Virgin Media Television says its TV show 'Gogglebox Ireland' has to 'adjust' its cast line-up, due to level five coronavirus restrictions.
Under the rules, there can be no visits to another household.
The programme will still feature all cast members who live together, but not those that visit each other's homes to take part.
Next week will see fewer participants as Barbara and Janet in Donegal, Tracie and Anita in The Liberties and the Tully twins in Cavan are all absent.
There will also be a reduced line up from the Cabra Girls.
John Sullivan appears with his best friend Dave on the show.
But he told Lunchtime Live that things had to change.
"Dave and I don't live together, so there's no household visits, so we're kind of out of the game for a while now."
"We were gutted last week but the rules are the rules and we have to follow them and be seen to be following them and do what everyone else is doing.
"It is such a shame because we were thoroughly enjoying this season - like really, really enjoying it - I think everyone was.
"We love politics and stuff like that and there was a lot more of that in it this year as well.
"There was a lot more reason to shout at the television, to be brutally honest."
On his Gogglebox experience, John said: "I was a huge fan of the UK show before the Irish one came along.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again: I genuinely believe it's almost like a privilege to be able to be part of it, especially during now.
"People talk to me about how they look forward to Irish Gogglebox so much and it's a break, it's midweek - you get a little bit of COVID, but you get loads of light entertainment - it's kind of like the perfect balance".
"It's weird watching myself watching myself watching the telly."
'My mom gets a real kick out of it'
But John said it has expanded his TV palate.
"There's definitely stuff we would never normally watch that we watch as part of the show, especially documentaries.
"That Freddie Flintoff one we did a couple of weeks ago - I didn't know who he was, I wouldn't have watched it.
"We're definitely exposed to stuff that you wouldn't normally watch, and I think the rest of the audience is as well".
He said people coming up to talk to him as a result of the show is "definitely weird".
"That's something I'm still not getting used to, and it's even weirder if Dave and I are together - cause you see people going 'Oh my God look at them, they're outside of the couch'.
"What I love about it more than anything else is I think my mom gets a real kick out of it - cause I'll get a phone call on a Friday and she'll be like 'Do you know who came up to me in Supervalu today?'".
Series producer David Noble said: "It's such a shame that we have to tweak the cast so close to the end of the series.
"They will be greatly missed but we are delighted that this show can be kept on the road for two more weeks and more than confident that our remaining cast will deliver the usual hour of midweek joy that is Gogglebox Ireland".
The final episode of the series will air on Wednesday October 28th on Virgin Media One at the later time of 10.00pm.
