Paddy McGuinness makes TV comeback as he lands new travel series and game show is renewed
PADDY McGUINNESS has lost some of his biggest telly gigs recently – but he has landed a new show that should see his career take off again.
The Boltonian funnyman is about to star in his very own travelogue.
He will go on a long adventure across Europe for the series, which will be screened on BBC One and iPlayer later in the year.
A TV insider said: “He’s had mixed fortunes recently with several of his shows getting the chop, but it looks like Paddy’s luck is changing.
“This travelogue is a bit of a departure for Paddy and the programme might see him team up with a buddy for the trip.
“Either way it’s the latest in several bits of good news for his career.”
Second run
As well as Paddy becoming the new host of BBC Two’s Inside the Factory documentary series, it also looks like there will be a second run of his Channel 4 game show Tempting Fortune.
Recently Paddy — who shot to fame in Max And Paddy’s Road to Nowhere with comedian pal Peter Kay — in 2004 — even popped up on BBC One’s Question Time, discussing national politics.
It comes after the cancellation of his other shows for the BBC including A Question Of Sport, Top Gear and I Can See Your Voice.
Though, to be fair to Paddy, they were often axed due to circumstances beyond his control.
Paddy began working for the BBC after leaving his hit ITV show Take Me Out in 2019.
He’s the latest in a long line of celebrities to make telly travelogues. Danny Dyer, Clive Myrie, Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice are among the other stars who have tried the format.
But only one man has any chance of persuading Peter Kay to join him on his programme.
Come on Paddy, you have to make it happen.
Russ in Strach and ruin
IF there’s one thing Russell Howard now knows not to do, it’s embarrass a celebrity.
The comedian learned the hard way when he publicly gushed over his childhood crush, former kids’ TV host and Springwatch presenter Michaela Strachan.
Russell revealed on his Wonderbox podcast: “She was there at a very early gig I did, and I got really excited.
“I was 18, and the poor woman had gone there for a night out in the pub and a comedy night is happening, and then suddenly I was on stage telling her I fancied her when I was young.
“Imagine that – she’s gone on a night out with her husband and some bloke has got a microphone going, ‘When I was younger, I tell you what . . .’
“I learnt a lot that day, because she left at half-time.
“You’ve just ruined someone’s night.”
MARYAM MOSHIRI is hosting the BBC News channel’s new evening show The World Today, which aims to give in-depth analysis on big stories.
The presenter, who was caught on camera jokingly giving the middle finger before a bulletin last year, said: “This is my dream job.”
Martin chills in Norway
MARTIN COMPSTON won’t be flying to somewhere hot for his summer holiday.
Instead, he plans to return to Norway after loving his time there while filming his new travel series with pal and fellow Scot Phil MacHugh.
Norwegian Fling, starting tomorrow on BBC Two, sees the pair spend time on a fishing boat and in a cage with wolves and follows their previous series in 2022, which explored their native Scotland.
Line Of Duty star Martin said of filming in Norway: “I couldn’t believe it had taken me that long to go there, because it’s such a beautiful country.
“I never really thought to go there unless it came up for work, but now I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
MEL GIEDROYC’s Unforgivable will make its return next month.
The show, which is now in its fourth series, will air on Dave from 12 March.
The new series will see co-star Lou Sanders travelling up and down the nation to seek out jaw-dropping confessions from the public, and surprise celebrity guests.
Kath: I’ll man up for quiz
KATHERINE RYAN has joked she is the equivalent of a token male on Rosie Jones’s new quiz.
Out Of Order, which is the first ever all-female comedy panel show, also features Loose Women’s Judi Love.
Katherine said: “I was the closest thing to a white man on this panel.”
Judi added: “It’s just so nice to work in a room full of women, to be able to turn around and ask, ‘What time is your childcare finishing?’”
The show airs on Comedy Central later this month.
Rosie revealed: “In one episode, we spent ten minutes talking about nipples.”