Max is joining Gogglebox for season 28, making him the first cast member with Down's syndrome on the series. The show returns on 4 September with two new households, a change that gives the long-running format a new family dynamic without altering its basic setup.
Max and Sandy on Gogglebox
Max and Sandy are one of the two new households, and Sandy said it will be “total magic” to appear alongside her son. Max said he is “I’m much funnier than my mum, so that’s good. I’m all about spreading the love and showing other learning-disabled people what we can achieve. And my mum is my greatest supporter.”
He also said he is the first person with Down's syndrome to feature on the show and added that Sandy will “probably” not always agree with him. That is the point of the pairing: Gogglebox works best when the reactions feel lived-in, and this one brings learning-disability visibility into the show’s everyday TV shorthand.
Steve and Mark in Newcastle
Steve and Mark are the other new household, joining from Newcastle after saying they will try “not to swear too much” following warnings from their families. Mark said, “Everyone’s absolutely stoked. When I told our mam that we might be doing the show, the first thing she said was ‘please don’t swear’. I told her I can’t make that promise. I’ve not told my friends yet. I think waiting for them to read or see me on the TV will be a better surprise.”
The brothers already sound like a natural fit for the show’s clipped, low-stakes style. Mark said, “We’re both married so the only time we really watch TV together these days is when the football is on. Sometimes boxing if there’s a big fight on (and it’s not happening at daft o’clock in the morning).”
Jenny and Lee return
Jenny and Lee, Sophie and Pete, and the Siddiqui family are among the familiar faces returning for the new season. Lee said of the National Television Awards nomination, “I just think, we’re still there. If we're still getting nominated, we are still doing something right, and the public still loves it.”
That nomination places Gogglebox against 24 Hours in Police Custody, Secret Garden, Sort Your Life Out and The Martin Lewis Money Show Live in the factual entertainment category. For a series heading into season 28, the combination of returning names and two new households is the more useful signal: the format is being refreshed without being rebuilt.
4 September on Channel 4
Gogglebox is back on 4 September on Channel 4, and the first episode with Max and Sandy should tell viewers whether their back-and-forth lands as naturally on screen as it sounds in the quotes. The sharper question now is whether the new pairings, Steve and Mark as much as Max and Sandy, can keep the show’s pace while adding something it has never had before.
