Gregg Wallace’s Inside The Factory replacement revealed as BBC brings in beloved TV star
GREGG Wallace’s replacement for Inside The Factory has been ‘revealed’.
Broadcast magazine has reported that former Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness is in ‘pole position’ to take over the role.
Gregg announced his departure from the series earlier this year and admitted that a behind the scenes ‘issue’.
It would be a big move for Paddy as it would see him secure yet another high profile BBC gig.
Paddy hosts Top Gear and I Can See Your Voice for the broadcaster but with the motoring show recently thrown in the air after co-star Freddie Flintoff’s horror accident and the singing game show not receiving another series – Inside The Factory could be the perfect gig to keep the funnyman at the top.
The 50 year old has been described as in “pole position” and at the very top of Beeb bosses wishlist to get the job.
Back in March, Masterchef judge Gregg said he had decided to step back from presenting the BBC series to focus on his autistic son, Sid.
But then in May, it was reported that the real reason Gregg, 58, stood down from his role was because he had ‘offended female staff’ with ‘inappropriate banter’ at one of the factories.
Now Gregg has broken his silence on the situation during an appearance on Good Morning Britain.
Speaking to presenters Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway on the show, the star said: “I left. I have got a little boy called Sid who at the moment is non-verbal, he is still in nappies.
“He has got learning difficulties, I am an ambassador now for Ambitious about Autism, mum needed help there.
“There was an argument inside the factory, the reporting isn’t accurate. There was an issue, I thought that is the perfect time to come out. Offending people in the factory, no.”
He added: “There was an issue, I don’t want to discuss what the issue was but I thought that is a good time.”
Richard, 67, asked Gregg if the “issue” had made him “look back and go ‘oh maybe I shouldn’t of said that?'”
But Gregg replied: “No, no. That’s completely inaccurate, I didn’t challenge it, it’s completely inaccurate.”
The alleged incident took place at the Nestlé UK factory in York, and a source told The Times: “He was rude towards staff and continued to talk in a derogatory manner, especially to women.”
While the comments were not of a sexual nature, they were deemed “inappropriate”, and a complaint was lodged with Voltage TV, the production company that developed the programme.
The source continued: “He was given a talking-to and was appalled that he had caused such offence.
“He felt that he was just trying to be friendly, but no longer knew what the right thing to say was any more and decided to leave.”