Ex-Gogglebox Star Josh Tapper To Contest Hertsmere For Labour

David GilmourMar 20th, 2024, 11:50 am

The former Gogglebox star will seek to unseat the deputy prime minister in the upcoming election. (Screengrab via Josh Tapper/YouTube)

Former Gogglebox star Josh Tapper will contest the Hertsmere seat for Labour, aiming to unseat Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden in the upcoming general election.

Tapper, who left the popular Channel 4 show in 2017 to work for the civil service, expressed his excitement on X, stating he was “thrilled and honoured to have been selected.”

He wrote: “The work to unseat the Deputy Prime Minister starts now.”

I’m thrilled and honoured to have been selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Hertsmere.

Thank you so much to local members for your support – I won’t let you down.

The work to unseat the Deputy Prime Minister starts now! https://t.co/rHrDFxjYyu pic.twitter.com/XehEUFvFLH

— Josh Tapper (@JoshDTapper) March 19, 2024

Dowden has represented Hertsmere with a significant majority since 2015, however, with Labour’s recent upsets in traditionally safe Conservative seats, analysts are watching for potential shifts.

The general election is expected to happen in October, after a slip hinting at the date made on Tuesday by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Tapper joins Blur drummer Dave Rowntree as the second celebrity Labour candidate who will be competing in the election. Rowntree is set to contest the seat in Mid-Sussex.