Richard and Judy to work separately...

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Richard and Judy break-up as a TV couple after ratings dive
EXCLUSIVE by Lori Campbell
7/03/2009

Telly star Richard Madeley has revealed he and wife Judy Finnigan are to split up their on-screen partnership after 21 years. Richard said: “We both feel we’ve done all we can do as a partnership. We feel the need to diversify and there are tantalising possibilities with solo projects.”

His admission comes after the couple’s latest show, Richard and Judy’s New Position, bombed in the ratings. The pair, who regularly pulled in three million viewers on Channel 4, are now seen by just 8,000 an episode on little-known digital channel Watch.

Richard said: “We knew before it started in October that, however it panned out, to begin with the viewing figures would be minuscule – and didn’t mind. The only thing we’ve been disappointed with is the channel still hasn’t got any traction. We just have to cross our fingers and hope it picks up.”

The primetime programme, which earned the couple £1million each, is expected to be axed when the current series ends at Christmas. Richard, 52, has also revealed he has already started his new project. Speaking on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, he said: “We’re both writing novels – one popped into my head one day and I’m really enjoying it. And I’m keen to do more radio.”

Richard said the worst moment of his career was when the couple’s much-anticipated interview with OJ Simpson in 1996 after being cleared of murdering wife Nicole was cut short by ITV and panned by critics. The star also revealed his father physically abused him as a child in Romford, Essex. He said: “There were about 20 to 30 episodes of violent rages. It started when I was eight and continued until I was 10. My mum put an end to it. He eventually issued a very genuine apology and I forgave him.”

Speaking from the couple’s home in Cornwall yesterday, he added: “If our current show doesn’t go beyond December we wouldn’t do another traditional Richard & Judy programme. That’s not to say that if someone offered us an attractive joint project we wouldn’t be interested. But we do feel this is our last day-to-day magazine programme.”

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8000 viewers when you have pretty well known star guests it's shockingly poor. Fact is though, I can't get the 'Watch' channel without paying for the XL tv package with my cable company. It should have been on Freeview and I'm pretty sure it would have had 10-20x as many viewers.