Steph McGovern
McGovern compering the Welcome Dinner of the Skills Show 2015, NEC, Birmingham
Born
Stephanie Rose McGovern

(1982-05-31) 31 May 1982
North Shields, England
Alma materUniversity College London
Occupation(s)Journalist, television presenter
TelevisionSteph's Packed Lunch
BBC Breakfast
Pocket Money Pitch
Shop Well for Less?
Watchdog
Have I Got News for You
Made in Great Britain
The Masked Dancer
Children1
ParentEamonn McGovern

Stephanie Rose McGovern HonFREng (born 31 May 1982)[1] is an English journalist and television presenter. She hosted Steph's Packed Lunch on Channel 4 from 2020 to 2023. She worked for the BBC as the main business presenter[2] for BBC Breakfast, often co-hosting the entire programme.

Early life

McGovern was born in 1982 in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, and grew up in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire.[3][4] Her father is professional artist Eamonn McGovern.[5] In 1998, at the start of her sixth form studies, she won an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship for her potential to be a future leader in the engineering industry.[6] From 1998 to 2000, at Macmillan Academy, in the sixth form, she studied maths, physics, design technology and business studies.[7][8]

At the age of 19, she was awarded the Young Engineers Clubs' "Young Engineer for Britain",[9][10][11][12][13][14] and during a gap year Year in Industry before a then-planned mechanical engineering degree at Imperial College, McGovern was a junior member of Black & Decker's Six Sigma team in Spennymoor, saving Black & Decker £150,000 a year by improving production techniques used for the Leaf Hog (Blower/Vacuum/Mulcher) later receiving EEF/Year in Industry Award[15][16][17] for Contribution to the Business.[18][19]

She attended University College London, where, in 2005, she received a BSc in science communication and policy in the Department of Science and Technology Studies.[20] In 2013, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Teesside University.[21]

Career

McGovern started at the BBC doing work experience on the Tomorrow's World programme, before securing part-time employment as a researcher in current affairs. She became the main producer for daily financial news on the Today programme on Radio 4, before becoming the lead producer of business news on the BBC's One, Six and Ten O'Clock news bulletins, working with the then business editor, Robert Peston.

McGovern has presented BBC Radio 5 Live's Wake Up to Money and On the Money and was BBC Breakfast's main business presenter beginning in 2010,[22] as well as a regular presenter of the entire show. She presented Pocket Money Pitch for CBBC.[23]

McGovern serving as a moderator at an UNCTAD conference in 2013

Since March 2016, she has co-presented the consumer series Shop Well for Less with Alex Jones for BBC One. In 2018, McGovern presented a six-part BBC series called Made in Great Britain.[24][25]

McGovern joined the BBC Watchdog presenting team from autumn 2016. She also co-presented Can Britain Have a Pay Rise? for BBC Two alongside James O'Brien and has been both a panellist and host on Have I Got News for You.

In October 2018, McGovern stated that she found Donald Trump "creepy" after he referred to her as "beautiful" during an interview in 2012. She is said to have brushed off Trump's comments by telling him she had heard "better lines" in Middlesbrough's Club Bongo.[26]

McGovern left BBC Breakfast in October 2019 to join Channel 4. She had been expected to host Steph's Talks from spring 2020 at Channel 4's then-new base in Leeds,[27] however the COVID-19 pandemic meant that she began presenting The Steph Show from her front room on 30 March 2020.[28] The show eventually launched in September 2020 as Steph's Packed Lunch.

In 2021, she was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering,[29] recognised as a "tireless champion for engineering and vocational skills".[30]

In December 2021, McGovern was featured in the BBC Four series Walking with..., walking in Littondale in the Yorkshire Dales.[31]

McGovern was a contestant in the second series of The Masked Dancer under the stage name 'Tomato Sauce'. Her first appearance was on 10 September 2022 (Episode 2) and she was voted off on 1 October 2022 (Episode 5).[32] She also hosts industrial events.[33]

McGovern hosts The Rest Is Money podcast with old friend and economics expert Robert Peston[34]

Personal life

McGovern is a former champion Irish dancer and still often attends international competitions, where she helps to coach dancers.[35][36] She confirmed on 14 July 2019 that she was pregnant[37] and that she and her girlfriend were expecting their first child.[38] On 4 November 2019, McGovern announced that she had given birth to a baby girl.[39]

McGovern lives in North Tyneside.[40]

References

  1. ↑ Shahid, Sharnaz (1 June 2021). "Steph McGovern shares rare snap of daughter during surprise birthday party thrown by girlfriend". Hello!. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "Steph McGovern". United Agents. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  3. ↑ Fleet, Holly (5 October 2020). "Steph McGovern: Packed Lunch host hits out at public misconception 'Everyone assumes'". Daily Express. ...You're the first person to actually ask me where I was born...I was actually born in Newcastle, but I grew up in Middlesbrough...
  4. ↑ Collins, David (8 January 2023). "Steph McGovern goes from Packed Lunch to breakfast club to help pupils". Sunday Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Steph McGovern makes rare family comment as she poses with her 'brilliant' dad". HELLO!. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "Welcome". Young Engineers - The National Network of Science, Engineering and Technology Clubs. Archived from the original on 12 December 1998. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  7. ↑ "Destinations - Stephanie McGovern, Presenter for BBC Breakfast News". Post 16. Macmillan Academy. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2021. Steph was a Post 16 student from 1998-2000. She studied A Level Maths, Physics, Design Technology and Business Studies. In Post 16, she showed a keen interest in journalism and often presented the academy news, she is now a lead presenter and journalist on the BBC Breakfast News.
  8. ↑ "Steph McGovern". Alumni. Macmillan Academy Post 16. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "Winners - Young Engineers". The Awards Ceremony. The Big Bang Fair. Archived from the original on 12 March 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  10. ↑ "Sixth-form engineers win royal approval". South Wales Echo. Cardiff, Wales. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2021 – via Free Online Library. ...Young Engineer for Britain Award for Innovation... at the Young Scientist and Engineers Fair 2013 in London
  11. ↑ "UTC Reading student wins Young Engineer for Britain award". UTC Reading. Retrieved 5 December 2021. ...Adam joined the YEB Mentoring Programme...mentored by...National Physical Laboratory in London...Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers...British Library...Young Engineers. ...at the Big Bang Fair at the NEC in Birmingham...At the end of the competition, Adam was presented with the Young Engineers Award for Craftsmanship.
  12. ↑ "COMPETITIONS: Young Engineer for Britain". Young Engineers. Archived from the original on 3 October 2006. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  13. ↑ Clarke, J. C.; Clothier, P. R. (September 2009). "Young Engineer for Britain". Studies in Design Education Craft & Technology. 14 (2). Retrieved 4 December 2021. The Young Engineer for Britain contest attracted the attention of schools throughout Britain and in this article we present accounts by teachers and students of two of the successful schools, The Robert Clack School at Dagenham and the Westwood School in the London Borough of Bexley.
  14. ↑ Emily Cummins#Awards and Recognitions
  15. ↑ "Top award for teen scientist". Gazette and Herald. High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire: Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 4 December 2021. HELPING...scientist Philip Jales a top industry award from the Engineering Employers' Federation...spent the past year gaining work experience at Dstl Porton Down in Wiltshire as part of the Year in Industry scheme. The scheme gives young people a taste of the engineering and manufacturing industry in a gap year between A levels and university.... regional Year in Industry Awards held at the EEF (Western) headquarters in Bristol. He scooped the EEF Contribution to the Business Award...
  16. ↑ "Industry awards recognise students' contribution". Cambridge Network. Cambridge Network Limited. 16 June 2006. Retrieved 4 December 2021. The EEF/Year in Industry Awards will be hosted again at Microsoft Cambridge Research on 21st June 2006.
  17. ↑ "Great expectations". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 5 December 2021. TWO local schools exceeded all expectations when three of their bright young inventors were chosen to compete for the coveted title of Young Engineer for Britain 2000.
  18. ↑ "Gap-year pioneers make their mark". The Engineer (UK magazine).
  19. ↑ "LeafHog Blower/Vac/Mulcher". Black & Decker. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  20. ↑ "BBC correspondent: Steph McGovern". University College London.
  21. ↑ "Alumni & friends - Honorary Graduates". Teesside University.
  22. ↑ "BBC Business Presenter Steph McGovern visits Business students". Nelson and Colne College. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  23. ↑ "Pocket Money Pitch – Media Centre". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  24. ↑ "'Made in Great Britain". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  25. ↑ "Steph McGovern". The Independent Commission on the College of the Future. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  26. ↑ "BBC reporter brushed off Trump flattery". BBC News. 26 October 2018.
  27. ↑ "Steph McGovern: Presenter leaves BBC Breakfast for Channel 4". BBC. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  28. ↑ Craig, David (25 March 2020). "Steph McGovern to launch The Steph Show from living room". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  29. ↑ "Academy celebrates first new Fellows elected under Fit for the Future diversity initiative". Royal Academy of Engineering. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  30. ↑ "Steph McGovern HonFREng". Royal Academy of Engineering. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  31. ↑ "Walking With... - Series 1: Walking with Steph McGovern". 15 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  32. ↑ "Who is in The Masked Dancer 2022 UK?".
  33. ↑ "Steph McGovern to host the BCIA Awards 2017". Clarkson Controls. Retrieved 5 December 2021. Building Controls Industry Awards
  34. ↑ "The Rest Is Money - Goalhanger Podcasts". Apple. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "Steph McGovern kicks off her shoes and dances". BBC News. 2 April 2012.
  36. ↑ "Business News: Stephanie McGovern". BBC News. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  37. ↑ "Steph McGovern: Presenter leaves BBC Breakfast for Channel 4". BBC News. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  38. ↑ Westbrook, Caroline (14 July 2019). "Who is Steph McGovern's girlfriend and when is the BBC presenter's baby due?". Metro. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  39. ↑ "BBC Breakfast presenter Steph McGovern, 37, welcomes first baby with girlfriend". Metro. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  40. ↑ Ford, Coreena (14 July 2022). "Steph McGovern launches new business partnership with guest who changed her life". Business Live. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
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