a romantic couple during the first series, later separating but remaining on the programme as friends. Reports have since suggested tensions existed between them off-camera.
In 2018, Chris confirmed he was leaving the show, expressing his desire to pursue other television projects.
Stephen remained on Gogglebox, initially appearing with his mother Pat, who departed after three series following Chris’s exit. Tragically, Pat passed away in 2024 after a prolonged illness.
After Pat’s departure, Stephen was joined by his husband Daniel Lustig-Webb in 2019, with the couple continuing to appear together until their exit three years ago.
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The duo have since announced their split, with Stephen taking part in Celebs Go Dating in 2024, the same year he had to pull out of Dancing on Ice due to an injury.
Both continue to work together at their Brighton-based salon, Lustig and Webb Storrington.
Gogglebox continues to air Fridays on Channel 4 from 9pm.
