The network has revealed that Steph’s Packed Lunch has been cancelled after just three years.
The 41-year-old host of Channel 4’s show, Steph McGovern, will depart in December.
“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,” a statement read.
“With audience habits changing quicker than ever.”We are still fully dedicated to our goal of 50% out-of-London origination and to our aim of elevating the TV business outside of London.
The funds that were originally allocated to Steph’s Packed Lunch will be used to fund productions in other countries and areas.
The final programme will air in December, the cast and crew have been informed.
The show, which launched in 2020 and is broadcast live from Leeds Dock, includes news pieces and interviews with celebrities.
Steph’s executive producer at Channel 4, Vivek Sharmar, was taken by ITV’s This Morning last month.
According to reports, Vivek is “a huge champion” of Steph, which implies that the celebrity is currently vying to unseat Holly Willoughby.
‘I’m quite pleased at Channel 4 doing Steph’s Packed Lunch but never say never,’ Steph said in response to a question from The Sun during last week’s Attitude awards.
The broadcaster is apparently struggling to reduce expenses due to financial difficulties, which is why the axe comes amid a wave of cancellations.
The controversial late-night programme Naked Attraction, the financially disastrous movie Scared Of The Dark, and the innovative medical documentary Rescue: All members of Scotland-based Extreme Medics have been fired.
According to a source, the channel thinks it would be wiser to stop losing money.
However, employees hold Chief Content Officer Ian Katz accountable for squandering cash on pricey but underappreciated productions like the reality series Rise and Fall, which is estimated to have cost the channel £14 million and could not have been justified due to its poor viewership.
“Everyone is calling it a Channel 4 bloodbath,” stated an insider.
Everyone was initially completely shocked by the cancellation of [an earlier reality show], Four Weddings.
A very successful show being cancelled is practically unheard of, but once word got out, other shows began to suffer as well.
They were informed that Ian Katz had been viewing all of the channel’s content and that they apologised, but this was unavoidable due to financial constraints.
The casting team, which had been assembled to begin work on Naked Attraction, was informed that they would not be required going forward because the show will not be renewed.
Although it doesn’t assist them right now, they attempted to console the show’s freelancing staff by stating they hoped to create another series in December.
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