Steph McGovern shares candid 'public leak' confession to raise awareness

Steph McGovern's emotional speech on final Packed Lunch show

If you regularly tune into Channel 4, these days you’d recognise Stephanie McGovern who fronted her own show, Steph’s Packed Lunch.

The TV presenter and journalist is known for her charismatic presenting style, but away from the screens she is very open and honest about conversations surrounding menstruation.

Taking to Instagram, the mum-of-one shared a candid insight into her regular period leaks and experiencing crippling pain at work. She shared her views in a lengthy 'rant' on her official profile.

Steph penned: "A period drama. I’m 42. And like lots of us I’ve been having painful, heavy periods since I was 12. And that can mean hormones going wild, embarrassing leaks in public, crippling pain at work.

"Us lasses just put up with it don’t we? Now after 30 years I need a rant about it……

"Earlier this week I was on a flight going down to London for work. My plan was to go straight to a meeting (abt a new TV show - more on that soon). During the flight I could feel stomach cramps. It was day 4 of my period and I had taken painkillers. Anyway, I cracked on prepping for work, trying to ignore it.

"When we landed I stood up and suddenly felt a gush of blood. I was wearing tampon+liner and had black jeans on so wasn’t too worried.

"Then another more powerful gush came and this time I felt blood running down my leg. I looked down and saw the blood, which was now on my white trainers. I was mortified. Not only was I surrounded by businessmen I could feel more and more blood coming out."

Steph later explained that she went into 'full on panic mode' and was 'trying not to cry.' She eventually found a nearby toilet and was able to clean herself up and use different underwear.

Steph has posted a fiery rant about menstruation (Image: Getty)

She added: "I know stories like this will be very familiar to lots of you! So why am I telling you this? Because periods are s**t!!! And I hate the fact that we end up embarrassed about them when it’s not our f*ing fault. I know they are what help us have babies and I am very grateful for my little girl. But honestly 30 years of this (minus the preggers years). It’s a joke."

Away from her TV job, Steph keeps her private life very much on the down low. The only details we know is that she has a mysterious girlfriend and in November 2019 the couple welcomed a baby girl.

Steph has shared very few public posts about her daughter, who’s name has never been disclosed.