Channel 4's Gogglebox to be replaced in huge schedule shake-up

Channel 4, the broadcaster of the much-beloved show Gogglebox has recently announced a shocking change to the program which lead to objections from the show’s fans.

What is Gogglebox about?

Gogglebox is a British reality television series broadcast on Channel 4. The series follows families and social groupings from all across the United Kingdom as they are observed and recorded while they watch and review the previous week's television in their own homes.

It might sound bizarre to have a television program comprised entirely of watching families watching television, but the massive success has proven its fascination. The first season premiered on 7 March 2013, and the nineteenth season premiered on 18 February 2022. The show has won numerous awards, including the recent Best Factual Entertainment show at the 2022 National Television Award.

Unfortunately, Channel 4 has decided to replace Gogglebox this Friday, October 21, with another program.

Why is Gogglebox replaced?

The award-winning show would no longer run at 9 p.m, according to a schedule change revealed by the broadcaster Wednesday night.

In a significant change for the channel, Gogglebox will now air on Saturdays at 9 p.m.

Announcing the news, Channel 4 said:

‘It's one for your diary. Brand new Gogglebox isn't on its usual Friday night spot. Saturday at 9 pm is your go-to for this week over on Channel 4.’

But fans weren't having any of it. A majority of viewers have been left unimpressed by Channel 4's announcement.

One fumed:

‘They didn’t just announce that #Gogglebox will be on Saturday nights instead of Friday nights from next week, did they?? I ruddy-well hope not.’

While another wrote in an angry manner: ‘@Channel4 We NEED our light-hearted Gogglebox by the end of the week on a Friday night! It’s what Friday nights were made for.’

Gogglebox's replacement show

The program is being replaced with a Friday Night Live one-off special, which is hosted by Ben Elton.

The 63-year-old comic will host the TV stand-up event and introduce a number of artists to a potential audience of one million viewers. Some of the talents that Ben debuted in the 1980s will appear on the program, including Jo Brand, Harry Enfield, and Julian Clary, reports Metro.

For the 90-minute event, which starts off Channel 4's 40th-anniversary celebrations, they will be joined by a host of younger faces.

Ben, who co-created Blackadder with Richard Curtis and penned The Young Ones when he was just 23 years old, thinks it's impossible to prepare his political comedy while everything is so uncertain.

‘It’s kind of a moving target. I mean, in all the days I did it in the ‘80s, I was never in a position where you had no idea what and who the government would be at the end of the week.’.

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