Fans of Channel 4's Googlebox feared the worst when the show aired a clip of empty chairs in place of popular stars Giles Wood and Mary Killen - with some thinking a sad announcement was coming.
The couple are among the longest-standing members of the show after joining in 2015 for the fifth series after being approached to take part by a friend in the production team. But this week, as the show cut to Giles and Mary's living rooms, their chairs were notably empty, reports BirminghamLive.
Dan Francisco wrote on Twitter: "I saw those two empty chairs and my heart stopped… I thought something had happened."
Richard Wilkinson said: "Jesus… Empty chairs… Thought Nutty & Bitty had died… #Gogglebox."
Denise wrote: "Bloody hell, I thought Giles and Mary had died #Gogglebox." Translinear Synth added: "I thought Giles and Mary had passed a way for a second and there was going to be one of those voiceovers #Gogglebox."
Thankfully, Giles and Mary were just briefly absent as the cameras rolled. Mary and Giles live in Wiltshire and have been married for more than 30 years.
Their story began when they were both just 21 years old and Giles was studying at Wimbledon Art School while Mary worked as a model.
Mary is a journalist and Spectator's resident agony aunt.