Sophie Sandiford's life behind the Gogglebox sofa - from boyfriend to 'secret' brother and sister

Sophie Sandiford and her brother Pete have become a mainstay of many a Friday night in.

The Blackpool siblings keep TV-lovers up and down the UK with their hilarious quips and sharp wit. It has seen them become two of the Channel 4 show's most beloved cast members.

For many, the pair will almost seem like an extension of their own family. But away from our screens, however, there are some things about Sophie many fans may not know.

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Sophie lost her job at Debenhams, where she worked as a window dresser, after the high street store went into administration. In an episode of Gogglebox that aired at that time, Sophie break down as Boris Johnson announced the second coronavirus lockdown.

Sophie began to cry, saying the situation was "s*** for everyone", and expressed concern over people's jobs.

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Viewers sent her lots of messages of support, and later that evening Sophie issued a social media post that read: "Thank you so much for all the lovely messages tonight... it's a tough time for everyone but we've all just got to hang in there sending love to everyone, better days are coming."

In March 2021, things seemed to be going in a positive direction as Sophie announced her new career venture. The 28-year-old told her brother then that she was learning to become a florist.

She runs her own business, Petali Floristry, in the Blackpool area.

In April 2022, Sophie began to share snaps of herself with a new boyfriend. Since then, the Gogglebox star has gushed over her other half, Ben McKeown, on the show.

One episode of the Channel 4 programme saw Pete have a cheeky dig at Ben. Recalling his first encounter with Sophie's new man, he blasted him for lying about his height.

He joked: "I don't think he's six foot. He doesn't look six foot. Lies, already built on lies, oh dear."

Sophie took it well, and the two often joke at each other's expense. With such a close relationship, you'd be forgiven for thinking they're each other's only siblings, but you'd be wrong.

They have another brother and sister, Lucy and Harry. In fact, the four appeared on TV way before the Sandifords joined Gogglebox, along with mum and dad Julie and Paul, and Elvis the dog.

TalkTalk launched its 'This Stuff Matters' campaign after spending months interviewing families up and down the country. They finally set their sights on the Sandifords from Blackpool.

Mum Julie, Dad Paul, and kids Sophie and Pete - along with their brother and sister Lucy and Harry - and Elvis the dog all took part. They were filmed non stop for two weeks with 17 unmanned cameras to find the perfect "ordinary, everyday moments".

It was after the adverts launched that the Gogglebox producers got in touch. And the rest is TV history.

While Lucy and Harry prefer to stay out of the limelight, Sophie occasionally posts photos with her sisters and brothers on her Instagram. One snap, posted on National Siblings Day, was captioned "The fam".