Gogglebox dedicates first episode of new series to Leon as fans pay tribute

Gogglebox launched its latest series with a tribute to late cast member Leon Bernicoff.

Leon passed away after a short illness on 23 December, aged 83, with his wife June making the decision not to return to Gogglebox without him, calling their time on the show a "great adventure". The pair had only recently filmed scenes for Gogglebox's annual year-in-review special, with the episode in question opening with the announcement of the sad news, airing only a day after his death.

The couple met in 1955 in Liverpool and were together for 60 years before his death, with June revealing that the longest they'd been apart was four days.

With the first episode of the new series airing on Friday night, the show's close saw the words, "In Loving Memory of Leon Bernicoff" flash up on screen. Meanwhile, Channel 4's official Twitter account posted a short clip of Leon and June discussing the importance of love.

Fans also tweeted tributes to Leon and June throughout the new episode, stating that their presence was greatly missed.

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