Isabelle & Ke 'WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE JOY & MAGIC'

THEIR FIRST CHRISTMAS WITHOUT EMMIE IS A TOUGH ONE

- By Melissa Field

The tree has been decorated, most of the presents wrapped and the lunch menu is sorted for Isabelle Richards and Kerry Milligan's boisterous Christmas Day festivities.

But, as the former Gogglebox Australia stars tell New Idea, this holiday season is also very bittersweet, as it's their first Christmas without beloved family matriarch Emmie. Australia fell in love with Emmie when she, Kerry and Isabelle joined Gogglebox in 2016. Emmie left the show in 2023 after being diagnosed with dementia. The much-loved 96-year-old passed away this July.

Almost six months on, the grief is understandably still close to the surface for Kerry, 72, and Isabelle, 41. But mother and daughter are determined to enjoy the holidays too, because Emmie “absolutely loved Christmas”, says Kerry.

“She was the life and soul of the party – and she always led the family carol singing on Christmas Day,” Kerry adds of her mum.

This year, Isabelle, her two children, her husband Alex, and Kerry will spend Christmas with Alex's family.

“We'll be going to my in-law’s holiday house on the Mornington Peninsula,” Isabelle explains.

“It’s on acreage and there will be kids running around, lots of chaos and everyone will be given some Christmas pyjamas to wear,” she adds with a laugh.