Gogglebox star Ken Harwood from County Durham has died aged 77 following a short illness, with Channel 4 and fans remembering the beloved TV personality as a “legend”
Who was Gogglebox’s Ken? Inside star’s life after tragic death aged 77(Image: CHANNEL 4)
The Gogglebox family is mourning the devastating loss of beloved former cast member Ken, but what do we know about the cherished TV personality?
Ken made his debut on the enduring Channel 4 series in 2021 during the opening episode of series 17, appearing alongside his wife Anne – and the pair swiftly captured viewers’ hearts.
The County Durham duo graced our screens for five series before departing in 2022. Tragically, this week brought news that Ken had passed away following a brief illness, at the age of 77.
But what’s the story behind Anne and Ken’s enduring marriage? And what touching moment did Ken create during their Gogglebox debut? Here’s what we know about Ken.
Born in Consett, County Durham in 1948, Ken dedicated three decades to working as a postmaster before transitioning into local council work. He eventually stepped back from public life in 2013, reports Chronicle Live.
While details about Anne remain relatively private, she shared more than half a century of marriage with Ken. Their inaugural appearance on the programme featured a particularly heartwarming scene when Ken surprised Anne with a stunning bouquet of roses.
During the episode, Anne graciously accepted the gorgeous arrangement, exclaiming: “God they are beautiful.” Ken then revealed there were 50 roses, representing each year of their life together.
Anne responded: “You have put me to shame now with a card and roses, and I got you nothing. But you have me and that’s all you need.”
In a separate episode, Anne had viewers in stitches with her brilliant reaction to Ken’s ill-timed sneezing bout. As the sneezes began, Anne attempted to halt them by reciting a rhyme, where each sneeze supposedly brought him something special.
Anne reckoned Ken had bagged a wish, a kiss, a letter and something better. But then she drew a blank on how it continued. In the end, she quipped: “Oh hell, here we go.”
Gogglebox announced Ken’s passing on Friday (May 15). In their statement, they shared: “Ken will be dearly missed by his wife Anne, sons Simon and Ross, daughter-in-law, Elle, grandchildren Freya and Tristram, and all who knew him.”
They added: “There will be a tribute to Ken at the end of Channel 4’s episode on Gogglebox tonight.” As word spread of the devastating news, fans poured out their grief. One wrote: “Sad news.” While another commented: “Rest easy legend.”
Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4