Celebrity Gogglebox fans were absolutely delighted after two much-loved stars made their long-awaited return to the show. The Channel 4 spin-off came back to screens on Friday (June 18) for a brand new episode, welcoming back firm favourites including Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness, Nick Grimshaw and niece Liv, and Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan.
The new series also boasts several fresh faces, among them Olivia Attwood and her mum Jennifer, Harry and Matt — better known as Nitro and Legend from Gladiators. Rounding out the line-up are Strictly star George Clark and content creator Max Balegde, comedian and actor Julian Clary, and actor and television presenter Nigel Havers.
For the latest episode, fan favourites Stephen Mangan and his sister Anita returned to the sofa — much to the delight of viewers. On X, one fan declared: "So glad Stephen and Anita are back!" Another enthused: "My favourites!" while a third chimed in: "Love these two."
Stephen Mangan and Anita Mangan: A Talented Sibling Duo
Stephen is a presenter and actor who rose to prominence playing Nathan Stern in The Split, alongside Nicola Walker, Fiona Button, Annabel Scholey, and Barry Atsma. Beyond his acting credentials, he also hosts Artist of the Year on Sky Arts and previously fronted the ITV game show The Fortune Hotel. His sister Anita, meanwhile, is a talented artist, illustrator, and designer.
The sibling duo regularly join forces on popular children's books, with Anita bringing to life the stories that Stephen writes. In 2023, Anita discussed collaborating with her brother on the publications. When questioned about whose suggestion it was to join forces, she told The Bath Magazine: "Mine! I've been an illustrator and designer for years and have wanted to work with Stephen for a long time."
"Stephen is brilliant at writing but can't draw (his words!), so it's a great match! I convinced him to consider it. Initially he thought we'd be doing picture books, where I did most of the work ... but no, I said '40,000 word chapter books please!' I got my way, mwahahahaha."
Speaking about their bond, Anita shared with the publication: "We have always been close and have been making each other laugh since we were children. Now we're still making each other laugh – and our readers too (hopefully!). I always look forward to reading the first draft of Stephen's books to see what drawing challenges there will be. I once told him that drawing horses is hard, so he put horses in The Fart that Changed the World, goats in The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge and The Great Reindeer Rescue is full of reindeer."
Stephen added: "Well, I am the big brother – that's what we do. I love working with Anita. It's a treat to see how she illustrates my characters, and she always makes me laugh."
Celebrity Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.
