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Gogglebox star Ken Harwood has sadly died at the age of 77 after suffering from a short illness. On Friday (May 15), Channel 4 bosses released an emotional statement confirming that Ken had passed away last week and that they would pay tribute to him on tonight's show. It read: "Ken will be dearly missed by his wife Anne, sons Simon and Ross, daughter-in-law, Elle, grandchildren Freya and Tristram, and all who knew him. There will be a tribute to Ken at the end of Channel 4's episode on Gogglebox tonight."

Ken and his wife Anne, from County Durham, were happily married for 55 years and were beloved by their fellow cast members after they joined the show from series 15. In their debut episode, Ken showcased his romantic side when he presented Anne with a bouquet of 50 roses, one for every year they had been married.

The doting wife was overcome with the sweet gesture, and joked when she confessed she hadn't got him anything in return. She said: "You have put me to shame now with a card and roses, and I got you nothing. But you have me, and that's all you need."

When they joined the show, fans believed that they "fitted in" right away, like they were part of the furniture, sharing their opinions on TV moments like the ITV news story about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's move to Canada.

Anne remarked: "She maybe just doesn't like England or Great Britain," to which Ken added: "Why? Nothing wrong with it... except for the weather." Before he shot to fame, Ken worked as a postmaster for 30 years, and then went on to become a local councillor before retiring in 2013.

It comes after former Gogglebox star Josh Tapper appeared on TV screens in a very different way earlier this month when he was elected as a Labour councillor nine years after quitting the Channel 4 show. Josh is now the councillor for the Underhill ward in the borough of Barnet.

According to reports, Josh won 1,128 votes, securing a seat alongside fellow Labour candidate Zahra Beg. Taking to social media, his sister Amy proudly broke the news, writing: "My brother is officially a Councillor! So, so proud."

This isn't the first death the Channel 4 show has faced in recent years. In March 2024, former George Gilbey died aged 40 following a workplace accident. George appeared on Gogglebox alongside his mum, Linda McGarry, and stepdad, Pete McGarry, from 2013 to 2014 and again from 2016 to 2018.

Tragically, in 2024, he was killed after falling from a height at work. A few years prior, in 2021, Mary Cook sadly died at the age of 92. She was originally on the show alongside friend Marina Wingrove from 2016 to 2021.

Leon and June Bernicoff were an immediate hit when they made their debut in 2013. June left the show after Leon's death in 2017, aged 83. She then wrote a book about her experiences before her death in 2020.