Rylan Clark has admitted that he and his mother, Linda, often plead with editors of Celebrity Gogglebox to cut “career-ending” comments from their appearances. The television presenter, 36, first found fame on The X Factor in 2012 and has since become a staple of British television. He and his mother, 72, have featured on the Channel 4 show since 2019, offering viewers light-hearted banter and candid reactions from the comfort of their living room.
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Speaking on This Morning, the pair discussed the behind-the-scenes process of filming for the series. Linda said: “When he mucks about, I go, ‘Please don’t put that bit in.’” Rylan added: “We’re lucky the editors clearly like us, because the stuff they’ve had to cut out is career-ending. We’re like, ‘Yeah, can we not use that, please.’” Linda jokingly chimed in: “[I say] ‘Don’t you dare say what I just said.’”
Audiences have particularly enjoyed Linda’s unfiltered reactions to more risqué content, while Rylan looks on in embarrassment. One memorable moment came in 2020, during a viewing of the 1992 film Basic Instinct, when Linda misheard a crude line as “gum stains”, prompting uncontrollable laughter from Rylan. Their authentic dynamic has become a key reason for their popularity on the show.
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Despite occasional criticism online, Rylan has defended his playful teasing of his mum. In response to trolls in 2020, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “For anyone saying I’m horrible to mum, please get a sense of humour… she’s good.” The duo will return for the seventh series of Celebrity Gogglebox, alongside Danny Dyer and his daughter Dani, Martin and Roman Kemp, James Buckley and his wife Clair, and Shaun Ryder with Bez.
