Gogglebox star Julie Malone has paid an emotional tribute to the cast members who died in the last two years as the show won the factual prize at the National Television Awards.
The Channel 4 show fended off competition from documentary Caroline Flack: Her Life And Death, travel series Gordon, Gino And Fred: American Road Trip and Paul O’Grady’s For the Love Of Dogs to claim the gong on Thursday night.
Taking to the stage, the cast members thanked viewers for voting for the programme before Malone was ushered towards the microphone.
Congratulations Gogglebox, a worthy winner of the Factual award at this year’s National Television Awards ✨#NTAs pic.twitter.com/rU4l1NbYGd
— National TV Awards (@OfficialNTAs) September 9, 2021
She said: “On behalf of all the Gogglebox families I would just like to say thank you for this award.
“On a sadder note I would like to nominate it to all the people we have lost sadly over the past 18 months to two years.
“That’s Andy, Pete, Mary and everybody’s favourite grandma June, who is now reunited with Leon. Thank you so much.”
In May 2020, June Bernicoff died at the age of 82 “at home with her family by her side”.
Following husband Leon’s death in December 2017, June wrote her first book, Leon And June: Our Story, about their 60-year love affair.
Andy Michael died in August 2021 at the age of 61 following a short illness.
His family first appeared on Gogglebox in the debut episode in 2013, but announced in 2014 that they were leaving because Mr Michael was running for Ukip in the general election.
After he failed to secure the Hastings and Rye seat, the family returned for future episodes.
Pete McGarry died aged 71 in June 2021.
McGarry, along with wife Linda and her son, George Gilbey, originally joined the Channel 4 programme for its second series in 2013.
They later returned to the show for the seventh series in 2016 and continued to appear as series regulars
Mary Cook, another fan favourite, died in hospital in August aged 92.
The former hospitality worker joined the Channel 4 programme in 2016 alongside fellow Bristolian Marina Wingrove.