Steph McGovern, 38, has been in the public eye ever since she was 19-years-old, when she made a guest appearance on a program about women in science, having just been awarded the prize of Young Engineer for Britain. Since then she has presented on shows such as BBC Breakfast before moving to Channel 4 to host her own gig, but she admits that it’s her friends who have kept her grounded all these years and tell her when she’s acting out of sorts.
Chatting to I’m A Celebrity 2020 winner Giovanni Fletcher on her podcast Happy Mum, Happy Baby, Steph opened up about how she’s juggled motherhood with her busy career.
“My friends are totally the key to my success in my life and career because they have kept me grounded,” she explained.
“At times they’ve said to me, ‘Steph, you’re being a bit of a k**b, you’re being a bit of a TV k**b.’
“And I was like, ‘Oh my God, you’re right.'”
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Despite the crass term, she noted she was extremely grateful that her pals had the sense to point it out to her to avoid anyone else doing so.
“I remember one of my mates saying that to me, and thinking I hadn’t seen it myself.
“I’m so glad [they] said that because [they were] right, I have said a few things that make me sound like a TV k**b!”
She added: “I’m grateful that [they] said that and I think that’s really important.”
“As a journalist, the best way to get things out of people is if they feel comfortable and you’re approachable and you feel like a friend to them and normal to them,” the Packed Lunch presenter added.
“Most of the people I interview are very normal people who might have had extraordinary things happen to them and therefore you want to make sure that they feel totally comfortable in talking to you and not feel intimidated.”
She revealed that she is unfazed about being considered a “sexy” TV star, and instead longs after another compliment that means more to her than anything.
“The biggest complement is when someone says, ‘Yeah, I’ll go for a pint with her,'” she smiled.