Madeley: 'Being off air is like being set free'

Richard Madeley says he hasn't missed daily broadcasting in the slightest; in fact, it's 'like being set free'.

Richard, who with wife Judy Finnegan dominated daytime TV on ITV's This Morning and Channel 4 for almost 20 years, has no plans to return to television.

He told BBC Online: "I've had two propositions in the last year to go back and do something on my own, but the answer is an absolute no.

"Some people come up to us and ask whether we miss doing daytime television.

"But I have to say 'not in the slightest'. I'd say the last year professionally has been the most enjoyable I can remember. It's been like being set free."

He added: "I don't think the kind of shows that we made for This Morning and Channel 4 are possible any more because it cost a lot of money.

"One of the reasons we decided to leave Channel 4 is [that] we could see the budgets would have to come down - and to make a good show it costs money.

"And that wasn't our wages. That money went on screen - on high quality videos, on bringing guests over the Atlantic, on high production values in studio and a big team.

"The money isn't there any more. They have to make it on the cheap and you don't get the quality that we were able to deliver."

Richard has been presenting a Radio 2 show and will appear as a subject on Who Do You Think You Are, while Judy had 'pulled back from broadcasting completely for the time being'.