7 Things Live TV Has Taught Me

As Steph McGovern, 38, return s with a new-look version of her C4 chat show, she tells TV Times the lessons she’s learnt from being one of TV’s most in-demand hosts

- Elaine Reilly 

1 BEWARE OF PIGS!

‘Technically, you never know if you’re going to get on the air or not – especially on an outside broadcast. People will walk into your shot randomly and then try and sneak back out.

‘I’ve been bitten by a pig live on air and just had to carry on with it attached to my leg! You can prepare for things to go wrong, but if they do, you can’t take it too seriously. Either make light of it or apologise.

‘There’s no greater thrill than doing live telly and things potentially going wrong. And viewers love it!’

2 LIGHTING IS KEY

‘When you’re out and about, you can end up in the dark. I’ve been in situations where we’ve been somewhere very early in the morning and I’m lit up, saying, “Look at this beautiful view,” but viewers can’t actually see anything behind me on camera.

‘Lighting also really matters in terms of your make-up. When I did the lockdown version of this show from my house [The Steph Show] I did my own hair and make-up. For the first episode I used the same make-up I’d wear in a studio but it was too warm with the lights. Viewers told me I looked like I’d been Tangoed. I looked like an Oompa Loompa!’

3 IT’S A TEAM GAME