Gogglebox favourite Sandra Martin has quit the hit Channel 4 show after four and a half years.
The 49-year-old star has been a regular on Gogglebox since the very first episode, way back in 2013.
Speaking on This Morning to hosts Ruth and Eamonn, who are taking over from Phil and Holly for the summer holidays, Sandra said, 'I am going to miss it, but I decided at that time I wanted to move on to other things.
'It's been four and a half years now, and I'm just moving on, keeping up with the times.'
Sandra has already been cast as the Spirit of the Ring in this year's Maidenhead pantomime, Aladdin. And there are whispers that the reality TV pro will be appearing on this year's Celebrity Big Brother too, set to air in August.
She originally appeared on the sofa in her home of Thornton Heath, South London, with her best friend Sandi Bogle, also 49. But Sandi left the show just before Christmas last year to pursue a career in music.
Fans were devastated by her departure, with the general feeling being that it would never be the same without the terrific twosome. Sandi was replaced by Sandra's daughter Sanchez, but she admits that it didn't always feel right without her pal.
'Sandi left last year as everyone knows, she's my TV partner, and my daughter came on after,' she said. 'I want to pursue my career to do other things, Sandi had gone before, but it wouldn't have been the same with my daughter.'
She continued, 'There are certain subjects that I can&'t discuss with a 24-year-old. There are certain subjects and when we are watching a show about "ooh-ohh" it's difficult for me to talk about "ooh-ooh" with my daughter.'
Viewers were even treated to a glimpse of long-term boyfriend Derek, who Sandra's had a fondness of talking about throughout all the series.
Asked by Eamonn who exactly Derek was, she said, 'Derek's my long-term boyfriend. We've been together 11 or 12 years - he always takes off a year, because he doesn't count the first year.
'I'm with Derek and I love him very much.'
-
Magic Mixies Pixlings are a bestseller - but are they worth the money? We put this toy through its paces to find outMagic by name and magic by nature? We review Magic Mixies Pixlings to see if it lives up to the hype
-
Want to up your grandparenting game? These are the 6 phrases to avoid saying, according to experts“It’s never too late to start being more mindful of how you approach interactions with your grandchildren”
