Paddy McGuinness unveils his next career move after Top Gear was axed by the BBC

Paddy McGuinness has announced his return from showbiz exile after posing in promotional pictures for a new TV show. McGuinness, formerly of Top Gear and ITV’s Take Me Out fame, has been flying somewhat under the radar since Top Gear was canned by the BBC.

Now, he has been photographed ahead of his appearance in the new series of BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are, which explores the family trees of celebrities and traces their roots back hundreds - sometimes thousands - of years. McGuinness, 50, has three children with ex-wife Christine, and still lives with them as a family despite their split in 2022.

Speaking about his new show appearance, McGuinness said: “I’m not dropping a new album. This is a shot from the brand new series of Who Do You Think You Are. Coming soon to BBC One and BBC iPlayer. I know next to nothing about my family history, or even my own mum and dad’s childhood, so doing this was a real pleasure.”

Replying to his post on Instagram, fans were delighted that McGuinness will be making his TV return. One user, Martin Holme, asked: “Cant wait to watch the new series, when is the episode airing?”

Jessie Price said: “Thought you were replacing Claudia as host for next series of The Traitors with all those candles. Will definitely be watching your Who Do You Think You Are episode.”

Carole Brown added: “I wish I had asked my parents more questions about their pasts, you think you have loads of time to find stuff out and then just like that they are not there to ask. I love the programme and enjoy seeing stars find out their history, hope you enjoyed yours.”