Channel 4’s “Steph’s Packed Lunch”: Steph McGovern’s Behind-the-Scenes Life, from Secret Partner to BBC Career Claims

 

Fans of Steph McGovern expressed disappointment upon learning that her engaging Channel 4 show, “Steph’s Packed Lunch,” will conclude in December. The broadcaster announced this decision today, describing it as a ‘difficult choice’ not to recommission the series. Steph will embark on a new chapter in her career in the coming year, though the specifics are yet unknown.

At 41, Steph has been a familiar presence on our screens for over a decade, having hosted BBC Breakfast, Watchdog, and Have I Got News For You. Despite her longstanding television career, she tends to keep her personal life, particularly her home and family, away from public view. Over time, she has offered rare glimpses into her life as a mother, providing insights into her life beyond the camera lens.

While Steph is in a committed long-term relationship, her partner’s identity remains undisclosed. It has been previously reported that her partner works in television as an executive. In July 2019, Steph joyfully announced her pregnancy, with a source sharing with The Sun: “Steph and her girlfriend are absolutely thrilled.” Just four months later, she welcomed her daughter into the world, remarking, “I have a newfound respect for parents. It’s like you’re living with a tiny dictator!”

Consistent with her previous approach, Steph chose to shield her newborn from the limelight. However, earlier this month, she shared a touching photograph on social media. While she opted not to reveal her daughter’s face, she did show the silhouette of her three-year-old along with the caption: “Making memories with my little girl on the beach near where we live.” In a prior interview, Steph clarified her preference for keeping her loved ones out of the public eye, stating, “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,” as she shared with the Express.

Steph emphasises the importance of normalising conversations about diverse family structures. She clarified, “I don’t go around shouting, ‘My name’s Steph and I’m gay!’ But I will talk about the fact I have a partner and a daughter, because that is my normal life,” she told the Mirror. “The more we talk about our families, the more normal it becomes for everyone to see different families. That’s the key to taking away prejudice. If someone says, ‘Oh, Steph’s gay, and she’s got a little girl’, but they think I’m alright, then that’s great. I like to show people my life is normal – albeit with a hint of madness in the form of telly!”

Although Steph remains guarded about her future plans, she shared with Woman & Home magazine in 2022: “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.”

Steph’s introduction to the BBC occurred at the age of 19 when she made a guest appearance on a programme dedicated to women in science. From there, she embarked on work experience with Tomorrow’s World, eventually evolving into a part-time researcher alongside her studies. It was in 2010 that she joined BBC Breakfast. Interestingly, over a decade later, Steph admitted on an episode of Steph’s Packed Lunch in 2021, “I remember when I got the job of presenting Breakfast news, I’d been asked, ‘Have you ever done live TV before?’ And I said yes… And I hadn’t,” she said.