John Whaite has revealed that he is upset by the news that Steph’s Packed Lunch has been cancelled, but he has tempered the blow with a remark about OnlyFans.
It was confirmed today by Channel 4 that Steph McGovern’s weekday TV show had been cancelled, with a spokesperson for the broadcaster saying that they were ‘incredibly proud of all that Steph’s Packed Lunch has achieved since its launch from Steph’s living room during lockdown nearly four years ago’.
‘We’re so grateful to Steph, Expectation, Can Can and the brilliant production team for creating a show that kick started our growth in the north of England.’
They went on to praise Steph, 41, for making lunchtimes ‘more fun’ throughout the country.
‘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,’ they said.
Strictly Come Dancing star John, who appears on the show frequently, also paid gratitude to the production staff in an emotional Instagram post.
The 34-year-old wrote: ‘Breaking my little insta-pause to post about this. I’m sure you’ve read the deeply sad news that Steph’s Packed Lunch will not be returning after December.
‘I want to shout, as loud as possible, about how brilliant the team have been. The eclectic mix of folk from a hodgepodge of backgrounds and generations worked tirelessly to try to keep the integrity of a 100-year-old industry alive, and bring lunchtime entertainment and company to many a household.
‘What they created was a show that was as diverse as it was welcoming, and I hope each and every one of them continue to thrive wherever the wind next takes them, because they deserve nothing but success.’
Alongside a series of behind-the-scenes snaps from the show, he went on: ‘The food team – Courtney, Sarah and the talented home economists – have been a lifeline to me on so many occasions, and it’s been an honour to work with them (and the rest of the production and editorial teams) for the past 3 years.
View this post on Instagram
‘And finally I hope that Steph, Vivek, Matt and all the people at the top feel nothing but immense pride for creating a ground-breaking, inclusive show.
‘It has been an honour and a privilege to be a small part of Steph’s Packed Lunch. In many tiny ways, it changed my life.’
Concluding his lengthy post, John quipped: ‘Maybe it’s time to start selling photos of my bare arse on OnlyFans, again…’
The statement released by Channel 4 announcing the news earlier today read: ‘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.’
Further explaining their decision not to recommission Steph’s Packed Lunch, Channel 4 outlined that the company has ‘almost 500 roles outside of London’, stating that ‘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,’ they said.
Steph’s Packed Lunch, originally known as The Steph Show, debuted in March 2020, barely one week after the first Covid-19 pandemic lockdown began.
Steph’s Packed Lunch airs on Channel 4.
