GOGGLEBOX’S NIKKI: ‘WOGAN WAS A LEGEND!’
Mum Nikki – of Gogglebox’s Tv-loving Tappers – on her sadness after Sir Terry’s death, and how fame has changed their lives
hey’re some of the nation’s T most committed TV fans – and quick-witted Gogglebox stars the Tapper family are a huge hit on the reality show.
But mum Nikki admits the usually fun atmosphere of their north London household has been subdued since the death of radio and TV legend Sir Terry Wogan, who died last week aged 77 following a secret battle with cancer.
As the fly-on-the-wall C4 series – where households are filmed watching telly – returns for its seventh run, Nikki, 43, says: “I grew up with Terry Wogan – he was a legend. I always used to watch the Wogan chat show, week in, week out. I was really shocked to hear he had died. It’s just really sad; he was a role model for many people.” it began in March 2013 – have won army of fans for their warm, downan to-earth personalities, and Nikki says becoming famous has been “mad.”
“It’s ridiculous,” she laughs. “I’m a nursery manager in a school and when visitors come in they’re like: ‘Oh my gosh, it’s you!’ But people say lovely things – we wouldn’t do the show if they didn’t.”
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The Tappers are made up of Nikki, plus husband Jonathan, 48, and their kids, 16-year-old Amy (or “Amazing Amy” as she’s become known due to her dramatic outbursts on the show), plus Josh, 18. “Josh is obsessed with politics, while Amy’s passion is drama,” Nikki adds. “She is hilarious, that child…” Cameras pitch up for filming at the
Tapper home twice a week. “We could be wa tch ing a nyth i n g f ro m a drama to a documentary,” Nikki explains. “We all love Saturday night television so we’re looking forward to Britain’s Got Talent coming back, and we loved Doctor Foster when that was on.”
There’s one thing that’s a big no-no however; tarting themselves up before the cameras start whirring. “I’m not allowed to put on a load of make-up or sit there looking glam,” Nikki explains. “That’s not what it’s about. You’ll never see us eating in front of the telly either because I have a strict rule about that. Although we are Jewish so I do make the crew food when we film on a Friday [as part of a traditional Jewish Friday night Sabbath dinner]. I make a fuss and they’ve become like our family – they all love coming round to ours!”