‘We don’t have a role model now’: Gogglebox stars break down in tears as show pays tribute to the Queen following her death
Gogglebox stars were left in tears on Friday as they were seen watching the announcement that the Queen had died.
The popular show aired at 9pm on Channel 4 and showed the cast paying tribute to the late Monarch following her death last week.
As the BBC’s Huw Edwards reported the news, Jenny was unable to control her emotions and was seen wiping her tears with some tissue.
Big news: Gogglebox stars were left in tears on Friday as they were seen watching the announcement that the Queen had died (Jenny and Lee pictured on the show)
‘She was so busy looking after us,’ she said while crying as her best friend Lee put his hands to his face in shock.
She continued: ‘When she first took over, she said be it a long reign or a short reign, she would work till the end. And that’s what she did.’
Mary was also in tears, and said she believed the UK doesn’t have a female role model anymore.
Announcement: As BBC presenter Huw Edwards broke the news to the nation about the monarch’s death, the Gogglebox favourites were left in tears
She explained: ‘This is the problem, we don’t have a role model now.
‘There’s nobody of her stature in our public life that we can admire,’ Mary told her husband Giles.
When he pointed towards Prince – now King – Charles, Mary said: ‘A female role model I was thinking of. We need a female role model. I mean, who else is there? No one.’
‘I mean, she’s incomparable, but we had 96 years,’ Mary added.
Teary: Sue was also left an emotional wreck as Steve tried to console her (Sue and Steve pictured on the show)
Meanwhile, Izzi expressed how she felt complete ‘disbelief’ over the Queen’s death, as Amani admitted that it never ‘crossed her mind’ that she would no longer be around.
Georgia remarked that the title ‘just doesn’t sound right’ at the first mention of the Queen’s eldest child being declared King Charles III, having succeeded his mother on the throne.
Viewers praised the show’s tribute to the Queen on social media, describing it as a ‘masterclass in television’.
Teary: Brother and sister Simon and Jane appeared taken aback by the news
Emotional: Viewers praised the show’s tribute to the Queen on social media, describing it as a ‘masterclass in television’ (Pete and Sophie Sandiford pictured on show)
Earlier this month, Gogglebox became the most watched non-royal programme on with 2.63million people tuning in the day after the Queen’s death was announced.
The Channel 4 show returned for a new series and was one of the few programmes still on air in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Thursday.
ITV schedules had been suspended following the monarch’s passing with the majority of regular programming cancelled to provide ongoing new coverage.
News: Stephen and Daniel appeared sombre as they heard the news but said it was ‘expected’
Success: Gogglebox became the most watched non-royal programme on Friday with 2.63million people tuning in (Jenny and Lee pictured on the show)
Of the remaining shows still on air, EastEnders on BBC Two was the second most-watched non-royal show with 1.56million viewers while Gardeners’ World was number three with 1.52million.
BBC Two aired every other show in the top five, with Pointless watched by 1.36million viewers and Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing reaching 1.35million.
While Gogglebox aired at 9pm, the following show The Last Leg was pulled from screens with host Adam Hills saying it didn’t ‘feel right’ to do it.
He wrote on Twitter: ‘We’ve decided not to do an episode of tonight. It just doesn’t feel right. We’ll pay tribute to Her Majesty next week but for now our thoughts are with her family, and all those affected by the news. We hope you understand.’
Heartbreaking: The BBC must uphold editorial restrictions following the death of Her Majesty for a number of days and whilst others are not required to do so they have conformed
The BBC must uphold editorial restrictions following the death of Her Majesty for a number of days and whilst others are not required to do so they have conformed.
Both Emmerdale and Coronation have been cancelled for the rest of the week, schedule’s are subject to change and it is not yet known when channels will return planned programming.
Gogglebox fans praised the show for bringing a ‘sense of normality’ in the wake of the Queen’s death.
Statement: While Gogglebox aired at 9pm, the following show The Last Leg was pulled from screens with host Adam Hills saying it didn’t ‘feel right’ to do it
Viewers were relieved to see their favourite armchair commentators with one saying it was ‘the comfort we all need’.
Taking to Twitter one viewer wrote: ‘Really grateful to Channel 4 for broadcasting Gogglebox tonight. As sad as the new is, this is the comfort viewing we all need tonight’.
While another added: ‘ Love love love Gogglebox, what a welcome relief after a bad day’ and another said of the show ‘We need something to cheer us up’.
More wrote: ‘Glad for a bit of normality, been looking forward to this all week’ and ‘I’m so glad Gogglebox is back just for some escapism’.
Glad it’s back: Gogglebox fans praised the show for bringing a ‘sense of normality’ in the wake of the Queen’s death (Pete and Sophie pictured on the show)
RIP: The Channel 4 show was one of the only programmes to air as normal as the nation continued to mourn the beloved monarch
Before: The episode was filmed before the Queen’s sad passing as fans praised it for ‘the comfort we all need’ (Jenny and Lee pictured on the show)
Another said: ‘I’m so glad Channel 4 decided to still show #Gogglebox tonight. A welcome break. A brief distraction. I understand the need for rolling news coverage on other channels. And I’ve been watching a lot of it. But it’s nice to also have the option of something lighter to watch’.
And another commented: ‘Good, we need a little lift today’ with another agreeing: ‘Thank goodness for that’.
Channel Four released a statement explaining their decision to air the show that was filmed before Her Majesty’s passing.
‘Channel 4 exists to offer viewers an alternative and that is particularly important at times like this’.
Relief: Other channels have instead showed back to back new coverage and tributes, but fans were relieved Channel 4 decided otherwise with one viewer calling it ‘the comfort we all need’
‘Gogglebox is a much loved national institution and it will air as planned tonight bringing a valuable sense of continuity for many of our viewers.
It comes as Britain continues to mourn the death of the Queen. After 70 years on the throne, the country’s longest-reigning royal died ‘peacefully’, aged 96, at Balmoral in Scotland.
Her death sparked an immediate and huge outpouring of emotion, with thousands of heartbroken mourners gathering outside the gates of Buckingham Palace and other royal buildings yesterday evening.
Normality: More wrote: ‘Glad for a bit of normality, been looking forward to this all week’ and ‘I’m so glad Gogglebox is back just for some escapism’
Statement: Channel Four released a statement explaining their decision to air the show saying: ‘Channel 4 exists to offer viewers an alternative and that is particularly important at times like this
At one point, a rendition of ‘God Save The Queen’ rang out among the mourners, followed by cheers of ‘Long Live The King’.
Others laid flowers outside Windsor Castle – where The Queen had spent much of her time following the death of her beloved husband, Prince Philip, in April last year.
And in a sign of the Queen’s considerable worldwide influence and appeal, royal fans laid flowers outside British embassies including in Washington, Berlin and Oslo.
Senior royals dashed to be at the Queen’s bedside on Thursday, but did not reach Balmoral in time before she passed, it is believed.
Couple: It comes as Britain is today mourning the death of its beloved Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II (pictured with Prince Phillip in 2011)
Rest in peace: After a remarkable 70 years on the throne, the country’s longest-reigning royal yesterday died ‘peacefully’, aged 96, at Balmoral in Scotland
Only her eldest children, King Charles and Princess Anne, who were already in Scotland at the time of the Monarch’s sudden turn for the worse, were able to make it to the royal estate before her death, sources said.
Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, his wife Sophie, and Prince William all flew in from Berkshire via private jet to Aberdeen on Thursday as they dashed to Balmoral to see her. But it is understood that they did not reach the estate before she passed.
Prince Harry, who was due to attend a charity event with wife Meghan in London on Thursday, also attempted to reach Balmoral in time. But he arrived at 8pm, nearly an hour-and-a-half after the public were informed of the Queen’s death.
The Queen’s son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, is now King Charles III, while Prince William has inherited his father’s title and is now, along with his wife, styled The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge. William is also now the ‘heir apparent’ to the British throne.
Tragedy: Her death sparked an immediate and huge outpouring of emotion, with thousands of mourners gathering outside the gates of Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening (pictured)
Announcement: Buckingham Palace announced the sad news of the Queen’s passing on Thursday
Source: Read Full Article
