Gogglebox fans in tears as special pays tribute to late June and Leon Bernicoff

Gogglebox viewers were reduced to tears on Saturday night as the 10-year anniversary special paid tribute to cast members who have passed away.

The Channel 4 reality show has marked 10 years on air with a reminiscent compilation episode featuring both the current and original cast members.

And viewers said they were left feeling very tearful as heartfelt tributes were paid to the six stars who have sadly died in recent years.

The show closed with a touching ‘in loving memory of’ message as pictures and tributes to June and Leon Bernicoff, Mary Cook, Pete McGarry, Andy Michael and actress Caroline Aherne flashed up on screen.

Throughout the 90-minute special, many of the late stars most iconic moments were also shown as Channel 4 celebrated 10 years on air and all of the Gogglebox family.

Emotional: Gogglebox viewers were reduced to tears on Saturday as the 10-year anniversary special paid tribute to cast members (pictured June and Leon Bernicoff) who have died

Fan favourites: June left the show in 2018 following the death of her husband in December 2017, and the retired teacher then sadly passed away following a short illness in May 2020

Viewers were quick to take to Twitter to share their emotional reactions to the show, saying it was ‘wonderful’ to see late members of the Gogglebox team remembered.

One person wrote: ‘Many wonderful Gogglebox people who are no longer with us or have left.’

Another commented: ‘Hearing Caroline Aherne and seeing Leon made me cry,’ while a third said: ‘I’m not crying, you’re crying!’

A fourth penned: ‘Oh June and Leon [broken heart emoji],’ and a fifth tweeted: ‘I miss so many of these families! Especially Leon and June.’

Paying tribute to Caroline, one said: ‘Gogglebox 10 year thing staring with Caroline Aherne was nice.’

Another penned: ‘Wow hearing Gogglebox with Caroline Aherne was so nostalgic,’ and a third wrote: ‘Lovely to hear Caroline Aherne.’

Remembering Mary, one fan also wrote: ‘And the lovely Mary too. I hope Marina is doing well.’

While another viewer gushed: ‘Mary and Marina were friendship goals.’

Loss: Mary Cook (left), who died at the age of 92 in August 2021, was also included in the clips. She appeared on Gogglebox alongside Marine Wingrove 

Tribute: At the beginning of the show, the voice of Gogglebox’s original narrator Caroline was also used, leaving viewers feeling very emotional

Tearful: Viewers said they were left feeling tearful as tributes were paid to stars who have died in recent years – including June and Leon Bernicoff, Mary Cook and actress Caroline Aherne

At the beginning of the show, the voice of Gogglebox’s original narrator Caroline was also used, leaving viewers feeling very emotional.

The Royle Family star Caroline died at the age of 52 in July 2016 following a two-year battle with lung cancer.

Fan favourite June left Gogglebox in 2018 following the death of her husband Leon in December 2017, and the retired teacher then sadly passed away following a short illness in May 2020.

Peter, who first joined the show with his wife Linda and son George in 2013, died aged 71 in June 2021 after a short illness.

Just one month later, beloved star Mary Cook, who was famed for her witty one-liners on the show, died at the age of 92 in August 2021.

Andy Michael then passed away shortly after, at the age of 61 in September 2021, marking three months of tragedy for the show.

Gogglebox celebrated its 10th anniversary after its very first episode came to screens back on March 7, 2013, while it is now impressively on its 21st series.

The show has proven to be one of Channel 4’s most unlikely hits, and still pulls in strong ratings after a decade of meme-worthy moments and breakout stars. 

The concept seemed a strange one, focusing on Brits’ reactions to the week’s biggest TV moments while sat in their living rooms, and it quickly became a huge hit.

Some of its cast members have gone on to achieve big things, like Scarlett Moffat who appeared on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. 

The show was originally narrated by Caroline Aherne, but following her death in 2016, her The Royle Family co-star Craig Cash stepped in, and he has voiced the show ever since.

Stars: Other members of the Gogglebox family, including Pete McGarry (pictured with wife Linda) – who died in June 2021 – were also remembered

Passing: Andy Michael (pictured with family Louis, Carolyne and Alex) passed away at age 61 in September 2021 following a short illness

Caroline was a comic great who spent years on the comedy circuit in the late 1980s, before brief appearances on TV shows such as The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer.

Alongside her stint in BBC comedy series The Fast Show, she rose to prominence as her character Mrs Merton in the self-titled mock talk show and later garnered huge success with The Royle Family. 

The much-anticipated 10-year anniversary special comes after viewers were left frustrated when a huge spoiler was revealed on Friday’s show.

Many took to Twitter to vent their frustration to Channel 4 after a plot twist in the Netflix film Fall was revealed.

The survival thriller follows two friends, Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) and Hunter (Virginia Gardner), who climb a 2,000 feet tall radio tower and get stranded at the top with no way down.

Whilst it was released in the States last summer it was only added to UK Netflix last week, with a stack of new viewers discovering it in recent days.

Some have been left terrified by the film, saying that after watching it, they have been left feeling physically sick.

Others even expressed concern of overwhelming feelings of stress and anxiety, particularly with those who have a fear of heights.

Clips from last night’s Googlebox, which featured fan favourites Pete and Sophie and Ellie and Izzie, revealed the big plot twist, ruining the experience for anyone who is yet to see it.

Frustrating: The much-anticipated 10-year anniversary special comes after viewers were left frustrated when a huge spoiler was revealed on Friday’s show 

Twitter was flooded with peeved off comments like: ‘Damn you @C4Googlebox for a major spoiler for the FALL film…I was planning on watching this evening, but not sure I need to now…could you please give spoiler alerts next time’.

Another angry viewer called out Channel 4 bosses for ruining the film and finished the tweet off by calling them ‘idiots’.

Others vented their frustration by saying they would take the film off their Netflix list.

Many others left emojis, including palm to forehead, angry face, sad face, whilst others saw the funny side and left crying laughing faces.

Gogglebox fans in tears as special pays tribute to late June and Leon Bernicoff
Source: Viral Buzz Philippines