AN Amman Valley panto star and his family will be returning to our screens for a second series of Gogglebocs Cymru.

S4C commissioned a second series of the Welsh language version of the hit TV show Gogglebox and will be bringing back its cast including three Brynamman brothers.

Panto star Huw Williams, 63, will be joined by his brothers 65-year-old Mike and 58-year-old Stephen.

Huw is a former British Coal engineer and now lives in Mynydd Isa near Mold. He performs in panto with Northop Presents and has appeared on TV screens before as a vicar in long-running ITV soap Emmerdale.

On the return of Gogglebocs Cymru, Huw said: “To be honest, it’s a dream come true that people are prepared to pay for me to go down and sit with my brothers and watch the TV with a cup of coffee. It’s great!

“We have a great rapport and are very close. Because of the dynamic we have between us, as soon as we are all together, we revert to Welsh – we feel comfortable with each other, there’s no nerves it’s all natural.”

There will also be the return of another family from the first series, who won the hearts of the audiences.

Nia Phillips from Trefach is a single mum who appears on the show and in the first series, she spoke about her 20-year-old son George’s miracle journey after being born with spina bifida. The 51-year-old appears on the show with George and his sister Olivia, 16. Nia praised the programme makers Cwmni Da and Chwarel for their inclusive approach to casting.

During the first series, they gave their remarks on the weekly sport, including Gareth Bale’s hair.

Nia said: “George is an inspiration. I know he’s mine, but he is just incredible. Everything is a daily struggle for him, but he just gets on with it. He always has a smile on his face.

“We were warned he would be brain damaged and vegetative and would never walk or talk. He has proven all of them wrong. He doesn’t walk very far and uses the wheelchair in college, but nothing stops him, he’s a real fighter.”

The groups will be joined by five more groups of people to air their views on a range of programmes.

The show is made by two Gwynedd-based production companies in Cwmni Da and Chwarel and it is the first time the Gogglebox franchise has been licensed by Studio Lambert and Channel 4 to another UK-based broadcaster.

Huw Maredudd, series producer for Cwmni Da, said: “There were some wonderful moments during the first series and some great comments were made about it on social media.

“The viewing figures were great and there were clear signs that the programmes we featured enjoyed a boost in their viewing figures as well.

“That the first series was so popular was thanks in no small part to the cast and the hard work of the crews and we are hoping the new series will be just as successful.

“We’ll have more families and groups of friends but they won’t all appear in every programme. We’ll be giving them some time off.”

Sioned Wyn, Chwarel director and co-executive producer, said: “Cast members range in age from 15 right up to 80 and span across Wales from Caernarfon to Wrexham, down to Cardiff and the Valleys and across to west Wales. We also have Mike and Carwyn and Mark, originally from Gwynedd but now living in Greater Manchester taking part in the programme.”

Gogglebocs Cymru has been nominated for a BAFTA Cymru, with the ceremony being held the weekend before the second series is due to air.

Gogglebocs Cymru will air 15 episodes starting at 9pm on Wednesday, October 18. After the first six episodes, there will be a break, with a celebrity Christmas version on December 27 and the remaining eight episodes taking place from February 14, 2024. It will be narrated by Tudur Owen.