Channel 4 confirm that Mary Cook, one of the stars of hit TV review show Gogglebox, has died at the age of 92. She is known for her appearances alongside friend Marina Wingrove. The cheeky pair from Bristol are some of the most popular members of the programme’s line-up.
Channel 4 and producers Studio Lambert issued a statement on behalf of Mary’s family, saying they were “extremely saddened” to share the news. She passed away at the weekend with her family at her side in hospital.
“Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and dear friend to many, Mary, who worked in the hospitality trade, had been married and widowed twice.”
Mary and Marina “became instant fan favourites due to their brilliantly witty and often cheeky moments”. She “will be sorely missed by the entire Gogglebox family, cast and crew”.
The statement went on to say that “love and thoughts are with Mary’s family, friends, and Marina”. And that understandable, “the family have asked for privacy at this sad time”.
Meanwhile, fans paid tribute on social media, including fellow Gogglebox star Sophie Sandiford posting on Instagram, “Rest in Peace Mary”.
“A bit cheeky”
In 2017, a year after their TV debut, an interview was posted on the website of the retirement home where they lived. In it, Cook said: “We’re just talking to each other and having a laugh, aren’t we? We do say some cheeky things, but they don’t always put them on the show”.
The duo often had viewers laughing with their racy comments and attempts to make sense of the modern world.
In another interview in 2018, Cook said that Gogglebox had given them “a new lease of life”. She said she always watched the show to see her performance, wanting to know if she had “made a fool” of herself. Her family loved her appearing on the show, and always told her not to worry about being a “bit naughty”. Cook believed that viewers liked them because they “are old ladies and people relate to us as grandmothers and we are a bit cheeky”.
Last year, the two friends were were inducted into Bristol Live’s Bristol Cool Hall of Fame.
The pair were largely absent on the last regular series of Gogglebox due to Covid restrictions. The producers “didn’t want them put at any risk”. In January, the duo were pictured together having their coronavirus vaccinations.
Spotted outside Asda
Gogglebox was an instant hit with viewers, featuring members of the public reacting to the week’s television highlights and programming. Cook and Wingrove joined the show in 2016 after a researcher approached the latter outside an Asda supermarket.
When asked if she had a friend, at that moment Mary came round the corner on her scooter. The pair then had to talk about different famous people as they were shown pictures.
The reserachers obviously like what they saw, and the rest is history.
Thank you for reading Gogglebox star Mary Cook dies aged 92
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