Not the kind that many people first recall having about a show that is essentially people watching television - “Why would you watch that?” – but because Dalton’s daughters,Holly and Millie,were in high school.
The Daltons,(from left) Holly,Matt,Millie and Kate,have been part of Gogglebox Australia since the show’s beginning.Supplied
“Millie had braces and was not confident,so it was a concern for me and my wife,Kate,” Dalton explains. “How they’d be accepted at school was very important. We had to tell the principal. We’ve got a good relationship with our kids,so if there was ever any bullying,they had to tell us straight away. There’s a lot of hate that happens around reality television,especially from a social media perspective,so it was a big concern.”
As it turned out,Dalton was the only real target of online criticism,occasionally accused of being a “mean dad”. “I knew I didn’t have to be ashamed about anything I said,” he says.
Such is the popularity of the Goggleboxers,which this season includes fellow OG couch critics the Delpechitra family and grandparents Lee and Keith,plus familiar faces from season nine,that the Daltons are often approached by fans in public. “There’s a lot of love for the show,” says Dalton.
The show’s producer Howard Myers,who heads Foxtel’s unscripted content,says that,as with the UK original and the 14 other international versions (which include Slovenia,China,Norway and the US),the magic ofGogglebox is the casting.
Faye Kontas (left) with her best friend and fellow OG Goggleboxer Anastasia Katselas.Supplied
“It’s actually quite hard[to cast],because people think they’d be great onGogglebox,but what we’re looking for is everyday people who don’t know that they’re so entertaining and insightful. It’s those people who shine,” says Myers.
You look at the cast that have stayed with us over the 10 years,and they’re. It’s not an act. I call it a soap opera because as much as it’s entertainment,we’re following the lives of these people. We’ve had people pass on,unfortunately.. Also,just those everyday moments that we see of their lives on their lounges,it’s a joy to be a part of.”
Melbourne legal assistant Faye Kontos,another original Goggleboxer alongside her best friend,real estate agent Anastasia Katselas,says the show was a lifeline when her husband Tony died from cancer in 2018.
“There were times I wanted to close myself up and not see anyone,” says Kontos. “But the show has been a really good outlet for me to forget about what’s going on at home. Just sitting on the couch at Anastasia’s place and chatting with her and watching something,it took me away from what was happening in my world at that time.”
Kontos is often spotted at work:“It’s funny,walking around near the courts and you see barristers with their full gear and they yell out,‘Faye,we love you!’”
Like Dalton,she’s had a front-row seat to the seismic shift in content and viewing habits,with the onset of streaming services. They agree Australian drama has improved in quality and quantity,have both developed an appreciation for documentaries and confess to indulging in the guilty pleasures ofMarried at First Sight.
But Kontos could do without watchingGeordie Shore ever again. Dalton,however,has a different pet peeve. “Cooking show number 285!” he says. “I’ve had enough.”
With his daughters now adults and Holly living away from home,Dalton is up for another 10 years ofGogglebox.
“The one time we have good quality family time is when we’re on the couch,being part of an iconic television show,” he says. “It brings the family together. It’s not so much the shows you’re looking at. It’s the catalysts to have a family conversation about a topic. That’s really what it is for us.”
Gogglebox Australiareturns for its 10th season on Wednesday,February 21,at 7.30pm on Foxtel;and Thursday,February 22,at 8.30pm on Ten.
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