Channel 4’s Gogglebox is back with a new series, and Sophie Sandiford from Blackpool returns alongside her brother Pete. While the siblings are familiar faces on the show, Sophie has two other siblings, Harry and Lucy, and although her parents, Julie and Paul, don’t appear on the show, she occasionally shares photos with her mum on social media.
The Sandiford family also has a famous connection—they’re related to the Chuckle Brothers, Barry and Paul Elliott. In 2019, Paul shared a selfie with Pete, Sophie, and their sister Lucy, with a heartwarming caption: “Look who we had a very nice lunch with @pinklarkholme.”
Sophie’s living situation has an interesting backstory. What started as Pete’s house eventually became hers after a cheeky move-in. Sophie explained in 2020: “We live in the same house. Pete bought the house and did it up. I sneakily just pitched up with my stuff one day and said, ‘I’m not going home.’ That’s how I moved in.” She later bought the house from Pete, so now, she says, “Pete lives with me.”
In her personal life, 28-year-old Sophie is happily dating Ben McKeown. The couple went public with their relationship in April 2022 and celebrated their love with a memorable trip to Las Vegas at the end of 2024, posing by the iconic Las Vegas sign and visiting the Grand Canyon.
Sophie’s career took an unexpected turn in December 2020 when she lost her job following Debenhams’ liquidation. Not one to be discouraged, she turned her passion for floristry into a business, launching Petali Floristry in Blackpool after completing her floristry exams. Though the business has had its hurdles, Sophie shared a humorous moment on Instagram when she nearly lost the keys to her workshop.
Recently, Sophie also shared a touching birthday tribute on Instagram to her brother Pete in November 2024.