Channel 4 has just confirmed that Gogglebox star Andrew Michael has died at the age of 61 following a “short illness”.
Fan-favourites the Michael family from Brighton first appeared on the show back in 2013, and Andy was well known for appearing on the sofa alongside his wife Carolyne and children Alex and Louis.
A statement by Channel 4 and producers Studio Lambert released on Twitter this afternoon said he died after a short illness last weekend with his family by his side.
The statement read: “Retired hotelier Andy, who brought much wit and insight to Gogglebox, was one of the show’s original cast members, appearing in the very first episode in 2013.
“Beloved father to Katy, Alex, Pascal and Louis, and cherished husband of Carolyne, Andy was a much-loved and respected member of the Gogglebox family.
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“He will be very sadly missed.”
We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Gogglebox star Andy Michael at the age of 61 following a short illness.
Our thoughts are with his family at this time. Andy will be truly missed by the entire Gogglebox family, cast and crew. pic.twitter.com/9swH4JA0RN
The statement continued: “Our love and thoughts are with Carolyne and the entire family. The family have asked for privacy at this very sad time.”
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Andy Michael was the son of immigrant parents who came to the UK from Cyprus in 1951.
The family disappeared from the Channel 4 series in 2015 while Andy stood as the UKIP candidate for Hastings and Rye at the general election – but they returned to screens when he was defeated.
Tributes, messages of condolence, and an outpouring of support for the Michael family has begun on social media.
Featured Image – Channel 4
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Professional cricketer wins University Campus of Football Business grand prize at Old Trafford
Danny Jones
British cricketer, Marie Kelly, has won the prestigious University Campus of Football Business (UCFB) Sports Entrepreneur Competition for 2025.
Winning the whopping grand prize of up to £50,000, the Blaze – Nottinghamshire women’s team, formerly known as ‘Lightning’ – and Northern Superchargers star took home the potentially game-changing investment for her own apparel company, Versatail.
Being given the substantial grant late last month, the professional cricket player was presented as the lucky recipient following an intense deliberation process.
Expert judges chose the Birmingham-born young businesswoman from a shortlist of nine finalists selected from countless submissions.
At 29, Kelly fell just within the eligible 18-30 age bracket for the new UFCB Sports Entrepreneur Competition, with 2025 marking a decade of the further education institution here in Manchester.
Held at Man United’s home stadium, Old Trafford, it’s safe to say that the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ felt like a fitting venue to deliver news.
The judging panel was comprised of UCFB Founder, Brendan Flood; Andrea Chilton, CEO of the English Schools Football Association; Eni Shabani, Founder of Rising Ballers; Adrian Harris, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Castore, as well as the CEO of Altrincham FC, Sam Mackenzie.
As the founder of Versatail UK, which specialises in women’s and active headwear, including lifestyle caps and bobble hats, Kelly has taken her sporting background to create products that cater specifically to long hair and female-centric styling.
For instance, her label has helped oversee the design ‘Magni-Strip®’ trademarked technology, which allows people to adjust their ponytail heights.
Learn more about the inspiration behind the project here:
Votes were based on five criteria: market opportunity, innovation of the idea, feasibility, the pitch quality, and sustainability/impact of the idea.
Other runners-up included a non-league football app called Touchline, and even an anti-bacterial boxing glove liner conceived by a brand specialist at Amazon.
Speaking on the momentous milestone for her still relatively small start-up, Kelly said: “My main emotion is shock. I really didn’t think I would win – I was here for the experience.
The process really helped me strategise the business and really think about where I wanted to go with it. To be named the overall winner, I’m really delighted.”
“The financial prize takes a bit of the weight off my mind about how to supply the demand that I’ve already got for my products and my caps. Hopefully, I can just really develop the product so it’s even better and service even more women and girls in sports.”
As for UCFB, aforementioned CEO Flood went on to add: “As we celebrate 10 years in Manchester, we want to celebrate not just our own journey but empower the young entrepreneurs who will shape the future of sport.
“This competition reflected everything UCFB stands for: ambition, innovation, and the belief that the sports industry is powered by creative ideas. The calibre of the entries was incredible, so everyone who made the final judging stage deserves immense credit, but Marie was the unanimous choice overall.
“She has done an incredible job establishing her brand, and we hope that this financial reward can help Versatail continue to cater for the diverse needs of women and girls in sport at an even greater scale.
You can see the full video from the most recent event down below.
If you’re looking to make moves in this space, keep your eye out for when entries open for the UCFB Entrepreneur prize in 2026.
Police appeal after Rochdale woman, 75, was burgled by man in clown outfit on Halloween
Emily Sergeant
An appeal for information has been made following reports of a burglary in Rochdale last week on Halloween.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that at around 7:10pm on Halloween (Friday 31 October), a woman on Birch Road in Rochdale answered the door to a man – who is believed to have been dressed in a clown outfit – and he proceeded to ask for a drink before following the woman into her address and stealing several items, then running away.
He took a red purse with the woman’s mother’s wedding ring inside of it – which is said to be of ‘extremely’ sentimental value.
Police say the man may have discarded the ring once he left the victim’s address, but he did use one of her stolen cards at a shop later that evening.
Birch Road in Rochdale, where the shocking incident happened / Credit: Google Maps
Thankfully, the woman – aged 75 – was left unhurt, but she has been left shocked and upset by the incident.
“This was a shocking incident, which has left a woman feeling unsafe in her own home,” commented Detective Sergeant Ruth Thompson, from GMP’s Rochdale district.
“She has spent many years helping the homeless and working for local charities, so it is particularly grim that someone would exploit her goodwill.”
#APPEAL | Officers are appealing for information following reports of a burglary in Rochdale on Friday (31 October).
At around 7.10pm that evening on Birch Road, a 75-year-old woman answered the door to a man, who then entered her home.
Investigating officers have now released an image of a man they would like to speak to, alongside the wider public appeal for information, as it’s believed it could help with their enquiries.
DS Thompson added: “While I appreciate the image quality isn’t the greatest, I hope that someone may recognise the costume and it jogs their memory.”
The Manc -
27th August 2021 
