Steph McGovern may be a cool headed interviewer who is able to grill celebs while they are cooking up lunch on her Channel 4 TV show – but she almost lost her breakfast one morning while interviewing Gordon Brown.
The 39-year-old presenter has a past as a journalist and worked in the political world during the financial crisis in the late naughties.
As a result, she found herself rubbing shoulders with then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown who was in power from 2007 until 2010.
Steph admits that despite the global community spiralling into financial oblivion at the time, she loved nothing more than getting drunk with friends – but this backfired when she suddenly needed to head to Number 10 after a night of heavy drinking.
She told Woman&Home magazine: “Going out used to be my release. In my early 20s, in the middle of the credit crunch, I was covering the financial crisis every night, so going out with my mates for a good night was my release.
“One night, I ended up partying all night with Chris Evans at a party in Hyde Park, where Kylie was too.
“I was meant to be off the following morning but was called to Downing Street with Robert Peston to interview Gordon Brown. It was really bad because I drank too much and thought I was going to be sick.
“At one point, Gordon asked me if his hair was all right and I thought, ‘He’s got a bit of hair sticking up but I cannot go over to pat his hair down for fear of throwing up on him’.”
And, it turns out, Steph did indeed throw up – as she admits: “About half an hour later, I was. I threw up in the loo at No. 10!”
Steph – who is in a long-term relationship with a BBC TV executive and together the two women have a daughter who they welcomed in November 2019 – also opened up about a health condition she has battled.
The star explained that she battles the effects of Irritable Bowel Syndrome – saying it has affected her since she was a teenager and since she gave birth almost three years ago.
She said: “My IBS has been crippling for me. I had IBS from my teenage years and after I had a baby, I really struggled.
“I’ve since changed my diet. I eat lots of probiotic foods – I add kimchi to everything – and eat within a few hours. It’s helped with my IBS, I’ve lost two dress sizes and it’s sustainable.”
In her wide ranging interview, Steph – who hosts Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4 on week days – hinted she’s been asked to compete on Strictly Come Dancing multiple times in the past.
However, her work and parenting schedule has kept her away from the dance floor.
She explained: “I always get asked to do reality programmes but it’s not the right time.
“I’m not saying I’ll never do them but at the moment, I’ve got enough going on and reality work is for when you want to find more work!
“I never say never to Strictly Come Dancing, but if I do it, I want to give it my all, and with a two and a half year old, I want to be there for her more than I want to dance.”
The July issue of woman&home is on sale Wednesday 25 May 2022.
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