19 October 2023 , 13:46
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Steph’s Packed Lunch will come to an end on Channel 4 in December, the broadcaster has announced.
Announcing the decision to axe the programme, Channel 4 said it is “incredibly proud” of all the show has achieved and credited it for “kick-starting” the channel’s growth in the north of England. The broadcaster said the budget for the show will now be reallocated to other programmes in the nations and regions.
A statement from Channel 4 read: “Steph has not only made the nation’s lunchtimes more entertaining and brilliantly reflected the views and pre-occupations of the country, but the show has also been an outstanding springboard for developing local talent behind the scenes. However, with audience habits changing quicker than ever, we have to make difficult decisions about which programmes to invest in to best drive our digital-first strategy and we have decided not to recommission Steph’s Packed Lunch when its existing production contract ends in December 2023.
Steph's Packed Lunch has sadly been axed after just three years on air (Channel 4)“We remain as committed as ever to our mission to help level up the TV industry outside London and to our 50% origination out of London target. We will be reinvesting the budget previously committed to Steph’s Packed Lunch into other nations and regions productions.
“We have almost 500 roles outside of London and this will continue to increase over the next few years. We will continue to build on the legacy of the show, evolving what we do in line with our digital ambitions whilst continuing to reflect the lives of, and give a voice to, all our audiences across the UK and hope to work with Steph on other projects soon.”
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The Channel 4 show, presented by presented by journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern, 41, debuted in 2020. The show is live and features items including showbiz interviews, food, news, and consumer advice and is broadcast from Leeds Dock. Earlier this year, in March, host Steph announced a major change to the daytime show as there were plans to make it even bigger.
From March onwards, Steph's Packed Lunch aired for an extra half hour, starting at the earlier time of 12pm every weekday. The extra long show was welcomed by avid fans of the programme – who will be sad to hear that it will be coming to an end for good in December.
At the time, Steph shared her joy over the show getting extended, as she said: ”I am very excited to finally be able to tell you... we are getting even more packed because we are getting an extra 30 minutes added to the show.” Regular co-hosts on the Channel 4 show include comedian Russell Kane, Strictly Come Dancing star John Whaite, former footballer turned presenter Chris Kamara and Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke.
Steph recently shared a rare glimpse into her personal life during a day out with her daughter (stephlunch/Instagram)
Steph keeps her personal life very privateSteph's stellar media career started when she landed work experience at the BBC for Tomorrow's World before then becoming a full-time researcher in current affairs. She became the main producer for daily financial news on the Today programme on Radio 4, before becoming the lead producer of business news on BBC's One, Six and Ten O'Clock news bulletins.
In 2010 she joined BBC Breakfast as their main business presenter and also teamed up with Welsh presenter Alex Jones to host Shop Well for Less in 2016. In 2022, Steph appeared on The Masked Dancer as Tomato Sauce.
Earlier this month, Steph, delighted fans with a very rare glimpse into her personal life as she shared a sweet snap of her daughter after their outing. The TV star took to her Instagram page on Sunday to showcase the pair's recent adventure as they enjoyed quality time together during a trip to the beach.
Steph regularly posts about her work on her page but keeps her private life out of the spotlight. She chose to keep her daughter's face hidden but revealed the three-year-old's silhouette in the pictures. Captioning the snap, she wrote: ”Making memories with my little girl on the beach near where we live.”
Fans of the star flocked to the comments section to heap praise on Steph and her daughter. One person said: ”Gorgeous. I took my little girl to Seaton Carew for the first time this weekend, can't beat a NE beach,” noted one, while another wrote: ”They grow up so quickly. Cherish all the moments with her.”
Steph sadly won't be making a return with her show after December (Channel 4)Back in November 2019, Steph announced she welcomed her first child to the world. She shared the happy baby news over on Twitter, now X, writing: ”Well hello world, just surfaced to let you know that we now have a daughter! Born on Monday morning just as @BBCBreakfast was wrapping up. We're all fine and dandy. Just getting used to the eau de sick/poo I am now regularly wearing. #babylife.”
The presenter revealed the reason she keeps the identity of her loved ones a mystery. ”I would just get too mad if I started reading negative things about them. My daughter has no choice and my partner's not in the public eye, so I wouldn't want to subject them to the opinions of others,” she told The Express at the time.
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Steph is also very private when it comes to opening up about whether she would like more children. Speaking to Woman & Home magazine in 2022, she revealed: ”I don't think more children are on the cards. It's a bit like the Strictly question. It feels like a no but I'm not going to say a definitive no because you don't know.”