Why did these 7 Gogglebox stars quit the show?

Gogglebox is one of the most popular shows on telly thanks to its hilarious, straight-talking cast - but sadly we have seen several fan favourite families leave the series since its inception in 2013. While some of them eventually returned, here's why these stars quit the show...

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The Michaels family 

We're so glad that the Michaels family are back making us laugh on Gogglebox, but it wasn't always the case! In 2015, Andrew, Carolyne and their children, Louis and Alex, left the show while Andrew stood for UKIP in the general election.

At the time, a spokesperson said: "It's with great regret that the Michaels are no longer in the show. Sadly any Gogglebox cast member who becomes a candidate for a political party will have to step down from their involvement in Gogglebox. They have been excellent contributors to and we are very grateful for all they have given to the show." 

Andrew didn't win the seat, and so the family eventually returned to the series, and have been regulars ever since. 

The Gilbey family

Pete, Linda and their son George became instant hits with their hilarious ways. However, the family left the show when George signed up for Celebrity Big Brother, only to return in 2016. It eventually became just Pete and Linda taking part in the series though, after George was given community service after attacking his ex-girlfriend, and was eventually jailed for three months for drink driving charges. 

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Chris Butland-Steed

Chris left his on-screen partner Stephen Webb to carry on without him on the show to pursue new opportunities back in 2018. At the time, he tweeted: "I'd like to announce I've decided to leave Gogglebox and am looking forward to the exciting adventures that lay ahead! Huge thanks to @C4Gogglebox @Channel4 for the amazing experiences I’ve had & wish cast & crew well. Massive thanks to the fans for their support! #watchthisspace." Since Chris left the show (and tied the knot to husband Tony), Stephen has been enjoying telly with his mum and husband. 

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Sandi and Sandra

These two BFFs had us all in hysterics with their upbeat, comical manner, but after Sandi left the show to pursue new opportunities, Sandra followed suit just a few months later. Speaking about her decision on This Morning, she said: "I am going to miss it, but I decided at that time I wanted to move on to other things. It's four and a half years now, and I'm just moving on, keeping up with the times." 

Josh Tapper

The son of the Tapper family left the show after landing a job in the Cabinet Office. Speaking to the Mirror about quitting the show, he said: "The option to go back is always there but I want to move away from that and the focus is now very much on my job. Of course, I miss it and the sitting on the couch watching TV. But I am more focused on my future.... it's a more a secure path. I don’t think any ministers recognise me but the civil servants do. It took them a while to mention it - a total of about two days!" 

The Moffatts

The Moffatts were firm fan favourites on the show, particularly thanks to breakout star Scarlett's hysterical musings. However, as Scarlett became more prominent in the world of telly, and went on to win I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, her family were unable to remain on the show without her. Scarlett admitted she was "gutted" about the decision, replying to a fan on Instagram: "We are gutted too, thought my Mam and dad (and little Ava) would still be doing it but we will still be watching #Gogglebox." 

Steph and Dom 

Nothing was quite as funny as watching the famously posh Steph and Dom settle in to watch a show with a glass of wine in hand and a little sausage dog in between them. The pair left the show back in 2016, telling The Sun: "We think it's important that everyone gets their chance to be on Gogglebox and give their opinion, and having been on it from the beginning we felt like we'd pretty much said all we needed to say, and we knew what we were going to say." We still miss them!