Celebrity Gogglebox faces backlash from fans who claim show 'broke coronavirus social distancing rules'

Celebrity Gogglebox fans have expressed their outrage at the show after accusing stars of breaking social distancing rules.

Fans took to social media to slam the show after it aired, highlighting the celebrities who were mixing with those from different households and asking: “How is this OK?”

The episode is the first in a new series and featured couples such as Stacey and Joe Solomon, and Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, who live together.

But viewers specifically took issue with those who don’t, such as Ashley Roberts and Jamie Theakston, as well as Bez and Shaun Ryder.

Under the current coronavirus lockdown restrictions, people from different households are allowed to meet up outside in groups of six at a maximum, as long as they adhere to social distancing rules.

However, it’s still prohibited to meet other people from separate households indoors, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging ahead of this weekend that people do not gather in their homes during bad weather.

Last night Twitter was awash with fans expressing their frustration with the popular Channel 4 show, narrated by Craig Cash of regular Gogglebox UK, over what some said was a breach of the rules.

The Standard has approached Channel 4 for comment.

One person wrote on Twitter: “So if you appear on #celebrityGogglebox it appears you don’t have to follow the rules on isolation like the rest of us. No way do all of these live in the same house.”

Another added: “I’m sure half these people don’t live together? How are they filming without social distancing rules?”

The programme provoked confusion, as one viewer questioned: “Can I go round someone’s house then as long as I’m recording something?”

Another tweet read: “You might want to research the rules properly before proclaiming that people are obeying social distancing.

“People who don’t live together are not allowed in the same house. Being 2 metres apart is not a way of circumventing the rules.”

Another person fumed: “Is it adhering to social distancing when they’re in each other’s houses? I don’t get this”

Speaking to the Mail Online, a Celebrity Gogglebox spokesperson said: “All those involved in filming Celebrity Gogglebox are doing so safely following industry production guidelines.”

Meanwhile, one of the show’s celebrity participants, Gyles Brandreth, explained to a fan on Twitter how they are allegedly adhering to social distancing.

He said: “It’s work because it’s a TV show: we stay 2 metres apart & there’s no one else in the building.”

Last month the celebrity line-up for the new series was announced, with the brand new faces taking to their sofas including Love Island’s Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling, DJ Zoe Ball and her son Woody, Nick Grimshaw and his niece Liv, boxer Nicola Adams and her partner Ella Baig, and old-timers Denise van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall.

However, as the UK remains in lockdown, the celebs will be intermittently be watching show repeats, with Ms Van Outen commenting: “It would be nice to see some of the iconic soap episodes. Scott and Charlene’s wedding from Neighbours especially.”

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