Celebrity Gogglebox

Jennifer Saunders (Contributor)

Born: July 06, 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Best Known For: Absolutely Fabulous.

Early-life: Born Jennifer Jane Saunders on July 6, 1958, in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. Her father was in the RAF and she briefly spent time on the same forces camp as her future comedy partner Dawn French, but the pair never met as children. Instead, they got to know each other while attending London's Central School of Speech and Drama in 1977, where they were both on a teaching training course. They later teamed up with Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle and Peter Richardson to create the The Comic Strip Presents series.

Career: Appearances in The Young Ones, Girls on Top and Happy Families followed, but it was the sketch show French and Saunders that propelled her to fame. One short skit in the series became the basis for Absolutely Fabulous. The sitcom's phenomenal global success opened new doors, and helped land Jennifer roles in the movies In the Bleak Midwinter, Spice World and Fanny and Elvis. She also voiced a not-so-good fairy godmother in hit animation Shrek 2 and stars in the BBC's Blandings. As well as the film and TV work, she has long been an active participant in the charity Comic Relief, alongside her on-screen partner Dawn French, and regularly takes part in the telethon events. We've also seen her reunited with her old pal in Jam & Jerusalem, which she wrote.

Quote: 'It seems you can take a picture on your mobile and it can be on the front page of a celebrity mag the next day. It's a kind of madness.'

Trivia: Married fellow Comic Strip star Adrian Edmondson in 1985. They have three daughters - Beattie, Ella and Freya. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and is now in remission. Her autobiography, Bonkers: My Life in Laughs, was published in 2013.

Beattie Edmondson (Contributor)

Danny Dyer (Contributor)

Born: July 24, 1977 in London

Best Known For: Playing Mick Carter in EastEnders.

Early-life: Danny Dyer was born in Canning Town, London, on July 24, 1977 to Antony and Christine. He began a lifelong love of football as a boy and is an ardent West Ham United supporter. After being spotted by an agent while still at school he made his TV acting debut at the age of 16 in Prime Suspect 3. He went on to appear in episodes of Cadfael, A Touch of Frost, Ruth Rendell Mysteries, The Bill and Soldier Soldier.

Career: Dyer's first film was 1999's Human Traffic and he followed this up with roles in a number of low-budget movies, including Borstal Boy (2000), High Heels and Low Lifes (2001), Mean Machine (2001), The Football Factory (2004), Adulthood (2008) and Vendetta (2013). Dyer had a lead role in Run for Your Wife (2013), which was savaged by film critics and only took £602 during its opening weekend. He has also appeared in a number of stage productions, including Celebration and No Man's Land, and has presented documentaries about football and hardmen. In 2013, he joined the cast of EastEnders as Mick Carter.

Quote: His views on film critic Mark Kermode, who has made disparaging remarks about Dyer's work: 'If I see him I don't know how I'm going to react. I'll probably just put the nut on him.'

Trivia: In 2007, Dyer became the chairman of non-league football team Greenwich Borough.

Dani Dyer (Contributor)

Rylan (Contributor)

Linda Clark (Contributor)

Jordan Banjo (Contributor)

Ashley Banjo (Contributor)

(Contributor)

Mo Gilligan (Contributor)

Zoe Ball (Contributor)

Born: November 23, 1970 in Blackpool

Best Known For: Presenting the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, and It Takes Two.

Early-life: Zoe Louise Ball was born in Blackpool on November 23, 1970, the daughter of TV presenter Johnny Ball. She began her TV career as a runner at Granada Television. She was also a researcher for BSkyB quiz shows. She became a regular host for The Ozone, which was the music program for CBBC. The show was even voted Best Music Show by Smash Hits and brought her to widespread attention.

Career: She co-presented Saturday morning children's magazine Live & Kicking alongside Jamie Theakston from 1996 to 1999. She landed a co-hosting gig on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show in October 1997 with Kevin Greening. She eventually became the sole host, making her the first female DJ to do so. She also continued her onscreen partnership with Jamie Theakston for four series of The Priory on Channel 4. After a string of presenting roles and various radio jobs, she was a contestant in series three of Strictly Come Dancing. Since then, she has presented Soapstar Superstar, talent search Grease is the Word, Strictly Come Dancing's sister show It Takes Two, and The Voice's companion show, The Voice: Louder on Two. She also announced that Peter Capaldi would be taking over from Matt Smith in Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor.

Quote: 'After becoming a mum, I'm much more of a morning person these days... I promise!'

Trivia: Wed DJ Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, in 1999. They have a son, Woody, and daughter, Nelly.

Woody Cook (Contributor)

Jane McDonald (Contributor)

Born: April 04, 1963 in Wakefield

Best Known For: Her star-making appearance on The Cruise and talking straight on Loose Women.

Early-life: Born 4 April, 1963, in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Her father, Peter, was a miner and chimney sweep, her mother, Jean, ran a boarding house. She has a brother, Tony, and a sister, Janet. She claims her first words were Down Town, which she learned from the Petula Clark song. By the age of three she was hooked on singing and dancing. At 18 she was doing three jobs to make ends meet, and was determined to make it in showbusiness.

Career: She lived at home for many years, and until he died, her father worked as her road manager. McDonald spent years performing in small clubs across the country before getting a job as a cabaret singer on a cruise ship. At first, she claims it was a nightmare, but the move made her a star when the BBC filmed reality TV show The Cruise at her place of work. Her down-to-earth charm made her an instant celebrity. Since then, she's released hit records, had sell-out tours and written an autobiography.

Quote: 'To me, 20 fans are equally as important as 20,000 fans. When I look out, I don't see a sea of people but individual faces.'

Trivia: She was a regular on Loose Women from 2004, but quit after 10 years on the show to concentrate on her music career.

Shaun Ryder (Contributor)

Bez (Contributor)

Clare Balding (Contributor)

Born: January 29, 1971 in Kingsclere, Hampshire

Best Known For: Fronting the BBC's horse-racing coverage

Early-life: Clare Victoria Balding was born in Kingsclere, Hampshire, on January 29, 1971. Her father Ian and uncles Toby and William were horse trainers whose love of the sport was passed on to the young rider. She was a leading amateur flat jockey in 1989 and 1990, the same year which saw her crowned as Champion Lady Rider. She left the saddle behind in 1991 to study English at Cambridge, and in 1993 landed her first job in entertainment, presenting the racing bulletin on BBC Radio Five's Danny Baker's Morning Edition.

Career: From there, she progressed to the revamped Radio Five Live, joining the station at its launch in 1994. In that summer, thanks to a recommendation from commentator Julian Wilson, Clare made her TV debut at Royal Ascot, eventually taking over full-time in 1997 alongside former jockey Willie Carson. Since then, she's been a regular on the small screen presenting a wide range of sports, including Wimbledon, the Olympics, and rugby league. She's also branched out into non-sport programmes with the likes of Crufts, Have I Got News For You and Call My Bluff. She's a prolific radio presenter and in 2012 published her autobiography, entitled My Animals and Other Family.

Quote: On moving to London: 'I missed the countryside, the village shop where people looked me in the eye and said hello.'

Trivia: She received an OBE in 2013 for services to broadcasting and journalism.

Alice Arnold (Contributor)

Chris Packham (Contributor)

Born: May 04, 1961 in Southampton

Best Known For: Presenting a string of wildlife programmes.

Early-life: Christopher Gary Packham was born in Southampton on May 4, 1961. His sister, Jenny, is a fashion designer. Chris studied zoology at his home city's university and was going to do a PhD, but instead, after meeting wildlife film-maker Stephen Bullwell, he decided to train with him as a cameraman. Chris's big break came in 1985 when he began working as a presenter on the BBC's children's TV series The Really Wild Show.

Career: After seven years presenting The Really Wild Show, Chris set up his own TV company - Head Over Heels TV - where he made wildlife shows for ITV, Channel 4, Animal Planet, National Geographic and the BBC. More recently he has returned to his first love, working on and presenting TV shows, and can regularly be seen on BBC Two presenting Autumnwatch and Springwatch. He is active in many wildlife conservation bodies: he is vice-president of the RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, and the Brent Lodge Bird & Wildlife Trust, and is a patron of Population Matters.

Quote: On being a sex symbol: 'I suppose I am the only clean-shaven man in ornithology.'

Trivia: In 2011, he was awarded the British Trust for Ornithology's Dilys Breese Medal.

Nick Grimshaw (Contributor)

Born: August 14, 1984 in Oldham

Best Known For: Being a Radio 1 DJ and a judge on The X Factor.

Early-life: Born Nicholas Peter Grimshaw in Oldham on August 14, 1984. He studied Communication and Media Studies at the University of Liverpool. In 2007 he joined Radio 1 to present the youth strand Switch. From August 2008 to May 2009, he hosted Radio 1's Weekend Breakfast Show, and went on to present the 10pm-midnight slot on the station from June 2009.

Career: Grimshaw's big break came in July 2012 when it was announced he would be replacing Chris Moyles as host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show. On TV, Grimshaw has hosted Freshly Squeezed, Style the Nation and The Music Show on Channel 4. In 2013, he filmed cameo roles in EastEnders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Home and Away. He has appeared as a guest on 8 Out of 10 Cats and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In 2015, he became a judge on The X Factor.

Quote: 'I can't bear the early mornings.'

Trivia: In 2014, Grimshaw completed a 12-hour bike ride to raise money for Sport Relief.

Stephen Mangan (Contributor)

Born: July 22, 1972 in London

Best Known For: Green Wing and Episodes.

Early-life: Born on July 22, 1972, in London, and was raised in Hertfordshire. His parents were Irish, and his father owned a building company. He became interested in acting after appearing in numerous school plays, but never thought he would tread the boards professionally. Instead, he studied law at Cambridge University, but decided against being a solicitor after taking a year out to care of his terminally ill mother. After a spell at Rada, he began landing theatre roles.

Career: Mangan became a regular on the West End stage, and apart from some foreign adverts, steered clear of TV work for years. He made his film debut in Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence in 1998, and had a small role in Billy Elliot. Early TV appearances came in Big Bad World, Sword of Honour, In Defence and Human Remains before his big break as the lead in Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years. He's worked consistently in movies and on TV ever since, with roles in Jane Hall, Marple, Never Better, I'm Alan Partridge, Hyperdrive, and the acclaimed Green Wing. His recent work includes Dirk Gently and Episodes on TV, as well as several well-received stage performances.

Quote: 'I love playing unattractive parts. I want to be really horrid. I want people to really hate me. Maybe one day in analysis, I'll discover what that's all about.'

Trivia: Away from showbiz, Mangan is a Tottenham Hotspur fan. He attends games with Tamsin Greig's husband, actor Richard Leaf.

Fearne Cotton (Contributor)

Born: September 03, 1981 in Northwood, London

Best Known For: Co-hosting Top of The Pops.

Early-life: Born September 3, 1982, in Northwood, London. She developed a passion for painting from an early age, thanks to her signwriter dad Mick. She originally wanted to be an actress, but put that dream on hold at 15 when she won a national competition to present CiTV's Disney Club. She honed her presenting skills on GMTV's live weekend show Diggit and BBC's Record Breakers. By 2001, she was hired for the show Eureka TV, and also worked on Sunday kids' series Smile.

Career: Fearne has been much in demand since then, working on projects including The Saturday Show, Finger Tips, Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, Children in Need and Only in America. In 2004, she landed a regular job as co-host on Top of the Pops, and also won The Caron Keating Award at the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards in 2004. Other projects include co-hosting Love Island with Patrick Kielty, The Xtra Factor and Eurovision series Making Your Mind Up. Fearne was also backstage at the 2007 Brit Awards. More recently, she fronted Sky1 show Guinness World Records Smashed with Ben Shephard, and is said to be presenting the US version. Fearne also co-hosts a Sunday morning Radio 1 show with Reggie Yates.

Quote: 'CDs are functional but essentially unlovable and there's no magic involved in downloading a song. But playing vinyl is a beautiful ritual.'

Trivia: Cotton has her own fashion and homeware range with online retailer Very.co.uk.

Gok Wan (Contributor)

Born: September 09, 1974 in Leicester

Best Known For: Fronting How To Look Good Naked

Early-life: Born Ko-Hen Wan in Leicester on September 9, 1974. His father, John, came from Hong Kong and moved to Leicester where he met his British wife Myra. The family ran a restaurant and Gok spent a lot of time with his older sister Oilen. Gok also has a brother called Kwoklyn. He attended the Central School of Speech and Drama, but soon realised he wanted to work in fashion.

Career: After learning the fashion world ropes, Wan became a stylist and went on to build up an astonishing portfolio of clients. Among the famous faces he has styled are Bryan Ferry, All Saints, Damien Lewis, Vanessa Mae and Lauren Laverne. His work has been published internationally in magazines such as Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan. In 2006, he was asked by Channel 4 to front a new programme, How to Look Good Naked, and he also penned the accompanying book. Since the series became a huge hit, he has appeared on numerous panel shows and landed several columns. He's also hosted Miss Naked Beauty, the documentary Too Fat Too Young, Gok Wan's Clothes Roadshow, and even become a celebrity chef.

Quote: 'Get your foundations right - get your underwear sorted and your silhouette looking beautiful.'

Trivia: Wan has openly discussed his battle with weight as a teenager, and was later treated for anorexia after shedding the pounds using a dramatic and dangerous method.

Victoria Ray (Executive producer)

Leon Campbell (Executive producer)

Mike Cotton (Executive producer)

9:00 pm - 10:00 pm, Tuesday, August 25 on 4seven (49)

About this Broadcast

Season 6, Episode 1

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