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Richard and Judy to quit

02/11/2007

TV duo Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan are to quit their Channel 4 daytime show once their contract ends next year, they have confirmed.

The husband and wife team will step down from the afternoon chatshow in summer 2008, ending 20 years of presenting live shows together.

"The programme is still full of life, but we have taken the difficult decision to leave it on a high," Madeley explained.

"After seven consecutive years we both feel we have achieved everything we wanted with the show.

"We want the chance to launch other projects in broadcasting and writing while we are still young enough," he added.

The show's You Say We Pay contest was involved in the recent TV phone-in scandal, with watchdogs discovering premium rate phone lines had remained open even after contestants had been chosen.

Julian Bellamy, head of programming at Channel 4 said: "Richard and Judy have informed us that they do not wish to continue their show after their current contract comes to an end in 2008.

"Channel 4 wishes to thank them for the fantastic contribution they have made to the channel over the last seven years," he continued. "Their show has deservedly won them many loyal fans while the extraordinary success of their book club has brought them wider acclaim for the most successful ever TV initiative in encouraging reading as well as promoting new books and authors.

"We wish them great success and will continue to look at opportunities to work with them in the future."

The pair will present two further series of the 17:00 show as well as presenting a Richard & Judy's Christmas Books special in December.