On Gogglebox, the much loved TV series, groups of families and friends gather to watch the nation's favourite shows together. But what about those people who have no one to share these moments with?
The Goggleboxers recently gave their thoughts on 'Donate Your Words', Age UK's campaign with Cadbury to help lonely older people in the UK.
As well as watching the bloody finale of Peaky Blinders and the return of reality show The Circle, in the first episode of Gogglebox series 14 the cast watched the emotional Cadbury advert you can view below.
“It’s just a little gesture from the children but it means a lot to him,” said cast member Mary Killen of the ad, clearly moved by what she'd seen. She appears on the show with her husband Giles Wood.
Why not be kind to a lonely older person? #DonateYourWords @CadburyUK & @Age_UK #Gogglebox #ad pic.twitter.com/kuVmH5bi2h
— C4 Gogglebox (@C4Gogglebox) September 27, 2019
Cadbury is making a gesture too. There are 1.4 million older people in the UK who are struggling with loneliness, with as many as 225,000 of them going a whole week without speaking to another person.
You may notice special limited edition Cadbury Dairy Milk bars that don’t have any writing on the front of them. That’s because Cadbury are donating the words, as well as 30p from each bar sold, to help these lonely older people without anyone to turn to.
This tweet's for all the lonely older people around us. All together, we can help them feel a little less lonely. See below how you can help. #DonateYourWords #ad https://t.co/cVr3uhq346
— Umar Siddiqui #gogglebox (@umarksiddiqui) September 27, 2019
“It makes you want to be a bit more charitable,” said Umar Siddiqui, who’s on the show with his brother Baasit and father Sid. “There are people who haven’t got anybody – living hard, solitary lives.”
Donate your words
Find out how just a few words can make a real difference to the lives of the 1.4 million lonely older people in the UK.