It was announced last week that Manchester’s favourite Gogglebox family would be missing a member in the latest series of the hit show.
Tom Jr, the youngest of the four Malones – who have been featuring on our screens on Friday nights for almost seven years – has decided to part ways with the Channel 4 production.
The professional dancer and TV watcher took to social media to announce that he would be moving on to chase new opportunities – and that his family would remain on the Gogglebox sofa moving forward as a three (plus Dave and co).
The Malones
So with his departure out in the open, we decided to have a chat with him on The Manc Podcast to find out what brought on the decision, what the future holds for him and just how much he could spill about the show now that he’s out of contract.
Speaking about how Gogglebox is set up and how they manage to get through so much TV in one sitting, Tom said: “I’m not even gonna miss that really [watching television] because a lot of time it will ruin the rest of the series.
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“Sometimes you’ll watch something before it comes out but you’ll only be watching key bits of it, not necessarily the whole thing – obviously we can’t sit watching hours and hours of TV every week. It’ll just be the relevant bits to that story line sorta’ thing.
The Manc Podcast
“We did Game of Thrones one time and it was the first episode of the second to last series and we watched it before everyone else and you know when you just wanna sit and watch the whole episode…
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“Normally we’d watch the majority of it but Game of Thrones only sent them [Gogglebox] a bit through because they’re super secretive.
“I was gutted. The rest of the filming session I was just sat there thinking about what else could have happened in game of thrones.”
On the podcast, Tom discusses how the show sets up in their homes every week and what goes into making what, on the surface, seems like a relatively easy show to produce.
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We also had a pretty hefty conversation about cakes – sparked by the Malone family’s love for a cake selection on the show – and why they weren’t allowed to eat any of them for years…
BBC to air long-lost Morecambe and Wise episode this month to celebrate star’s 100th birthday
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show is set to air on the BBC this month, after being ‘missing’ for decades.
In what is already gearing up to be a memorable moment, the episode – which was first broadcast on the BBC on 16 September 1968, and was thought to have been lost forever before being recovered – will be shown on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer in a couple of weeks time to coincide with when Eric Morecambe would have turned 100 years old.
The episode was discovered by Film Is Fabulous! – which is a charitable trust run by film collectors and television enthusiasts.
It was found in the estate of a former television industry professional, before being returned to the BBC.
Audiences tuning in to the episode can expect to see sketches written by Sid Green and Dick Hills – with Ann Hamilton appearing as Pauline in a sketch set in a nudist colony, while Jenny Lee-Wright plays Eric’s niece, a balloon dancer.
📢 ‘Missing’ episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show is coming to the BBC!
A long-lost episode first broadcast in 1968 will be shown on BBC Four and @BBCiPlayer on Thursday 14 May, to coincide with when Eric Morecambe would have turned 100
It also includes a musical performance from The Paper Dolls, who enjoyed hits in the 1960s.
This ‘lost’ programme is the third episode from Morecambe and Wise’s first series after returning to the BBC, following a period working with commercial television.
Eric Morecambe’s daughter, Gail, has described the recovery of the episode as ‘a lovely surprise’, adding: “I’m really looking forward to seeing it on a screen once again after so many years.”
Gary Morecambe, Eric’s son, added: “I honestly didn’t think there was anything out there left to find, and when something like this comes out of nowhere, it’s really quite wonderful. Hats off to Professor Justin Smith and his team, whose dedication and hard work brought this gem back to us. I’m very excited about seeing it for the first time since I was 12.”
Noreen Adams, who is the Director of BBC Archives, concluded: “We’re delighted to share this comedy gold that we thought was lost forever with viewers across the UK.”
This long-lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show will be broadcast on BBC Four at 8pm on on Thursday 14 May, and available to watch whenever you like on BBC iPlayer from then.
Featured Image – BBC | Film is Fabulous!
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Channel 4 is looking for Mancs to play world’s biggest game of hide and seek
Emily Sergeant
‘Cunning’ Mancs are wanted to take part in the world’s biggest game of hide and seek, as a popular reality competition show returns.
The Hunt: Prey vs Predator is coming back to Channel 4, and producers have now put out a nationwide casting call for contestants to take part.
People from Greater Manchester are being urged to put an application in.
Described as being an ‘exciting’ reality series, The Hunt: Prey vs Predator is a psychological competitive adventure show where players are tasked with tracking down and hunting their rivals in the ultimate game of cat and mouse in the wild.
Channel 4 is looking for Mancs to play world’s biggest game of hide and seek / Credit: Channel 4
Produced by CPL Productions Ltd – the BAFTA award-winning production company behind Married At First Sight UK and Love is Blind UK – the show’s creators are now calling on ‘cunning’ people with the charm and skill to compete to get in touch and apply for the upcoming series.
A casting call on the Channel 4 website simply reads: “Do you want to play the world’s biggest, most exciting game of hide and seek?
“If you have the cunning, charm, and skill to compete, we want to hear from you.”
Think you’ve got what it takes? Applications for the next series of The Hunt: Prey vs Predator are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed.
The Manc -
8th March 2021 
