Andy Burnham to appear on Gogglebox for charity
Andy Burnham is set to become the first prime minister to appear on Channel 4’s Gogglebox when he takes part in a celebrity charity version of the show tomorrow night, reports BritPanorama.
The Labour leader was photographed on the sofa in Downing Street alongside his old friend Steve Rotheram, the mayor of Liverpool, for Gogglebox for Stand Up To Cancer.
A trailer for the episode shows a view of the famous No 10 black door while the two discuss snacks for their marathon TV-watching session. Mr Burnham mentions he has beer, Skips, pork scratchings, bacon fries, and Twiglets, asserting, “Twiglets are probably the best, aren’t they?”
Mr Rotherham opts for Skips, specifically the prawn cocktail flavour. The voiceover describes them as “good friends Andy and Steve.”
This is not the first time a Labour leader has appeared on Gogglebox for Stand Up To Cancer; Jeremy Corbyn featured on Channel 4’s programme in 2017.
Moreover, this is not the first instance of the PM discussing snacks on camera. In August, Anna Turley, a Home Office minister, had to defend Mr Burnham’s previous post ranking bar snacks while highlighting a business rates cut for hospitality venues, stating that his style was “reaching people.”
The episode is scheduled to air on Channel 4 on Friday, 22 October, at 9.05pm. Since its inception in 2013, the show, which films participants watching television, has attracted millions of viewers and received multiple awards, while Celebrity Gogglebox followed in 2019.
Mr Burnham’s relatable communication style has been perceived as refreshing following Sir Keir Starmer’s tenure. However, it has not been without its controversies.
Despite the video featuring Mr Burnham and Chancellor John Healey discussing their favourite pub snacks being viewed over five million times on X, formerly Twitter, reports indicate that No 10’s social media experts advised the PM to temper his “blokeish” style in order to appeal to a wider audience, according to the Times.
His predecessor, Sir Keir, encountered criticism for being overly formal and disconnected from voters, in addition to having difficulty articulating a unifying narrative about his government.
This latest appearance highlights the ongoing evolution of political communication in the UK, where relatability and personality increasingly play a crucial role in public perception.
