W
hen Gogglebox Australia
first hit our screens in 2015,
the idea at first glance
seemed baffling, bordering
on preposterous. A TV show about people
watching TV – what on earth would be
the appeal of that?
But as the series heads towards its
10th season, the attraction is crystal clear.
As the cast dissects the week’s viewing,
it feels like a catch-up with great friends.
The Logie-winning series has given us the
opportunity to laugh with them, cry with
them, hear their stories, their views – and
even share their personal tragedies.
Three generations of Melbourne’s
Silbery household joined the show in
2016, when Emmie, 90, and Kerry, 65,
were signed up for season three by
Isabelle, 34, who was motivated by her
desire to see better representation of
women of all ages on television.
“It sounded like a bit of a hoot, so we
thought, ‘Why not give it a go?’” says Kerry.
Isabelle believes the appeal of the
show is obvious: “Everyone can see
themselves in someone in the cast.
What’s resonated with our audience is
that we are just everyday people saying
the same things that other people
say when they’re sitting in their lounge
room with their family or friends.”
In the space of three years, the lives
of the women have changed in many
ways, with fans telling them how loved
they are and that the trio reminds them
of their own relationships with their
mothers and grandmothers.
Kerry thinks part of Gogglebox’s success
is that it is so real and unfiltered in a world
full of “false images” of women on TV,
social media and in magazines.
“Nobody looks imperfect,” she observes.
“And we definitely are imperfect, especially
when we’re crying!”
Audiences have a soft spot in particular
for Emmie, who hates watching herself
on TV, but loves being approached by
people who tell her they’re big fans.
“In the beginning, I thought, ‘What
am I going to add to all this?’ because
I thought I was pretty dumb, but the
things I say seem to amuse people
and they get a laugh,” she explains.
There’s a serious aspect, too. Kerry
mentions an episode of Four Corners about
a Syrian refugee family starting a new life
in Germany, where the government gave
them housing, education and an allowance.
“It was very emotional,” she recalls.
“Mum looked at Isabelle and me and
said, ‘So Germany does all that for their
refugees and we lock ours up in
a concentration camp.’
10!
MUST WATCH
The Silbery ladies (from left):
Kerry, daughter Isabelle
and mother EmmieFoxtel AUGUST 15