Gogglebox paid tribute to TV producer Jonathan Clough as it returned for series 27
Gogglebox has honoured a television producer who passed away following a battle with a brain tumour, as the show kicked off its latest series. The Channel 4 favourite made its comeback on Friday evening (February 6) with its 27th run.
At the programme’s conclusion, viewers saw an image of Jonathan Clough accompanied by the tribute: “In memory of Jonathan Clough” alongside the years 1989 to 2025. The producer had received a diagnosis of Grade 4 Glioblastoma in 2024, when he was just 35 years old.
A fundraising initiative had been set up to help Jonathan – whose television work also encompassed Strictly Come Dancing and The Apprentice – gain access to specialist care. Following a family appeal, actor Sam Swainsbury launched the GoFundMe effort, reports the Mirror.
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Both Jonathan and his partner, Tracy Martin, were forced to step away from their professional lives and move with their two young children from London to Wigan, where they stayed with her parents after receiving the devastating news.
On the GoFundMe page, Tracy detailed how their existence was transformed after Jonathan unexpectedly collapsed from a seizure in March 2024.
She explained: “Two months after that, the results of an MRI brought our world crashing down. Our brilliant Jonathan, at only 35 years old, was diagnosed with a Grade 4 Glioblastoma – an extremely aggressive and incurable brain cancer.”
Jonathan went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with a post on the GoFundMe page saying: “For a while, we had hope. His scans showed the treatment was working, keeping the tumour stable. We dared to dream we’d fight this for a while.”
However, later scans revealed a tumour regrowth that medical professionals considered inoperable. In January, Sam shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram that Jonathan had passed away on Boxing Day.
“He saw his daughter’s first day at school,” he recalled. “He then made it to her first play. He then made it to Christmas. He then sadly passed on Boxing Day.
“He fought for every last second. He exceeded all expectations. He was extraordinary.” “I don’t have many more words than that,” he added. “I still can’t believe it.”
Ex-Strictly professional Kevin Clifton was amongst those honouring Jonathan’s memory, who worked as a producer on the BBC dancing programme between 2017 and 2019.
Posting photographs of Jonathan online, he expressed: “An amazing friend, an amazing man, an amazing father and a heck of a fighter for his amazing family. I will miss you forever [heartbroken emoji].”
Gogglebox airs on Channel 4