Gogglebox’s emotional tribute to series favourite Di Kershaw

When Gogglebox returns for its new season, it will be without one of its favourites. But the show hasn’t forgotten her contributions.

When Gogglebox Australia returns for its 16th season this week, there will be a big piece of it missing.

Di Kershaw and her husband Mick will not be featuring in this upcoming season following the popular TV personality’s death in July. Kershaw died after a short fight against throat cancer. She was 76.

Gogglebox will pay an emotional tribute to its former founding cast member with a dedication at the start of the episode while a three-minute montage of her and Mick’s time over 15 seasons will be included at the end.

Kershaw’s Gogglebox family also remembered their departed co-star.

The Dalton family said, “We loved how Di brought her hilarious self to every episode, making us laugh with her infectious cackle, her brutal honesty and constant references to Babee.

“We adored how she would tease Mick and irritate him. She was exceptional, and our Gogglebox family will always remember her.”

Di and Mick Kershaw were active in the arts community. Picture: Daily Telegraph/Tracey Nearmy

Lee and Keith added, “We are going to miss her great wit plus her blue eyeshadow on our screens each week. We’ll miss her trademark lines, for example, Bebee and her most famous ‘spear me’. She was a wonderful lady and her and Mick will be sadly missed.”

Kershaw and Mick, Indigenous art dealers who lived in Sydney and had been married for more than 50 years, had appeared in every season of Gogglebox.

Fond of a white wine and never afraid to give her opinion, Di was undoubtedly one of the show’s best-loved personalities.

Kershaw had also received an Order of Australia in 2015 for her contributions to the visual arts.

Gogglebox will add a new household to its line-up this year, a group of four friends from Brisbane. All four members have Indigenous heritage.

The household consists of Kevin, a Wakka Wakka and South Sea Islander man. Kevin is a university lecturer and research student with a focus on the experience of First Nations people seeking justice and compensation for workplace racism.

Gogglebox is welcoming a new household to its family.

Kevin is in a five-year relationship with Bob, another member of the new Gogglebox household. Bob is a Kamilaroi man who co-parent two kids with Kevin alongside the children’s mum.

Then there’s Jared, a Kalkadoon, Undumbu and South Sea Islander man who was born in Brisbane and has family ties throughout Queensland. He met Kevin at university and has a passion for social justice and community politics.

The final group member is Mia, a Yuwaalaraay and Gamilaraay woman who grew up in Lightning Ridge and now works in the tertiary sector managing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections and Services. She has a Bachelor of Public Health from Griffith University.

The new group are fond of shows Euphoria, Wentworth, Ru-Paul’s Drag Race and The Project.

Gogglebox Australia season 16 starts on Foxtel* on Wednesday, August 24

Foxtel is majority owned by News Corp, publisher of this website

– With Nick Bond

Originally published as Gogglebox’s emotional tribute to series favourite Di Kershaw