Richard Madeley Reveals The ‘Painful’ Truth Behind Judy Finnigan’s Decision To Walk Away From TV
Richard and Judy (Image: Channel 5)
Richard Madeley has opened up about the very different ways he and Judy Finnigan experienced life in the public eye, revealing why the spotlight eventually became something his wife was keen to leave behind.
The pair spent decades working together on television and became one of Britain’s most familiar presenting duos. But while Richard was able to embrace the attention that came with their success, Judy found one particular side of celebrity increasingly difficult.
Speaking to Vanessa Feltz on her At Home with Vanessa podcast, Richard reflected on how their lives changed after they went from being journalists to becoming household names.
He said their feelings about the transformation were “fairly mixed”, adding that they understood public curiosity was an inevitable consequence of working in such a visible profession.
Richard, 70, also acknowledged that their careers made it difficult to object when people took an interest in their personal lives.
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Richard and Judy return to the sofa (Image: ITV)
As journalists, he and Judy had been accustomed to asking others probing questions, meaning they knew they could expect some of the same treatment themselves,
However, Richard recalled how the attention could sometimes cross the line into deeply intrusive territory.
He remembered photographers using telephoto lenses to look into their home, while on another occasion he discovered a drone following him around their property in Cornwall.
“I was just in my underwear. I just got out to empty the bin and there was a drone taking pictures of me,” he told Vanessa.
Richard said he was generally able to deal with the unwanted attention, but admitted Judy experienced it differently. “I think Judy found it more painful than I did,” he said.
Judy Finnigan (left) and Richard Madeley (Image: PA)
He suggested the scrutiny faced by female celebrities was particularly harsh, pointing to the constant commentary surrounding women’s clothes, hairstyles and physical appearance.
“If you’re talking about comments about clothes and appearance and hairstyle and stuff, it’s always the woman who gets it,” Richard said.
Despite the pressures, Richard was keen to stress that Judy remained an exceptional broadcaster. He described her as “one of the best, if not the best presenter I’ve ever worked with” and said her popularity had endured long after she left television.
According to Richard, people still regularly ask him how Judy is doing and send their love, despite her having been away from the industry for almost two decades.
The former presenter was not put off by television itself, though. Richard said she particularly enjoyed the energy and creativity involved in putting together live programmes.
“She loved the job that you just described in studio, working to construct this live, action-packed program, and sometimes very funny program, but she hated the intrusion,” he said.
Judy eventually retired from television, with her decision confirmed in 2018. She had enjoyed a lengthy career alongside Richard, with the pair first appearing together on This Morning in 1988 before moving to Channel 4 and launching Richard and Judy in 2001.
Her daughter Chloe previously said: “My mum is done with TV and if she went back to it I don’t think it would make her happy.”
Richard said Judy was particularly pleased to regain her privacy after the couple eventually left Channel 4. They had spent 21 years on the network and around three decades presenting together when their regional work was included.
He added: “She loved the privacy. She loved not being out there.”
