A look back at Paddy McGuinness’ axed TV shows as presenter prepares to launch new series – but will it also face the kiss of death?

Paddy McGuinness will be back on screen next week with his brand new show starring Chris Harris.

The presenter is returning to the BBC alongside his former Top Gear colleague for a new three-part series called Paddy and Chris: Road Tripping.

As the couple explores how to live long, they meet some of the continent’s “healthiest, happiest, longest-living people” as they visit Sweden, Switzerland, and Greece.

However, Paddy doesn’t have the best reputation as a show host, with many of his previous shows having been cancelled after he worked on them.

This well-known TV presenter, who rose to fame thanks to his comedian Peter Kay, previously presented the BBC programmes Top Gear, I Can See Your Voice and Question of Sport, all of which have been axed.

The presenter will return to the BBC alongside his former Top Gear colleague for a new three-part series Paddy and Chris: Road Tripping, in which they explore how to live long

Paddy lost its Saturday night primetime slot to both Catchpoint and I Can See Your Voice in February 2023.

That came just four years after he left ITV for the BBC, when his dating show Take Me Out was axed after 11 seasons.

After the loss of both present roles a A TV insider told The Sun: ‘This is a huge blow for Paddy, who has been committed to the BBC since leaving ITV four years ago.

“But with these layoffs, that has effectively disappeared, so he will likely look for new projects to fill the void.

“He remains hugely popular with viewers, who see him as a relatable and funny guy they want to welcome into their living rooms. He will probably come back in some form.”

Prior to this, Paddy joined Top Gear in 2019, alongside presenters Chris Harris and Freddie Flintoff. However, the show was axed after the latter was seriously injured in a crash during filming in December 2022.

It was also claimed that Question of Sport had lost millions of viewers since Sue Barker left as presenter and Paddy replaced her in 2021.

The BBC sports quiz show was presented by 66-year-old Sue from 1997 to 2021, when she was replaced by Paddy. According to The Sun, the series saw viewership plummet to an average of 850,000.

The TV household name, who rose to fame with the help of fellow comedian Peter Kay, previously presented BBC shows Top Gear, I Can See Your Voice (pictured) and Question of Sport – all of which have since been axed

After losing both presenting roles, a TV insider told The Sun: ‘This will be a real blow for Paddy, who has been determined to commit to the BBC since leaving ITV four years ago’ (pictured on Catchphrase)

It came just four years after he left ITV for the BBC broadcaster when his dating show Take Me Out was axed after 11 seasons

Paddy initially shot to fame alongside fellow Bolton comedian, the hugely popular Peter Kay, in Phoenix Nights after working as a lifeguard and fitness instructor at a leisure centre for more than seven years

Between four and five million viewers regularly watched Sue when she was a presenter, until she was sacked in 2020 when bosses decided to revive the programme.

Given his past, Paddy hopes his latest series, which starts on Sunday September 29, will break the pattern of his cursed shows.

In a sneak peek, we see the duo surfing, trying out roller coasters, exercising in the woods and even testing cosmetics as they find out how Europeans make the most of their old age.

Paddy first shot to fame alongside fellow Bolton comedian, the hugely popular Peter Kay, in Phoenix Nights, after working as a lifeguard and fitness instructor at a leisure centre for over seven years.

The star later rose to fame with Kay in Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere in 2004 and decided to pursue full-time work in entertainment.

Following Phoenix Nights, the pair reprised their roles as bouncers in the Channel 4 series, this time following their trials and tribulations as they travelled across Britain in a camper van.

In addition to his comedy performances, Paddy continued to appear regularly on television, including as an understudy on This Morning and two seasons of Rory and Paddy’s Great British Adventure with comedian Rory McGrath.

He then landed the role of presenter on ITV’s Saturday night show Take Me Out, which saw a single man enter the stage in a ‘love lift’ before being greeted by a panel of 30 women.

It has also been claimed that Question of Sport has lost millions of viewers since Sue Barker left as presenter, with Paddy replacing her in 2021 (Sue pictured with captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell)

Paddy joined the Top Gear cast in 2019, alongside presenters Chris Harris and Freddie Flintoff. However, the show came to an end after Freddie crashed during filming in December 2022.

All the women have a ‘light’ on and the man must try to convince as many women as possible to leave their lights on before he chooses a girl he likes.

Once the man found his match, the couple went on a date to the fictional location of Fernando’s Island in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

But the show was cancelled by bosses in February 2020, with ITV saying the programme had ‘had its day’ after nine years.

A TV source said at the time: ‘ITV and Paddy have made all the specials you can get from a dating show, so it has been decided it is time to call it a day.’