Steph McGovern Defends Have I Got News For You's 'Weird' Return To Our Screens

TV presenter Steph McGovern has spoken out after the unique return of Have I Got News For You received mixed reviews.

On Friday night, Steph took on presenting duties when the topical panel show returned to our screens, but with a twist.

For those that missed it, because of social distancing guidelines, the entire show had to be done over video-link, with the entire panel satirising the week’s news from the comfort of their own homes.

Their image was then placed in a virtual version of the show’s set, with a rather surreal result.

However, as anyone who’s spent the last few weeks doing team meetings over Zoom or Google Hangouts (or, even more stressfully, attempted to put together a virtual “pub quiz”) will tell you, these video-links don’t always exactly run smoothly.

In the end, the episode received a mixed response from viewers, with Steph speaking out the following morning on her Twitter page, pointing out that while it may have been a “weird” watch for some, that’s what people should come to expect in the current climate.

“Am in my kitchen. Or as I like to call it now, Television Centre,” she wrote.

“Thanks for messages abt HIGNFY. It’s been going 30yrs with same format so I think it‘s great that [production companies Hat Trick and Electric Robin] tried something different to keep it on air.”

She added: “It was weird but so is life at the mo.”

The coronavirus pandemic has hugely impacted a number of industries, including television.

Production has been suspended on several daily shows in the UK, including ITV’s Lorraine and Loose Women, while all four of the country’s key soaps – EastEnders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks – have also shut down filming for the foreseeable future.

Other shows like This Morning and The One Show are still going ahead, but with huge adjustments, including social-distancing between presenters and guests being interviewed via video-link.