Gogglebox favourites The Silberys reveal ‘tough’ news

A beloved Gogglebox family shared adored matriarch Emmie has been diagnosed with dementia and won’t be returning to the show.

Adored Gogglebox family The Silberys have revealed unhappy news.

Beloved matriarch Emmie won’t be returning to the long-running Foxtel show after the 94-year-old great-grandmother was diagnosed with dementia.

“We are sad to announce that Emmie won’t be joining us on the couch for Gogglebox Australia this season,” the Silberys posted on Instagram.

“It’s been a very time for our family and we’ve had to make some difficult decisions. Emmie has been diagnosed with dementia and we wanted to be transparent about this as many families experience it.

“Emmie will be watching and rest assured she’s happy and being cared for.”

The three-generationed Silberys – Emmie, Kerry and Isabelle – joined Gogglebox in 2016 during the popular program’s third season. They soon became fan favourites with their cheeky commentaries – Emmie in particular had a wicked wit.

The youngest, Isabelle, added on her Instagram page, “It’s been a tough few months, watching my grandma deteriorate before our eyes with dementia. I’ve been supporting mum who has all the weight on her shoulders as she makes some big decisions for Emmie’s future.

The Silberys have been on Gogglebox since 2016. Picture: Narelle Portanier

“The three of us have always maintained being real with each other and you all, even through family struggles and this is one of them. We hope this opens up the conversation about dementia, supporting loved ones and the reality of grieving them while they’re still here.

What’s best for her now is that she is safe and happy in permanent care just up the road where we visit her every day.”

Isabelle ended her post with the assurance that Emmie was still cracking jokes and up for a cuddle.

In May 2022, The Silberys published a book, Out of the Box, which Isabelle described as a “three-way memoir”. They shared memories and lessons learnt from their lives.

Various members of the Gogglebox cast have reacted to the news on social media.

The Daltons posted that they were “sending their love” to the Silberys while Adam Densten wrote, “Love for you all and, of course, for the queen herself”.

Gogglebox veterans Lee and Keith added, “Keith and I are going to miss her one-liners, her smile [and] her laugh. We love her so much and it won’t be the same without her.”

The Gogglebox family was previously struck by tragedy when in 2022 original member Di Kershaw died from cancer at the age of 76. The first episode of the following season was dedicated to Di’s memory.

Originally published as Gogglebox favourites The Silberys reveal ‘tough’ news