Steph McGovern has announced that she’s taking on a new career path after her Channel 4 daytime show Steph’s Packed Lunch was axed last year.
The Channel 4 show was axed after three years amid a slew of cancellations with the broadcaster reportedly battling to cut costs amid financial challenges.
However, the TV show host, 42, has now decided to step away from the camera and try something new as she revealed she’s written a novel.
According to The Sun, while attending the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Steph revealed: ‘Deadline is a book idea I’ve had since my early days on breakfast TV.’
She added: ‘Writing it has given me the chance to spend the last few years secretly living in a parallel universe where the high-pressured, high-profile environments I’ve worked in, and the colourful characters I’ve met along the way, have all fed into my own invented dark story of power, corruption and lies.’
Steph McGovern recently announced that she’s taking on a new career path after her Channel 4 daytime show Steph’s Packed Lunch was axed last year (pictured in April 2022)
The Channel 4 show was axed after three years amid a slew of cancellations with the broadcaster reportedly battling to cut costs amid financial challenges
‘I’m buzzing to be launching the book at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.’
‘I’ve been coming here to stalk my favourite authors for ten years. Now to be here as an author myself is mind-blowing.’
Deadline is set to be published in July next year by Pan Fiction.
It comes after Steph wiped away tears as she bid a final farewell to her show Steph’s Packed Lunch during its final episode in December last year.
At the end of the show, Steph looked into the camera and said: ‘We’ve had a proper laugh doing this show.’
‘Thank you for sharing your stories with us and being part of this dysfunctional family. Before we go I thought it would be nice to take a trip down memory lane.’
She then played a montage of some of the show’s best moments over three years on the small screen.
Steph opened the episode with an emotional speech with her co-workers gathered around her, saying: ‘Today is our last show so we have got everyone here. Today is a proper family affair.’
However, the TV show host, 42, has now decided to step away from the camera and try something new as she revealed that she’s written a novel
‘It is really lovely to have you all here and everyone watching at home. One of the reasons I have loved doing this show is because it is in the north. We get to shout out about all the creative things the north has to offer.’
‘It has been amazing to broadcast live from Leeds every day. We have talked a lot of about the north, south divide, whether that really exists, what it means for jobs, transport and wealth and a lot of that being so London-centric. I want to celebrate the north today.’
Steph’s Packed Lunch started at the end of March 2020 with the presenter hosting the show from her living room during lockdown.
When Steph first presented the show – previously called The Steph Show – from her home, it was pulling in around 182,000 viewers, Metro reported.
This reportedly fell to an average of 93,000 viewers on its first day from the studio on September 14, 2020.
It was confirmed in October Channel 4 had decided not to renew the show for another series and would let it finish in December.
A statement said: ‘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.’
‘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.’
The unexpected career change comes after Steph wiped away tears as she bid a final farewell to her show Steph’s Packed Lunch during its final episode in December last year
At the end of the show, Steph looked into the camera and said: ‘We’ve had a proper laugh doing this show. Thank you for sharing your stories with us and being part of this dysfunctional family’
A spokesperson for the producers, Expectation and Can Can told MailOnline: ‘We’ve had over three fantastic years producing Steph’s Packed Lunch together and working with the brilliant Steph McGovern and the outstanding on-screen family of talent. We’re very disappointed that despite building a loyal audience we don’t get to continue brightening up 12-2 on Channel 4.’
‘Leeds didn’t have a live television community four years ago and it’s been a privilege to build a team which boasts some of the brightest, sharpest TV producers in the country.’
Steph’s Packed Lunch did struggle in the ratings for some of its run.
According to The Sun, the show hit a ratings low at one point in September 2020, when official stats showed not a single person tuned in for one episode at 12:56pm.
In response, a spokesperson insisted the show averaged 87,000 viewers from 12.30pm-2.10pm.
The show, which debuted in March 2020 and was broadcast from Leeds Dock, was live and featured items including showbiz interviews and news segments.
It was confirmed in October last year that Channel 4 had decided not to renew the show for another series and would let it finish in December
Steph’s Packed Lunch started in March 2020 with the presenter hosting the show from her living room during lockdown