The B&B owners faced a fiery clash as tensions mounted on payment day and one guest commented on another’s appearance.
16:32, 22 Aug 2026Updated 16:32, 22 Aug 2026
A guest on Four in a Bed made a shocking comment about ‘fat people’ (Image: Channel 4)
Guests on Four in a Bed faced a fiery clash after comments were made about one contestant’s appearance.
The Channel 4 programme returned with a series of repeat episodes on Saturday, August 22, which saw tensions rise between Lancashire couple, Stu and Ali, and their competitors.
On payment day, The Dog Inn owners discovered they’d been underpaid by a total of £27.90, after hearing feedback about dirty dishcloths and a lack of a hairdryer.
“It didn’t surprise us, but still, it is upsetting when you get underpaid,” Stu admitted at one point, while their competitors maintained that the standards of cleanliness they discovered were “unacceptable”.
Things took a turn for the worse however when Stu and Ali faced their turn to deliver feedback, reports Lancs Live. Earlier in the week of filming, they’d stayed at Julie and Sarah’s property in the Lake District, Ullswater View.
And while other guests were impressed, Stu and Ali weren’t too happy. In the property, they discovered a bath robe didn’t fit Stu, as he quipped at the time: “One size does not fit all.”
And they had another complaint over the bedding, claiming the single beds put together to form a double were “useless”. “It’s just wrong, isn’t it?” Stu said, as Ali claimed “it took away the romance and intimacy”.
Reading their complaints, Julie and Sarah had fumed: “Stu and Ali’s comments were really stupid, and a bit of an insult.”
They then clashed with the Lancashire couple over the dressing gown situation, as Stu explained: “It’s super nice that you provide that for people, but it is just large, XL, so if you do get fat people like me coming in, you don’t provide for them. So I had to put both of them on to cover myself. So if your guests are of a larger size, maybe you say, would you like me to replace the dressing gown?”
Julie at first replied: “To be fair, we don’t get a lot of big people because it is very outdoorsy,” before Stu said: “Big people can walk outdoors.”
“Well they don’t tend to walk up fells,” Julie hit back, leaving Ali and Stu speechless. She went on: “I think you’re then pointing it out, and if somebody is sensitive to the fact that they’re big, I think they might be offended.”
Ali said: “You just said fat people can’t go up hills.” As Julie claimed the dressing gowns are one size, Stu said: “But everybody isn’t are they? Enough said.”
“It could have got quite heated,” Julie later admitted, while Ali told cameras: “To say that normally people of a larger size don’t come here because there’s walking…” Stu added: “Bit rude, wasn’t it?”
The show’s co-creator says it turned out to be one of his ‘great joys’ in life
Trodd Frankensteip was the name of a local reporter on Parks and Recreation(Image: NBC)
The beloved show’s creator shared there are two main reasons behind the decisions.
Fans of Parks and Recreation are still discovering some behind the scenes secrets. This includes the reason behind some of the names used for both key characters on the show, as well as some who only appear briefly in an episode.
For those unaware, the series follows the parks department in the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee. They are lead by the overly enthusiastic Leslie Knope, who rallies her colleagues and friends to do the best for their community, including their attempts at creating a new park.
Co-created by former writers of The Office, Mikes Schur and Dan Goor it is described by some fans as one of the best comedy series ever made. Despite it being more than 10 years since it finished airing, its dedicated fan base are still learning secrets of the show.
Schur appeared on Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang where he revealed some of his own. At one point during their conversation, Amy notes that Schur enjoyed coming up with character and names. He even had a long list of alternate choices for her role of Leslie Knope.
Asked why he put so much thought into names of every character, he explained it was for two reasons. One was that he was heavily inspired by Monthy Python, who would often utilise silly names in their sketches.
He decided that the fictional town of Pawnee would also be a place that contains almost limitless people who happen to have ridiculous sounding names.
However, he also explained another meaningful reason. He said: “The actual thing that’s going on here is different. I would go to actors’ IMDb pages to see what they had been in when we were casting them in the early days of the show and you would see like woman number two or like man in crowd or guy with sandwich and it really bummed me out.
“Because I love actors. I love them so much. I think that they have the hardest job when it comes to making a show. It is so hard. Anyone who doesn’t believe this should try it, by the way. Try acting.”
Schur continued: “That person auditioned for this and booked this gig and drove all the way cross town and like put on fake clothes and put on makeup and whatever and had to stand in a certain place, follow a million instructions, say a line or two, and then they yelled cut and that person went home and they got paid like $600 for like a week’s worth of work.
“They should be something better than man number two or man and crowd. So I decided early in season one of Parks that every character who appeared on the show was going to have a first and last name. So instead of man in crowd, you’re like, ‘Oh, well that it doesn’t really count as an acting gig’. But if you see Marv Vavma, which is a name I gave a character once, you’re like, who the hell is Marv Vavma? What was Marvma up to?'”
The writer described the decision as one of ‘great joys’ in his life to give every actor a character name. He added that there is also a legal issue, with names used on the show needing to be cleared in case they used the name of a real person. As a result he would opt for the ‘weirdest names’ as there would be a chance that no one else has that name.
Some of Schur’s favourite names they created for the show include Mona-Lisa Saperstein, who was played by Jenny Slate and Trodd Frankensteip who was a reporter who only appeared briefly.
There was also a Tyrion Fonzarelli, which was a combination of Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones and Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli from Happy Days. Coincidentally, Henry Winkler, who played Fonzie, also starred in Parks as Dr. Lu Saperstein.
One fan discovering for the first time commented: “I never knew about this and I love it!” Another added: “These names are just incredible.”
Parks and Recreation is streaming on Paramount+, Channel 4 and U.
All episodes of the beloved series have found a new streaming home for your next binge watch
The show is dubbed one of the best sitcoms ever(Image: NBC)
Many fans say the series now with a new streaming home is one of their all time favourites.
The show has been labelled as ‘best comedy of the century‘ with many viewers rewatching it constantly. It’s now easier than ever for potentially new audiences to discover it for themselves.
That is because all episodes of Parks and Recreation were just added to a new platform. At the time of writing, it is now available via Paramount+ as of today (August 20).
Users can sign up to the service directly through its own platform and app. Alternatively, those worried about the cost of yet another streaming service can also find the series on Channel 4 or U, at no extra cost.
The advantage of watching on Paramount+ is that viewers can sign up to watch without adverts interrupting their latest binge watch. For those unaware, Parks and Recreation follows the titular department in the local government based in the fictional town of Pawnee, based in Indiana.
There, we find Leslie Knope, the second-in-command of the department. Her life revolves around her work as well as her friends and colleagues. In the early seasons, she does everything she can to help concerned citizen and nurse Ann Perkins turn an abandoned construction site into a new park.
She is somewhat assisted by less enthusiastic colleagues including her boss Ron Swanson and intern April Ludgate. As the show progresses, viewers will see them come across plenty of red tape and other hurdles as they seek to improve their community.
Its impressive cast include Saturday Night Live alum Amy Poehler, now Marvel star Chris Pratt along with the likes of Severance actor Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Nick Offerman and more.
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Telly fans can get seven days of free access to Paramount+ shows like Tulsa King and Dexter: Original Sin by signing up for a free trial via Amazon Prime’s Paramount+ channel.
The show was co-created by Mike Schur and Dan Goor in what was originally seen as a spin-off of The Office US. It eventually developed into a standalone series in its own right.
Schur went on to create other beloved sitcoms after Parks including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place and A Man on the Inside for Netflix. However his work on Parks is still praised to this day.
Many fans suggest that it even surpassed The Office. One fan shared their thoughts online, as they posted to Reddit: “Parks and Recreation is better than The Office The first season was rough, but the rest of the show managed to be hilarious and heartwarming – an extremely difficult combo.”
They continued: “I’ve never seen a show with such distinctly interesting characters that was genuinely laugh out loud funny without having to be cringy, and for that, Parks and Rec wins it all in my book.”
Someone else added: “Hilarious, endlessly rewatchable Parks and Recreation is my favourite show of all time.”
While one person claimed: “Absolutely incredible series. In fact it’s probably the best thing to come out of American television ever and that’s the honest truth. It’s so impressive how consistently funny it is after season 2. Could honestly start re-watching it again and again and be content.”
One person went so far as to label it the “best comedy of this century”. As they went on: “This show has everything you would expect in a comedy series. When binge-watching this show I laughed, I cried, I became emotionally attached to characters, I said ‘aw’, I said ‘wow’, I was sad when characters left, I was happy when new characters were added and so on and so forth.
“The writing is fantastic because the various story lines and running gags are completely engrossing and make me laugh every time. The acting is superb because the dialog flows very well and seems very natural, while the improve scenes are absolutely hilarious. I have never laughed out loud so much when watching a show by myself.”
Parks and Recreation is streaming on Paramount+, Channel 4 and U.
Gogglebox fans have been given an exciting update as Channel 4 confirms when the hit show will return to screens
The Channel 4 hit show is set to return next month(Image: Channel 4)
Gogglebox fans can finally start counting down, with Channel 4 confirming when the much-loved show will return to screens.
The BAFTA-winning series is set to make its comeback on Friday, September 4 at 9pm, bringing another round of sofa-based reactions, hilarious one-liners and brutally honest opinions.
Now heading into its 28th season, Gogglebox has become a Friday night favourite, with viewers tuning in to see families and friends across the country watch some of the biggest moments on television.
From major dramas and reality TV to documentaries, talent shows and the week’s biggest talking points, the programme gives viewers the chance to see how other households react to the same shows they have been watching at home.
The return follows a series of changes to the cast last season, when five new households were introduced.
Among the newcomers were Glasgow pair Jake and Calum, the Gordon family from Surrey, Cotswolds couple Andrew and Alfie, Yorkshire duo Sara and Lara, and Edinburgh pair Rosie and Susie.
Channel 4 has yet to reveal whether another batch of new faces will be joining the Gogglebox family for the upcoming series.
Fans will also be hoping to see some of the programme’s most familiar faces back on their sofas.
Jenny and Lee, Pete and Sophie, Ellie and Izzi and the Malone family are all among the show’s best-known households and have become firm favourites with viewers over the years.
The new series also arrives as Gogglebox celebrates another accolade, having been shortlisted for a National Television Award.
The programme is nominated in the Factual Entertainment category alongside 24 Hours in Police Custody, Secret Garden, Sort Your Life Out and The Martin Lewis Money Show Live.
It is not the first time the Channel 4 favourite has picked up an NTA.
Back in 2023, Gogglebox took home the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award after beating some huge names, including Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and The Masked Singer.
True to form, Lee and Jenny couldn’t resist adding their own humour to the occasion.
As he accepted the award, Lee joked: “To beat two people down here is unreal. We must be a better duo!” He then admitted the pair had been convinced they had no chance of winning and had not even prepared a speech.
With the new series now just weeks away, fans won’t have too much longer to wait before the familiar sofas are filled once again — and the country’s favourite TV critics are ready to have their say.
Gogglebox returns on Friday 4 September at 9pm on Channel 4.
Lisa Hayden-Johnson was jailed after fabricating her son Matthew’s illnesses
23:00, 19 Aug 2026Updated 23:00, 19 Aug 2026
Lisa Hayden-Johnson is defending herself years after being jailed for cruelty in a new Channel 4 series(Image: Channel 4)
Lisa Hayden-Johnson has defended her actions in a new Channel 4 documentary.
The Devon woman has spoken out for the first time since being released from prison. She was jailed in 2010 for three years and three months after admitting cruelty and perverting the course of justice.
Matthew’s supposed health battle attracted widespread media attention. The youngster went on to appear on various TV shows and was famously introduced to the Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla.
The young boy, now aged 25, was also subjected to medical interventions before doctors grew suspicious about his alleged health problems. Now, both mother and son are telling their sides of the story in new Channel 4 three-part series, Love You to Death.
A synopsis for the show states: “Young Matthew’s health problems worry medics and his mum Lisa. But when doctors’ efforts to improve Matthew’s condition don’t work, suspicions are raised and the police are called in to investigate.”
In the first episode, which aired on Wednesday (August 19), Lisa refutes the infamous ‘most evil mum’ title she earned as a result of the story.
She says: “I’ve never had the opportunity to [tell her story]. The newspaper articles are so incorrect. How can I be ‘Britain’s Most Evil Mother?'”
She goes on to add: “The only thing I was guilty of was putting my son first and fighting his battle, which is what I did. And I don’t regret that.”
Matthew, who will feature in the second episode of the series, spoke to the BBC about how it felt to hear his mother’s perspective.
He said: “It was a lot of disappointment but I think also frustration as almost two decades on, there is still a lack of accountability from her side.
“When I could see, even after two decades… she still holds the same story and believes that she did the best by me… that obviously isn’t right.” Matthew’s older sister, Laura, also speaks out in the documentary.
Love You To Death Episode 1 is streaming now on Channel 4
Four in a Bed star speechless over guest’s ‘rude’ comment about size
The B&B owners faced a fiery clash as tensions mounted on payment day and one guest commented on another’s appearance.
16:32, 22 Aug 2026Updated 16:32, 22 Aug 2026
A guest on Four in a Bed made a shocking comment about ‘fat people’ (Image: Channel 4)
Guests on Four in a Bed faced a fiery clash after comments were made about one contestant’s appearance.
The Channel 4 programme returned with a series of repeat episodes on Saturday, August 22, which saw tensions rise between Lancashire couple, Stu and Ali, and their competitors.
On payment day, The Dog Inn owners discovered they’d been underpaid by a total of £27.90, after hearing feedback about dirty dishcloths and a lack of a hairdryer.
“It didn’t surprise us, but still, it is upsetting when you get underpaid,” Stu admitted at one point, while their competitors maintained that the standards of cleanliness they discovered were “unacceptable”.
Things took a turn for the worse however when Stu and Ali faced their turn to deliver feedback, reports Lancs Live. Earlier in the week of filming, they’d stayed at Julie and Sarah’s property in the Lake District, Ullswater View.
And while other guests were impressed, Stu and Ali weren’t too happy. In the property, they discovered a bath robe didn’t fit Stu, as he quipped at the time: “One size does not fit all.”
And they had another complaint over the bedding, claiming the single beds put together to form a double were “useless”. “It’s just wrong, isn’t it?” Stu said, as Ali claimed “it took away the romance and intimacy”.
Reading their complaints, Julie and Sarah had fumed: “Stu and Ali’s comments were really stupid, and a bit of an insult.”
They then clashed with the Lancashire couple over the dressing gown situation, as Stu explained: “It’s super nice that you provide that for people, but it is just large, XL, so if you do get fat people like me coming in, you don’t provide for them. So I had to put both of them on to cover myself. So if your guests are of a larger size, maybe you say, would you like me to replace the dressing gown?”
Julie at first replied: “To be fair, we don’t get a lot of big people because it is very outdoorsy,” before Stu said: “Big people can walk outdoors.”
“Well they don’t tend to walk up fells,” Julie hit back, leaving Ali and Stu speechless. She went on: “I think you’re then pointing it out, and if somebody is sensitive to the fact that they’re big, I think they might be offended.”
Ali said: “You just said fat people can’t go up hills.” As Julie claimed the dressing gowns are one size, Stu said: “But everybody isn’t are they? Enough said.”
“It could have got quite heated,” Julie later admitted, while Ali told cameras: “To say that normally people of a larger size don’t come here because there’s walking…” Stu added: “Bit rude, wasn’t it?”
Four in a Bed is available to watch on Channel 4.
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Parks and Recreation fans only just learning real reason behind odd character names
The show’s co-creator says it turned out to be one of his ‘great joys’ in life
Trodd Frankensteip was the name of a local reporter on Parks and Recreation(Image: NBC)
The beloved show’s creator shared there are two main reasons behind the decisions.
Fans of Parks and Recreation are still discovering some behind the scenes secrets. This includes the reason behind some of the names used for both key characters on the show, as well as some who only appear briefly in an episode.
For those unaware, the series follows the parks department in the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee. They are lead by the overly enthusiastic Leslie Knope, who rallies her colleagues and friends to do the best for their community, including their attempts at creating a new park.
Co-created by former writers of The Office, Mikes Schur and Dan Goor it is described by some fans as one of the best comedy series ever made. Despite it being more than 10 years since it finished airing, its dedicated fan base are still learning secrets of the show.
Schur appeared on Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang where he revealed some of his own. At one point during their conversation, Amy notes that Schur enjoyed coming up with character and names. He even had a long list of alternate choices for her role of Leslie Knope.
Asked why he put so much thought into names of every character, he explained it was for two reasons. One was that he was heavily inspired by Monthy Python, who would often utilise silly names in their sketches.
He decided that the fictional town of Pawnee would also be a place that contains almost limitless people who happen to have ridiculous sounding names.
However, he also explained another meaningful reason. He said: “The actual thing that’s going on here is different. I would go to actors’ IMDb pages to see what they had been in when we were casting them in the early days of the show and you would see like woman number two or like man in crowd or guy with sandwich and it really bummed me out.
“Because I love actors. I love them so much. I think that they have the hardest job when it comes to making a show. It is so hard. Anyone who doesn’t believe this should try it, by the way. Try acting.”
Schur continued: “That person auditioned for this and booked this gig and drove all the way cross town and like put on fake clothes and put on makeup and whatever and had to stand in a certain place, follow a million instructions, say a line or two, and then they yelled cut and that person went home and they got paid like $600 for like a week’s worth of work.
“They should be something better than man number two or man and crowd. So I decided early in season one of Parks that every character who appeared on the show was going to have a first and last name. So instead of man in crowd, you’re like, ‘Oh, well that it doesn’t really count as an acting gig’. But if you see Marv Vavma, which is a name I gave a character once, you’re like, who the hell is Marv Vavma? What was Marvma up to?'”
The writer described the decision as one of ‘great joys’ in his life to give every actor a character name. He added that there is also a legal issue, with names used on the show needing to be cleared in case they used the name of a real person. As a result he would opt for the ‘weirdest names’ as there would be a chance that no one else has that name.
Some of Schur’s favourite names they created for the show include Mona-Lisa Saperstein, who was played by Jenny Slate and Trodd Frankensteip who was a reporter who only appeared briefly.
There was also a Tyrion Fonzarelli, which was a combination of Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones and Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli from Happy Days. Coincidentally, Henry Winkler, who played Fonzie, also starred in Parks as Dr. Lu Saperstein.
One fan discovering for the first time commented: “I never knew about this and I love it!” Another added: “These names are just incredible.”
Parks and Recreation is streaming on Paramount+, Channel 4 and U.
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‘Best comedy of the century’ fans constantly rewatch is better than The Office
All episodes of the beloved series have found a new streaming home for your next binge watch
The show is dubbed one of the best sitcoms ever(Image: NBC)
Many fans say the series now with a new streaming home is one of their all time favourites.
The show has been labelled as ‘best comedy of the century‘ with many viewers rewatching it constantly. It’s now easier than ever for potentially new audiences to discover it for themselves.
That is because all episodes of Parks and Recreation were just added to a new platform. At the time of writing, it is now available via Paramount+ as of today (August 20).
Users can sign up to the service directly through its own platform and app. Alternatively, those worried about the cost of yet another streaming service can also find the series on Channel 4 or U, at no extra cost.
The advantage of watching on Paramount+ is that viewers can sign up to watch without adverts interrupting their latest binge watch. For those unaware, Parks and Recreation follows the titular department in the local government based in the fictional town of Pawnee, based in Indiana.
There, we find Leslie Knope, the second-in-command of the department. Her life revolves around her work as well as her friends and colleagues. In the early seasons, she does everything she can to help concerned citizen and nurse Ann Perkins turn an abandoned construction site into a new park.
She is somewhat assisted by less enthusiastic colleagues including her boss Ron Swanson and intern April Ludgate. As the show progresses, viewers will see them come across plenty of red tape and other hurdles as they seek to improve their community.
Its impressive cast include Saturday Night Live alum Amy Poehler, now Marvel star Chris Pratt along with the likes of Severance actor Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Nick Offerman and more.
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Telly fans can get seven days of free access to Paramount+ shows like Tulsa King and Dexter: Original Sin by signing up for a free trial via Amazon Prime’s Paramount+ channel.
The show was co-created by Mike Schur and Dan Goor in what was originally seen as a spin-off of The Office US. It eventually developed into a standalone series in its own right.
Schur went on to create other beloved sitcoms after Parks including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place and A Man on the Inside for Netflix. However his work on Parks is still praised to this day.
Many fans suggest that it even surpassed The Office. One fan shared their thoughts online, as they posted to Reddit: “Parks and Recreation is better than The Office The first season was rough, but the rest of the show managed to be hilarious and heartwarming – an extremely difficult combo.”
They continued: “I’ve never seen a show with such distinctly interesting characters that was genuinely laugh out loud funny without having to be cringy, and for that, Parks and Rec wins it all in my book.”
Someone else added: “Hilarious, endlessly rewatchable Parks and Recreation is my favourite show of all time.”
While one person claimed: “Absolutely incredible series. In fact it’s probably the best thing to come out of American television ever and that’s the honest truth. It’s so impressive how consistently funny it is after season 2. Could honestly start re-watching it again and again and be content.”
One person went so far as to label it the “best comedy of this century”. As they went on: “This show has everything you would expect in a comedy series. When binge-watching this show I laughed, I cried, I became emotionally attached to characters, I said ‘aw’, I said ‘wow’, I was sad when characters left, I was happy when new characters were added and so on and so forth.
“The writing is fantastic because the various story lines and running gags are completely engrossing and make me laugh every time. The acting is superb because the dialog flows very well and seems very natural, while the improve scenes are absolutely hilarious. I have never laughed out loud so much when watching a show by myself.”
Parks and Recreation is streaming on Paramount+, Channel 4 and U.
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Gogglebox return date confirmed and Channel 4 fans will be thrilled
Gogglebox fans have been given an exciting update as Channel 4 confirms when the hit show will return to screens
The Channel 4 hit show is set to return next month(Image: Channel 4)
Gogglebox fans can finally start counting down, with Channel 4 confirming when the much-loved show will return to screens.
The BAFTA-winning series is set to make its comeback on Friday, September 4 at 9pm, bringing another round of sofa-based reactions, hilarious one-liners and brutally honest opinions.
Now heading into its 28th season, Gogglebox has become a Friday night favourite, with viewers tuning in to see families and friends across the country watch some of the biggest moments on television.
From major dramas and reality TV to documentaries, talent shows and the week’s biggest talking points, the programme gives viewers the chance to see how other households react to the same shows they have been watching at home.
The return follows a series of changes to the cast last season, when five new households were introduced.
Among the newcomers were Glasgow pair Jake and Calum, the Gordon family from Surrey, Cotswolds couple Andrew and Alfie, Yorkshire duo Sara and Lara, and Edinburgh pair Rosie and Susie.
Channel 4 has yet to reveal whether another batch of new faces will be joining the Gogglebox family for the upcoming series.
Fans will also be hoping to see some of the programme’s most familiar faces back on their sofas.
Jenny and Lee, Pete and Sophie, Ellie and Izzi and the Malone family are all among the show’s best-known households and have become firm favourites with viewers over the years.
The new series also arrives as Gogglebox celebrates another accolade, having been shortlisted for a National Television Award.
The programme is nominated in the Factual Entertainment category alongside 24 Hours in Police Custody, Secret Garden, Sort Your Life Out and The Martin Lewis Money Show Live.
It is not the first time the Channel 4 favourite has picked up an NTA.
Back in 2023, Gogglebox took home the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award after beating some huge names, including Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and The Masked Singer.
True to form, Lee and Jenny couldn’t resist adding their own humour to the occasion.
As he accepted the award, Lee joked: “To beat two people down here is unreal. We must be a better duo!” He then admitted the pair had been convinced they had no chance of winning and had not even prepared a speech.
With the new series now just weeks away, fans won’t have too much longer to wait before the familiar sofas are filled once again — and the country’s favourite TV critics are ready to have their say.
Gogglebox returns on Friday 4 September at 9pm on Channel 4.
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Woman dubbed ‘Britain’s most evil mum’ breaks silence ‘I don’t regret that’
Lisa Hayden-Johnson was jailed after fabricating her son Matthew’s illnesses
23:00, 19 Aug 2026Updated 23:00, 19 Aug 2026
Lisa Hayden-Johnson is defending herself years after being jailed for cruelty in a new Channel 4 series(Image: Channel 4)
Lisa Hayden-Johnson has defended her actions in a new Channel 4 documentary.
The Devon woman has spoken out for the first time since being released from prison. She was jailed in 2010 for three years and three months after admitting cruelty and perverting the course of justice.
It came after she falsely claimed that her son Matthew suffered from a range of illnesses including diabetes, food allergies, cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis.
Matthew’s supposed health battle attracted widespread media attention. The youngster went on to appear on various TV shows and was famously introduced to the Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla.
The young boy, now aged 25, was also subjected to medical interventions before doctors grew suspicious about his alleged health problems. Now, both mother and son are telling their sides of the story in new Channel 4 three-part series, Love You to Death.
A synopsis for the show states: “Young Matthew’s health problems worry medics and his mum Lisa. But when doctors’ efforts to improve Matthew’s condition don’t work, suspicions are raised and the police are called in to investigate.”
In the first episode, which aired on Wednesday (August 19), Lisa refutes the infamous ‘most evil mum’ title she earned as a result of the story.
She says: “I’ve never had the opportunity to [tell her story]. The newspaper articles are so incorrect. How can I be ‘Britain’s Most Evil Mother?'”
She goes on to add: “The only thing I was guilty of was putting my son first and fighting his battle, which is what I did. And I don’t regret that.”
Matthew, who will feature in the second episode of the series, spoke to the BBC about how it felt to hear his mother’s perspective.
He said: “It was a lot of disappointment but I think also frustration as almost two decades on, there is still a lack of accountability from her side.
“When I could see, even after two decades… she still holds the same story and believes that she did the best by me… that obviously isn’t right.” Matthew’s older sister, Laura, also speaks out in the documentary.
Love You To Death Episode 1 is streaming now on Channel 4
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