Raza Siddiqui has been hospitalised after suffering cracked ribs in a frightening fall, his family have revealed — finally explaining his absence from the current series of Gogglebox.
The much-loved TV personality has appeared on the Channel 4 hit alongside his brothers Umar and Baasit, as well as their father Sid, ever since the show first aired back in 2013. Over the years, the Siddiqui family have become firm fan favourites.
But eagle-eyed viewers were quick to notice that Raza had been missing from the sofa during the opening episodes of the new season.
On Tuesday, the family took to Instagram to address the concern — confirming that Raza had been rushed to hospital after a fall left him with cracked ribs, preventing him from filming the first part of the series.
Sharing photos from his hospital bed, the family reassured fans that Raza is now recovering well and is expected to make his return to Gogglebox later in the season.
In one touching image, Raza can be seen bravely smiling while resting in hospital, while another sweet snap shows him cuddled up on the sofa with his nephew Theodore.
In a heartfelt message, the family wrote:
“For you eagle-eyed Goggleboxers, you may have noticed that Raza (@razathefaint) hasn’t joined us on the sofa so far this season.
“Sadly, he had a bit of a fall a few weeks back and cracked some ribs. He’s recovering nicely and will be joining us on the sofa in a few weeks’ time.”
They added that Raza has remained upbeat throughout his recovery, saying:
“He’s absolutely smashing his recovery, staying positive and keeping himself entertained with walks, telly, reading and nephew cuddles with Theodore.”
The post ended with a warm message to fans who had been checking in:
“We know you guys reaching out and sending your well wishes will put a bigger smile on his face than morphine ever could.
“Can’t wait for all four Siddiquis to be back on team @c4gogglebox with the rest of the fab families.”
The update prompted an outpouring of relief and support from viewers, many of whom praised the family’s openness and sent messages wishing Raza a speedy recovery.
Last year, the Siddiqui family were similarly flooded with support after another emotional update, when Baasit Siddiqui revealed he and his wife Melissa would be running the London Marathon in aid of mental health charity Mind.
At the time, Baasit shared that while he had previously completed the marathon, running it alongside his wife made the experience especially meaningful.
He also opened up about his life away from television, explaining that he spent over a decade working as a full-time teacher and later supporting schools, families and children across the education sector.
“One thing that continues to be highlighted in all my work is the growing mental health crisis,” Baasit wrote, adding that the work Mind does to raise awareness and challenge stigma has “never been more important.”
The Siddiqui family — Sid, Raza, Baasit and Umar — have been a constant presence on Gogglebox since its debut in 2013, earning widespread affection for their warmth, humour and close-knit bond.
Fans once again flooded the comments with kind words, with messages including:
“Best of luck and wishing Raza a speedy recovery,”
“Can’t wait to see him back on the sofa,”
and “Such a lovely family — sending love to you all.”
