Channel 4 orders more Steph’s Packed Lunch

23 February 2021

Expectation and Can Can Productions have been commissioned to make a bumper second helping of the weekday lunchtime show Steph’s Packed Lunch for Channel 4. The recommission means the show will continue to air across 2021.

Presented by Steph McGovern, Steph’s Packed Lunch is broadcast live from Leeds bringing viewers a daily dose of entertainment, lifestyle and consumer news with celebrity guests, fantastic food and intriguing real-life stories.

Steph’s Packed Lunch launched in September 2020, airing from 12.30pm to 2.10pm on Channel 4. Since its launch, the show has more than doubled its viewer share, up 103%, and nearly trebled its volume, up 188%. The w/c 8th February 2021 saw its best weekly performance to date, with an average of 277k viewers and a 3.3% share.

The show is also building a strong digital presence. Human interest stories from Steph’s Packed Lunch have become some of Channel 4’s highest performing on Facebook. The story of a five-year-old boy who saved his mum’s life has so far amassed 17.9m views, 1624% higher than Channel 4’s average on the platform in 2020.

On Steph’s Packed Lunch, Steph McGovern is joined by an on-screen family of well-known faces each day, including Anton du Beke, Chris Kamara and Oti Mabuse. The show also features a mix of chefs cooking up tasty lunchtime treats, plus consumer, legal and medical experts to give timely advice to viewers at home.

Steph’s Packed Lunch has been notable for the campaigns spearheaded by Steph McGovern, from  ‘Steph’s Small Business Market’, drawing attention to unique, independent traders around the country, as well as the ‘Packed Lunch Job Clinic’ which highlights job vacancies at businesses nationwide and the skills transferable to these roles.

Steph McGovern said: “I’ve been having a cracking time making Packed Lunch with my brilliant show family and fab team behind the scenes. We’ve had some amazing guests and told some fantastic and inspirational stories. I am particularly proud of the impact our show is having on helping people, whether it’s through our regular small business market and job clinic or the interviews we’ve done on things like fostering, food banks or mental health. We’ve heard from so many viewers who are getting lots from us, as well as having a bit of a laugh at lunchtime. I’m so chuffed we’ll get to do more of this. I love it!”

Jo Street, Head of Daytime and Features for Channel 4, said: “I’m so proud of what Steph and the team have achieved. Launching a daily live programme in the most challenging of circumstances is no mean feat, and Jayne Stanger and the team have created a fun and lively show with a lot of heart. We know it takes a long time to change daytime viewing habits and I’m thrilled with the sustainable audience growth we’ve seen. I can’t wait to see what Steph, Vivek and the gang come up with next.”

Rebecca Papworth, executive producer for Can Can Productions, said: "It’s a wonderful show to be involved with and testament to a brilliant team in front of camera led by Steph, and Vivek behind the scenes, that there is more fun to come. The support from Channel 4 has made this a joy."​

Ben Wicks, executive producer for Expectation, said: "We are over the moon that the wonderfully supportive Jo and Jayne at Channel 4 have backed the show so wholeheartedly allowing its growth to continue apace. The inimitable Steph and co., not content with providing laughter, topical discussion, entertainment, food, heart and consumer journalism, are now succeeding in helping their growing army of viewers land new jobs. 

"It’s mind-blowing what the hugely talented Vivek Sharma and his crack team have achieved amid a pandemic… we couldn’t be more proud. And just imagine what they can achieve when they actually have a proper meeting..."

Steph’s Packed Lunch is produced by Expectation in partnership with West Yorkshire-based Can Can Productions. The series editor is Vivek Sharma and the executive producers are Rebecca Papworth for Can Can Productions and Ben Wicks for Expectation. Jayne Stanger is commissioning editor for Channel 4.

-Ends-