Jake Shears and Josh Homme Swap Stadiums for the Gogglebox Sofa

Jake Shears and Josh Homme made their Celebrity Gogglebox debut on Channel 4 at 9pm on Friday, 17 July, bringing a long-running friendship and two very different rock careers to the same sofa. Their appearance offered viewers a rare chance to see the Scissor Sisters and Queens of the Stone Age frontmen reacting to British television rather than commanding packed venues.

The pairing arrived during an especially busy week for Homme, whose band had released its first new single in three years and played two London stadium shows. For Shears, the booking fulfilled what he described as a longtime ambition to join the programme.

The Full Story

Channel 4 confirmed the musicians would appear together in the eighth series of Celebrity Gogglebox, which follows famous faces as they watch and respond to television programmes, films and news broadcasts. The episode placed Shears and Homme among a broad cast of musicians, broadcasters, comedians, actors and sports figures already involved in the series.

The booking was not simply a random celebrity pairing. Shears and Homme are longtime friends and former collaborators. Homme appeared in the video for Shears' 2018 solo song Big Bushy Mustache, while Shears later contributed to Homme's Desert Sessions album. Their existing chemistry gave the programme a pairing that already knew how to trade jokes and work together.

Shears said the recording involved plenty of laughter and compared talking over the television with the noise the pair had made throughout their music careers. Homme took a more knowingly absurd approach to promoting the episode, joking that viewers had never truly watched people watching television until they had seen the pair together.

Josh and I have spent years making noise for a living, so sitting on a sofa and talking over the television felt surprisingly natural. We laughed far more than we probably should have and somehow got away with calling it work. It was a longtime dream to be part of Celebrity Gogglebox.

The episode followed a significant few days for Homme. Queens of the Stone Age released Easy Street on Tuesday, 14 July, their first new single since 2023. The track features guest vocals from Nikki Lane and had previously been performed live during the band's Catacombs tour.

Key Figures

Jake Shears is the singer associated with Scissor Sisters and has also worked as an actor and solo performer. His enthusiasm for Celebrity Gogglebox made him the more openly delighted half of the partnership.

Josh Homme, frontman of Queens of the Stone Age, arrived with a characteristically dry sense of humour. His appearance coincided with new music, stadium performances and further international tour dates.

Other participants in the series include Mollie King with former England cricketer Stuart Broad, Roman and Martin Kemp, Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness, Nick Grimshaw with his niece Liv, Rylan with his mother Linda, Mo Gilligan and Babatunde Aleshe, and Denise Van Outen with Johnny Vaughan.

Facts & Figures

• The episode aired at 9pm on Friday, 17 July, on Channel 4.
• Celebrity Gogglebox was in its eighth series.
• Easy Street was Queens of the Stone Age's first new single since 2023.
• Homme and Shears had previously collaborated on projects released in and after 2018.
• Queens of the Stone Age played Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London during the same week.

What This Means

The appeal of this pairing lies in the contrast. Shears is closely associated with theatrical pop and flamboyant performance, while Homme is known for heavier rock and deadpan delivery. Celebrity Gogglebox turns those stage personas into something more familiar: two mates reacting to television from a living room.

For British viewers, the booking also shows how Celebrity Gogglebox continues to bridge mainstream television and music audiences that do not always overlap. Previous editions have featured figures including Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Ozzy Osbourne, Tom Jones, Yungblud, Mel C and Sam Ryder, making musicians a recurring part of the programme's appeal.

The timing helped both acts. Channel 4 gained a first-time pairing with a genuine friendship behind it, while Queens of the Stone Age reached a prime-time audience during the release week for Easy Street. The result was promotional without feeling like a formal interview, which is precisely where the programme tends to work best.

What to Expect

The episode was broadcast on Channel 4 and was due to become available through the broadcaster's official on-demand streaming platform shortly afterwards. Viewers could expect the pair to respond to the week's television highlights while leaning on the easy rapport built through years of friendship and collaboration.

Queens of the Stone Age were also scheduled to continue touring, including dates in Warsaw before later performances in North America, Iceland, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who appeared together on Celebrity Gogglebox?

Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters appeared with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme.

When was Jake Shears and Josh Homme's episode on?

Their episode aired at 9pm on Friday, 17 July, on Channel 4.

Are Jake Shears and Josh Homme friends?

Yes. They are longtime friends and have also collaborated on previous music projects.

Where can Celebrity Gogglebox be watched after broadcast?

The episode was expected to be available through Channel 4's official on-demand streaming platform shortly after transmission.

What new song did Queens of the Stone Age release?

The band released Easy Street, featuring guest vocals from Nikki Lane, on Tuesday, 14 July.

Who else is in the current Celebrity Gogglebox series?

The series includes Mollie King and Stuart Broad, Roman and Martin Kemp, Rylan and Linda, Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness, plus several other returning and new pairings.