Gogglebox star Mary Cook has died at the age of 92.
Mary and her close friend Marina Wingrove had been favourites among viewers of the hit Channel 4 show since they joined the cast in 2016.
News of Mary’s death was confirmed on Monday morning, with a representative for the show revealing she died in hospital over the weekend.
They also paid tribute to Mary’s “witty and often cheeky” sense of humour.
A statement posted on Gogglebox’s Twitter page read: “We are extremely saddened to share that Gogglebox star Mary Cook passed away in hospital this weekend at the age of 92 with her family by her side.
“Beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and dear friend to many, Mary, who worked in the hospitality trade, had been married and widowed twice.”
The statement continued: “Bristolians Mary and Marina met at St Monica Trust retirement village over 10 years ago and had been friends ever since.
“They joined Gogglebox in 2016 at the start of series eight and became instant fan favourites due to their witty and often cheeky comments.
“Mary will be sorely missed by the entire Gogglebox family, cast and crew.”
Revealing how she and Mary ended up being cast in Gogglebox, Marina told the St Monica Trust in 2017: “I went across to catch the bus down to Asda and this young girl comes up to me and says ‘do you ever watch Gogglebox?’ I said, ‘well I have done’ and she said ‘do you want to be on it?’ I thought, ‘I’m game for a laugh, like’.
“Then she said ‘have you got a friend?’ And like that, Mary came round the corner on her scooter.”
Of their time on Gogglebox, Mary added: “We’re just talking to each other and having a laugh, aren’t we? We do say some cheeky things, but they don’t always put them on the show.”
Mary and her close friend Marina Wingrove had been favourites among viewers of the hit Channel 4 show since they joined the cast in 2016.
News of Mary’s death was confirmed on Monday morning, with a representative for the show revealing she died in hospital over the weekend.
They also paid tribute to Mary’s “witty and often cheeky” sense of humour.
A statement posted on Gogglebox’s Twitter page read: “We are extremely saddened to share that Gogglebox star Mary Cook passed away in hospital this weekend at the age of 92 with her family by her side.
“Beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and dear friend to many, Mary, who worked in the hospitality trade, had been married and widowed twice.”
The statement continued: “Bristolians Mary and Marina met at St Monica Trust retirement village over 10 years ago and had been friends ever since.
“They joined Gogglebox in 2016 at the start of series eight and became instant fan favourites due to their witty and often cheeky comments.
“Mary will be sorely missed by the entire Gogglebox family, cast and crew.”
Revealing how she and Mary ended up being cast in Gogglebox, Marina told the St Monica Trust in 2017: “I went across to catch the bus down to Asda and this young girl comes up to me and says ‘do you ever watch Gogglebox?’ I said, ‘well I have done’ and she said ‘do you want to be on it?’ I thought, ‘I’m game for a laugh, like’.
“Then she said ‘have you got a friend?’ And like that, Mary came round the corner on her scooter.”
Of their time on Gogglebox, Mary added: “We’re just talking to each other and having a laugh, aren’t we? We do say some cheeky things, but they don’t always put them on the show.”