Gogglebox's Mary and Marina talk Brexit and how TV stardom gave them 'new lease of life'

Best friends Mary and Marina, who are both grandmothers in their eighties, have become a huge hit with the British public for their funny, cheeky comments on the popular TV series Gogglebox.

The pair who live in a retirement village in Bristol run by St Monica Trust, spoke to carehome.co.uk, about what it is like being recognised by the public on a daily basis and how if they were Theresa May, they would have stepped down by now.

The reality programme where people sit at home and comment on TV shows, has catapulted the duo into the spotlight and given them celebrity status.

Marina reveals: “We get stopped every day by people when we are out. We get asked for selfies a lot. We love it. If just one of us is out, we get asked where the other one is. We don’t realise how famous we are.”

Mary, who turns 90 in January says: “It is like I have had a new lease of life. We always watch ourselves on Googlebox. I like to watch it to see if I have made a fool of myself. We love all the cast, they’re great! And Ellie and Izzy, Jenny and Lee and the Siddiquis always make us giggle.

“My family love me being on it. If I am bit naughty, they always tell me not to worry.”

They joined the show after Marina was approached by TV researchers when she was out and about in Bristol.

“I was in the right place at the right time. A researcher came up to me when I was shopping as they were looking for a person with a Bristolian accent.

“She asked me if I had a friend who could do it with me so I asked Mary if she wanted to.”

The two soon won legions of fans. Mary says: “I think people like us because we are old ladies and people relate to us as grandmothers and we are a bit cheeky.”

Marina adds: “We are just normal people. We don’t try and talk posh.”

Recently viewers saw Mary and Marina dissolve into a fit of giggles when watching Naked Attraction, a dating show where contestants choose their date from looking at different parts of their body.

Mary admits: “A lot of the ladies who live here watch Naked Attraction. Some of us haven’t seen anything like that in a while.”

'David Cameron set it all up and did a runner'

When it comes to Brexit, Marina is as damning about former prime minister David Cameron as Danny Dyer was when he launched into his infamous rant saying: “He’s in Europe, in Nice, with his trotters up, yeah, where is the geezer? I think he should be held to account for it.”

“David Cameron set it all up and did a runner,” says Marina, who feels it is Theresa May’s “time to go”. Mary chimes in, saying : “If I was her, I would have packed it in by now. I feel sorry for her.”

Marina moved to the extra care retirement complex 12 years and says: “You couldn’t be lonely here. We have quiz nights and play bingo and have coffee mornings. I do Zumba and line dancing. There is always something going on. You can even do gardening on the roof gardens. If you live in your own home, it can be lonely but not in this place. If you need more care and support you can get it.”

Mary moved there eight years ago and says: “I wouldn’t move anywhere else even if I won the lottery. I lived on my own for a year after my husband died and I didn’t like it.”

The pair meet up with each other every day.

Marina says: “I was ill last year and Mary was a godsend. She was wonderful and really looked after me.”

For Mary, the worst thing about getting older is “you can’t get about so much”.

For Marina, it is “not being able to drive”.

As for the best time in life, for Marina, it was “when I was in my late 30s enjoying life”.

For Mary, it was “when I was in my forties onwards. I had quite a nice life as I could afford to do things like go on nice holidays abroad”.

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