Gogglebox is one of Channel 4’s most popular shows. It revolves around watching people react to popular British TV programmes. The fact that these people are members of the public rather than celebrities adds to the show’s appeal. You are witnessing everyday, ordinary people express their genuine opinions, which are often very relatable and similar to your own.
This factor leads many viewers to question how they, too, can appear on the show. If you are a self-confessed opinionated armchair critic, then sitting on your sofa and chatting about your favourite TV programmes seems like a relatively easy and appealing way to rise to fame and make money. Who knows, you could be the next Scarlett Moffatt!
How do you apply?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that members of the public can currently apply to appear on Gogglebox. Recently, the Channel 4 team stated that there is not an application process for the show, explaining that they are not currently casting people. Therefore, there is no way to directly apply for Gogglebox.
How do producers cast people?
Instead, producers seem to take a different approach. Rather than asking potential cast members to apply for the show, Channel 4 travel up and down the country, visiting places such as pubs. This allows them to observe people within a natural setting – the perfect method to spot talent for a show which relies on openness, honesty and humble authenticity for its charm.
Now lockdown is lifting; producers are bound to be resuming their talent hunt, which was likely put on hold for the past year due to the pandemic. New cast members are hired for every series of Gogglebox, and filming is commencing for Series 18 of the show in September, so it is likely that they will be searching for talent this summer. So, get out there, and you never know!
Additionally, sometimes they approach people who have appeared on other TV shows previously. An example of this are Steph and Dom, who had already starred in the show Four In A Bed which is produced by the same group of people as Gogglebox. Therefore, it might be worth looking into other popular TV shows which are taking applicants, in the hopes that Gogglebox like what they see.
Is there an audition process?
There’s not much information available about whether there is an audition process for Gogglebox for those who are approached in the public setting. It’s possible that there may be a series of individual interviews or focus groups that they must participate in before it is confirmed that they will be appearing on our screens. It is also likely that they will have to go through screen tests, in order to confirm that they are suitable for the role. However, these are all assumptions and speculations, as Channel 4 have never revealed anything specific about the final stages of their selection process.
How much would you get paid?
If you’re lucky and you get scouted by the producers of the show, you will be paid a salary of £1500 per household. It is also claimed that the takeaways which you often see cast members eating whilst being filmed are also an added bonus which are provided for free by the producers of the show.
