Channel 4 is looking for a Scottish family to join gogglebox">Gogglebox after concerns were raised over a lack of representation.
A dedicated casting team will now be on the lookout for new Scottish stars for the hugely popular cult TV show.
It’s hoped that a Scottish family will join the lineup by New Year, starring alongside fan favourites such as the Malone family, Pete and Sophie, and Giles and Mary.
The search begins following concerns raised during a Scottish Affairs Committee’s evidence session on public broadcasting in September.
In September, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross highlighted that there has not been a Scottish family on the programme for five years.
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Ross’s own family could perhaps be in the running for the vacancy, given he said he was a “big fan” of the show and joked that he and his wife could be a part of it.
Channel 4 chief executive Alex Mahon said the broadcaster had received complaints about the lack of representation from north of the border on the show so, to put it right, Mahon today confirmed that a separate budget for a dedicated casting team had been agreed.
Mahon said half of the 99 complaints received by the broadcaster over programming in Scotland was over the lack of Scots on the show. She added that, like Ross, "many of those who contacted us to raise this were getting in touch to put themselves forward".
People are excited following today’s news and look forward to seeing Scotland represented:
Finally! Scottish representation is coming to #Gogglebox 😂👏 we are available😀👍🏻 @Channel4 #channel4
— 🐝 Hannah 🌈 (@89Hannah89) November 17, 2021
So @Channel4 looking for a Scottish family for #Gogglebox and we are SO HERE for this 🙏🏽😁 pic.twitter.com/xXZdySvY17
— Catriona Shearer (@CatrionaShearer) November 17, 2021
Now this is a job I would move to Scotland for https://t.co/BBCkiHmTUV
— Jane Wakefield (@janewakefield) November 17, 2021
Channel 4 are looking for Scottish families to participate in Gogglebox. It’s times like this I wish I still lived at home, could have been famous.
— Kris Gourlay (@krisgourlay96) November 17, 2021
gogglebox are looking for scottish people i think this is my time to shine
— eilidh (@eilidhkinsmanx) November 17, 2021
look all i’m saying is my friends and i watch gogglebox every week and we’re all REALLY funny @Channel4 hi 😃 https://t.co/dQ9cVcnQX7
— eilidh (@KTMRIDLEY) November 17, 2021
Scottish Affairs Committee Chair Pete Wishart MP welcomed the move and said: “We are bursting at the seams with talent in Scotland, and I am pleased to hear Channel 4’s efforts to harness this potential.
“A theme which came up in our evidence session was the lack of a Scottish family on Gogglebox.
“It is clear some have approached the channel with similar concern, often offering themselves as an option. I am therefore pleased to see a dedicated team tasked with this and look forward to seeing the successful family on our screens in the new series!”
We can’t wait to see some new faces on the small screen in the New Year!
