Steph McGovern
Presenter
Presenting
Books
Presenting
Award winning broadcaster, Steph McGovern presented over 250 episodes the eponymous ’Steph's Packed Lunch’ which was broadcast daily on Channel 4 from 2020-2023.
Prior to this, Steph worked in financial journalism for over 15 years and spent 8 years as part of the BBC Breakfast family. Steph travelled all over the UK to cover economic and business news for the BBC and broadcast live from over 500 businesses. Whether talking to workers in factories or interviewing FTSE 100 chief executives in the studio, Steph made it her mission to find out what was going on in the real economy.
Steph also co-presented BBC One’s ‘Watchdog’, Channel 4's 2021 Paralympics coverage, her own primetime BBC One programme ‘Shop Well For Less’ and a children’s TV show 'Pocket Money Pitch' for CBBC.
Steph co-hosts ‘The Rest Is Money’ podcast with Robert Peston. Steph and Robert follow the money to bring insightful stories from the world of business and finance. The show is among the most listened-to podcasts in the country.
Originally from Middlesbrough, Steph's first taste of BBC life came aged 19, when she made a guest appearance on a programme about women in science. Steph had just won the title of Young Engineer for Britain, after saving Black & Decker money on a design she created for their Leaf Hog product. Following her appearance, Steph secured work experience on Tomorrow's World and not long after, made it on to the payroll as a part-time researcher, while studying at University College London.
After graduating she became the main producer for daily financial news on the Today programme on Radio 4, securing interviews with top business leaders and running a number of foreign projects, including a stint in Chicago covering the trial of Conrad Black and a series from Brazil investigating the biofuels industry.
Two years later, within weeks of becoming the producer for the then economics editor, Evan Davis, the financial world was in meltdown. Steph has covered its developments ever since. For three years Steph was the lead producer of business news on the BBC's main news bulletins working with the then business editor, Robert Peston.
Never shy of putting in the hours, Steph also spent time building up her own on-air profile, which included working as a business presenter on the Chris Evans show on Radio 2 and on BBC 5 live.
She is also a mentor for young people in Teesside and regularly runs workshops for schoolchildren around the North East.
And when she's not talking money or media, Steph is a former champion Irish dancer and still keeps her foot in, often attending international competitions, where she helps to coach dancers.
Books
Steph's debut crime novel, DEADLINE, will be published by Pan Macmillan in July 2025.
Ann Cleeves has said: "A pacy, witty, engaging thriller, entertaining and delightfully authentic—but hard-hitting and thought-provoking too. I can’t wait for you all to read it."