A Steph’s Packed Lunch star was “gutted” after the sudden news that the Channel 4 show will come to in December 2023.
The shocking news was announced on Thursday (October 19), with the broadcaster stating how “incredibly proud” it is of everything the programme has achieved. They confirmed the budget for the show will now be relocated to other programmes in the nation and regions.
Now, Daily Star has exclusively spoken to regular guest presenter and celebrity psychic Inbaal Honigman about how she felt after hearing the heartbreaking news online. She told us: “All the Lunchmates are gutted at the news of Steph’s Packed Lunch not returning after Christmas.
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“It’s been a supportive, inclusive and welcoming environment for us all, where we felt seen and heard. The show’s commitment to focusing on uplifting, empowering human-interest stories and its cheeky, irreverent tone, means that no matter our age, background or social standing, we were all made to feel as part of the family.
“Personally, I’ll miss the chaos of live TV so much. Going Live means that anything could happen, and any slip of the tongue would be watched by millions. We all adore Steph, who is exactly the same in person as she is on TV. She’s used her platform to ensure everyone gets a voice, and she deserves every ounce of success that comes her way.”
The Channel 4 show, presented by journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern, 41, first hit the airwaves in 2020. Her two and a half hour long programme featured items including showbiz interviews, food segments, news discussions and consumer advice and is broadcast from the heart of Leeds Dock.
In March this year, the host announced that there would be a major change for the beloved daytime show with plans to make it even bigger. Regular co-hosts on the Channel 4 show include Russell Kane, Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite, former footballer turned presenter Chris Kamara and Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke.
From March, Steph’s Packed Lunch aired for an extra half-hour, starting from 12pm each day. The extra-long show was welcomed by avid fans of the show, who are devastated to see the programme come to an end this winter.
The Channel 4 show released a statement which 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 the 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.”
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It continued: “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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