County Durham’s Rachel Sweeney recently announced that she would be leaving her role on Channel 4 show Steph's Packed lunch and heading down a different path – here’s what is lined up next for the broadcaster. 

The County Durham-born presenter, who spent 13 years at Tyne Tees, became the first regional reporter appointed by GB News when it launched last year.

However, after announcing that she'd be joining Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch after she left GB News - fans of the TV personality were excited for her. 

Read more: Rachel Sweeney announces next job after leaving GB News

A few months on from her role with Channel 4, though, Rachel has revealed that she has landed herself a new role as film and content director at Gardiner Richardson.

Rachel said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining such a well-respected and creative team. I’ve always had a keen interest in community issues, public health, and regeneration.

"I have enjoyed reporting on how businesses used diversification to survive the pandemic and the current cost-of-living crisis.

"It has also been an honour to bring often unheard voices into the national conversation. I am looking forward to continuing this work at GR.

"Moving to Gardiner Richardson will allow me to create considered content and spend time on video that will make a huge difference to the visibility of the varied businesses we work with.

"I already feel at home… and I will not miss the 4am breakfast news alarm!”

Rachel is from a mining family and went to Framwellgate School in Durham and, although she loved her three years studying broadcast journalism at Cheltenham, she couldn’t wait to return.

Her parents are comedienne and radio presenter Sue Sweeney and former footballer Ian Sweeney. She married Chris, an electrician, and they have a son, Archie.

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