By: Michael Hogan
The Gogglebox cast are all very well, but it’s their four-legged friends who frequently steal the show. Whether they’re hopping up on laps, scoffing snacks they shouldn’t, performing cute tricks – or in a couple of memorable cases, accidentally head-butting their owners – their cameos often make for Gogglebox gold.
The couch potatoes’ pets have duly amassed their own fan followings. Smitten viewers take to Twitter whenever their furry favourites appear on-screen. Each time the show’s social media team shares a picture of the dogs, they get inundated with viewers’ snaps of their own pets watching along too.
As the Channel 4 favourite returns for its 19th season, here’s your handy (and probably paws-y) guide to the canine cast.
Perhaps it’s time they got their own spin-off. Welcome to Dogglebox. Or should that be Goggledogs?
Gogglebox dogs: Meet the canine stars of Channel 4 series
The Malones’ Rottweilers
!["The]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/The-Malone-Family-dogs-74771f7.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"The-Malone-Family-dogs\"")
In Manchester it can get pretty crowded in the Malone family’s front room. Squeezed in alongside the humans are three more mainstays: their panting pet Rottweilers, Dave, Bob and Lucy. These gentle giants are regularly seen lying awkwardly across laps or blocking the TV screen.
They appear to watch the telly too, with a habit of barking at wildlife documentaries. Dave especially causes slobbery chaos – knocking over the ever-present plate of cakes, licking his bits on camera or over-excitedly biting patriarch Tom’s face-mask. He once butted his master on the nose, causing Tom to memorably mutter: “You k**bhead, Dave!”
Gogglebox always has the best dog moments… pic.twitter.com/jGS6W12409
— Gogglebox (@GoggleboxQuotes) October 5, 2019
Pete’s Corgi puppy
According to the show’s social media team, the Malones’ Rottweilers have long been the best-loved dogs on the show. However, Pete Sandiford’s adorable puppy Colin, who made his waggy debut last spring, is rapidly catching up in popularity. The sandy-coloured Corgi made an instant impression by stepping on the TV remote, licking his “Auntie Soph” and cheekily lapping at her coffee. “He’ll be off his t*ts,” laughed Sophie.
We’ve also seen Colin get “the Zoomies” and run rings around the room. Pete’s vain attempts to train his “right hand man” mean he’s considering “entering him for Crufts in the Disobedience category”. Eagle-eyed viewers have expressed surprise at how much Col has grown. Pete recently shared a snap of him wearing shades, explaining that Colin was “feeling a bit ruff after his first birthday party”.
Welcome to the #Gogglebox fam Colin! ????❤️️#Goggledogs pic.twitter.com/w6t6uFJUtS
— C4 Gogglebox (@C4Gogglebox) March 26, 2021
Giles & Mary’s spaniel
!["Giles]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/Giles-and-Marys-dog-ed69832.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Giles-and-Mary's-dog\"")
With their constant bickering, posh eccentrics Giles Wood and Mary Killen might seem long-suffering but the pair’s mutual affection is palpable – and never more so when doting over their Tibetan spaniel Merlin. Last year, sprightly Merlin leapt onto Mary’s lap and accidentally clonked her in the face. “Did he cause you physical harm?” asked Giles gallantly. Luckily, Mary was unscathed, chuckling: “That was too rough, Merlin.”
The fluffball sheds plenty of fur but we imagine Mary’s famous William Morris print chair hides it well. A recent Instagram pic showed Giles and Merlin wearing matching Fair Isle tanktops. Oh, Nutty.
Stephen & Daniel’s poodles
!["Stephen]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/gogglebox-e18b5a5.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"gogglebox\"")
Like the Malones, three is the magic number when it comes to dogs for original cast member Stephen Webb and his husband, Daniel Lustig-Webb. The Sussex hairdressers are proud owners of a trio of poodles, the excellently-named Babs, Princess and Betsy. Stephen calls them his “babies”.
He attracted some social media flak in 2018 when he joked about the dogs being Kylie Minogue lookalikes and was shown tying up their ears with elastic hair bobbles. Betsy later managed to play a pink horn (not a euphemism) by batting it with her paw. Pup parps all round.
Dave & Shirley’s Frenchies
Sweet Welsh spouses David and Shirley Griffiths, who’ve been married for 45 years, have become firm fan favourites. So have their two French Bulldogs, Bleu and Rupert. The couple had long doted on brindle-coated Bleu – once dressing him up as Luke Skywalker and tweeting “The Force is strong in this one”.
Two years ago, they gave him a playmate in Rupert, calling the younger pup “Bleu’s new partner-in-crime”. White with a grey eye-patch, Rupert’s quite the character – a “right handful” by day, “butter wouldn’t melt” by night. He refuses to go out into the cold weather before bed, despite Dave’s pleas to “go pee-pee”. Rupert remains rigid on his back and eventually Dave has to carry him outside.
Having to make farting noises to get their attention ???????????????? #frenchbulldog #Gogglebox pic.twitter.com/hRK8zNBAdh
— Dave And Shirley (@DaveAndShirley) May 18, 2021
Ellie & Izzi’s pooches
Hilarious, perma-snacking sisters Ellie and Izzi Warner are often joined on the couch by Ellie’s Italian greyhounds, Mick and Madge. Eye-rolling Izzi calls them “double trouble”.
Ellie was once criticised by viewers for pushing Mick off the sofa but, typically, explained that she’d spilled some piping hot baked beans from her KFC takeaway, so was merely moving him out the way for his own protection.
!["Izzie]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/Izzie-and-Ellies-dogs-fdd2af9.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Izzie-and-Ellie's-dogs\"")
Last year, the mutt-mad siblings added a pair of mini dachshunds named Morris and Fudge to their growing brood. “Welcome to the mad house, little men,” said Ellie. Just mind those finger-lickin’ good side dishes.
Abbie & Georgia’s Staffy
!["Vinnie]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/02/Vinnie-The-Stafford-973bbad.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Vinnie-The-Stafford\"")
Northern lasses Abbie Lynn and Georgia Bell have us in stitches with their naive non-sequiturs. They admitted they’d never heard of Israel (“Is it something to do with Jesus?”), insisted paella was a French dish and got confused by David Tennant’s turn in Des (“So the Doctor Who man is a murderer in real life?”).
Georgia’s blue Staffordshire bull terrier Vinnie often seems the most sensible one in the room. He’s usually dozing happily, blending into the grey velvet corner sofa. Last month, 21-year-old Georgia announced she’s expecting her first baby with boyfriend Josh, sharing the news with a snap of a framed ultrasound scan. Caption: “And then there were four.” Good boy Vinnie’s going to be a big brother.
The Siddiquis’ cat
The show’s longest-serving family are beloved Pakistan-born patriarch Sid Siddiqui and his sons, Umar, Baasit and Raza. Just so the dogs don’t have it all their own way, Sid’s cat Rocky is often seen purring contentedly on his owner’s lap. Did someone say Mogglebox? “In a purr-fect world…”
Hi everyone I am Rocky. Meow ???? please watch me tonight snoozing in front of the telly ???? #Gogglebox @Channel4 @umarksiddiqui @razathejust @baasitsiddiqui pic.twitter.com/itFosM09kk
— sid siddiqui (@goggleboxsid) October 1, 2021
Gogglebox returns to Channel 4 for season 19 on Friday 18th February at 9pm. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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