Denise Van Outen chats to Gemma Dunn ahead of her return to the second series of Celebrity Gogglebox.
Celebrity Gogglebox is back for a second series - and returning "critic" Denise Van Outen is just one of a host of Britain's famous faces ready to give their verdict on the week's top TV. Gemma Dunn speaks to her.
With the nation consuming more TV than ever before, what better time to welcome back Celebrity Gogglebox?
For while we love checking in with Britain's sharpest armchair critics on the regular version of the iconic reality show, there's something rather special about hearing from a bunch of famous faces - and having a quick peek around their living room - too.
Returning for a second series, the spin-off, much like its predecessor, will invite those involved to react to the week's biggest and best television shows from the comfort of their own homes.
And one fan favourite keen to get back into the fold mid-lockdown is actress-cum-singer-cum-presenter Denise Van Outen, who will be reporting from her Essex home alongside partner Eddie Boxshall.
Other recurring stars are Nick Grimshaw and his niece Liv, and the lovable Joe Swash and Stacey Solomon. While new additions include Zoe Ball and her son Woody Cook; Nicola Adams and her partner Ella; Harry Redknapp and his wife Sandra; and engaged couple, Laura Whitmore & Iain Stirling.
"I love Gogglebox, we watch it all the time!" quips Van Outen, 46. "It's nice to be able to be at home and be together - and it's what we've been doing for the past couple of months anyway!"
This is true. So what else can she tell us about the upcoming edition?
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RETURN FOR A SECOND SERIES?
I just loved it the first time. I mean, who wouldn't? When you're in this situation it's only what we've been doing anyway, sitting down together, watching loads of different things on TV. So yeah, we're at home, and we have a laugh doing it. And the fact they can make it work - obviously you haven't got the crew in your house or anything, you've just got the cameras set up, but it's one of the shows that is still going. It's also nice having a little nose into people's homes.
WHICH CELEBRITIES DID YOU ENJOY WATCHING LAST TIME?
Well, I love Rylan [Clark-Neal] and his mum. I think they're hilarious; she just makes me laugh and those classic lines she comes out with always crack me up. We also love the Eubank [family], as well. I loved when they watched Titanic and Chris Eubank was getting all emotional.
HOW DO YOU FIND THE SET UP - IS IT ODD TO BE FILMING WITHOUT A CREW PRESENT?
Not really. They just set the cameras up so there's no cameraman or anything in the room, and actually, it's probably better, because then you forget that you're on telly. If you had a sound guy in the room and a cameraman in the room, then you'd be really aware that you're making a TV show, whereas this way, you don't. You very quickly forget because you just get engrossed in the programme that you're watching.
DO YOU WORRY AFTERWARDS ABOUT THINGS YOU MAY HAVE SAID?
They just use what they want to use, so no, not really. There's never anything offensive but you always forget yourself. We just tend to bicker a little bit, but that's how we are anyway when we watch TV. I think that's why it's so relatable because you're all thinking the same thing and then you're seeing someone who's saying exactly what's in your head. That's probably why it works so well!
WHICH TV SHOWS HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING IN LOCKDOWN?
We watched Netflix's Tiger King at the beginning when everyone was watching it. We've been watching a lot of dramas; we watched Save Me, which we loved, and we've started on series two. A lot of films. I've also watched loads of reality stuff which is my guilty pleasure - stuff like The Real Housewives Of Cheshire, Gemma Collins: Diva On Lockdown, Ferne McCann: First Time Mum... Eddie's not really a fan of [reality TV], so he watches shows like Wheeler Dealers and Salvage Hunters. There's been a lot of repeats on and some new shows too, like Isolation Stories and Reasons To Be Cheerful with Matt Lucas, so it's been good.
IF YOU WERE TO FILM FOR CELEBRITY GOGGLEBOX AGAIN, WOULD YOU LET YOUR 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, BETSY, JOIN?
Yeah, she can be on it. She could do it now if she wanted to. If they were showing a TV family thing, she could have a comment on it. We've just never discussed that really, but she'd be fine to do it.
HOW DID YOU ENJOY YOUR STINT ON THE MASKED SINGER - AND HOW HAS IT IMPACTED YOUR LIFE SINCE?
I just loved the concept of it. The fact that it drives you mad because you have no idea [who's behind the mask] and you've just got to try and guess. It's a good game to play. I really enjoyed it and I'd started to work on an album [after], but obviously with everything that's happened that's been put on hold. I also got my own show [Cabaret All Stars with Denise Van Outen] in London off the back of it, but life's on pause, really, at the moment, so I can't really pick up where I left off. We will wait and see!
ARE YOU EXCITED TO GET BACK TO IT ALL, ONCE ALLOWED?
Yeah, I'll try and get back to everything, but some things will have changed. I just feel very sad for all my friends who are in West End shows, because that's very tricky. Let's just pray for a vaccine; I hope they get one soon and then we can all get back to 'normal'. We'll all look forward to that release and the escapism of going to see a show or a concert or a gig or a festival, but it's definitely going to be a new way of living for a period of time.
Celebrity Gogglebox, Channel 4, Friday, 9pm.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here