Gogglebox star Lee Riley has delighted fans by sharing a rare glimpse of his best mate Jenny Newby’s husband Ray, with followers ecstatic to finally “put a face to the name”.
Lee, aged 57, took to Instagram to share some cheerful snaps from a recent jaunt to Northern Cyprus, where he caught up with his long-standing pal Jenny, aged 69, and her seldom-seen spouse.
He captioned the post: “What a fabulous catch up with my beautiful side kick Jenny and husband Ray at home in Northern Cyprus.”
The photos included a beaming shot of Lee and Ray at a bar, a selfie with Jenny, and a playful picture of the trio pulling faces by the pool.
Fans were quick to express their joy in the comments section, with one saying: “Best team on Gogglebox. Fab pics of the three of you.”, reports the Mirror.
Another chimed in: “Looking great – all 3 of you. Happy Pride and have a great week! ! !”.
“Can’t wait for you to be back on Gogglebox, the best,” exclaimed another fan, while someone else commented: “Nice to put a face to Ray, enjoy bet it’s roasting.”
(Image: jennyandlee_gogglebox/Instagram)
These snapshots offer a rare public sighting of Ray, who has opted to remain out of the limelight throughout Jenny’s ten-year tenure on Gogglebox.
While viewers have grown fond of Jenny and Lee’s hilarious moments on the show – from Jenny’s meticulous notes in her H notebook during Line of Duty to Lee accidentally using her face cream – their lives outside the Channel 4 show have largely remained private.
Jenny and Lee, both Hull natives, have enjoyed a friendship spanning over three decades since their paths crossed in 1994. Their bond was formed when Jenny was the landlady of The Crown Inn pub in Paull, and Lee was a frequent patron.
(Image: jennyandlee_gogglebox/Instagram)
In an interview with Ireland’s Big Issue magazine, Jenny reminisced about their first meeting: “Lee was a customer at my pub, The Crown Inn in Paull. He became a regular in 1994 and used to come in pretty much every night with his partner and we were friends from the off. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
Reacting to Jenny’s account, Lee quipped: “I wish I’d never gone in the pub – it cost me a fortune. When I first met her, she had a perm and I can remember thinking, ‘She needs a haircut.’
“We were firm friends immediately. I don’t think we’ve ever had an argument. We’re too placid to argue. She makes me laugh too much for me to ever fall out with her.”