Jay, the former Gogglebox star nicknamed 'Silent Jay', now lives in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 11 years after leaving the Channel 4 show in 2015. His private Instagram bio reads: "33 [peace sign emoji]. From Liverpool, living in Rotterdam." His X bio similarly states: "33 [peace sign emoji] [location emoji] Rotterdam [Netherlands flag]. Make every second devine [music notes emoji]. #Gogglebox series 2-5."
From Silent Jay to a New Look
Jay was part of the Liverpool-based Woerdenweber family, one of the original Gogglebox clans, alongside mum Viv, dad Ralf, daughter Eve, and Jay as Eve's boyfriend. He earned the nickname 'Silent Jay' because he rarely spoke on screen. In a 2015 interview, Jay explained that he did talk during filming but his words were edited out to maintain the running joke.
He said: "They just edit the bits where I talk out. I mean, whenever The X Factor comes on, I'm always very vocal, but those bits never make it onto the show because it's become a running joke that I never say anything."
Jay has since traded his longer locks from his TV days for a shorter hairstyle, according to recent reports.
Why Jay Left Gogglebox
Jay left Gogglebox in 2015 after splitting from his co-star and then-girlfriend Eve. Speaking to The Sun at the time, he said: "I'm gutted that Eve broke up with me. It came completely out of the blue. We had a few problems and started drifting apart, but I thought it was down to the pressure of the show and her business. We argued too much, and she said she couldn't cope with it."
The Woerdenweber Family's Exit
The Woerdenweber family remained on Gogglebox until 2020, after eight years on the show. Viv Woerdenweber told the ECHO in 2024 that the pandemic caused a break in filming. She said: "When the pandemic struck, they put cameras in people's houses, they started off down South because that's where they're based, and they never got to the North, so we had a break."
The family appreciated the break after years on the show, with Viv noting that filming occurs twice a week and involves long hours. Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.
