'Irritating on Top Gear and destroyed a Question of Sport': Fury as Paddy 'kiss of death' McGuinness is given

Radio 2 listeners reacted with fury today after the BBC revealed Paddy McGuinness will host a new Sunday show between 11am and 1pm from June.

The Top Gear star first presented on Radio 2 last year when covering the pop quiz Ten To The Top while Vernon Kay was fundraising for Children In Need.

Former Take Me Out host McGuinness – who will broadcast from Salford - has recently been sitting in for Rylan Clark on Saturday afternoons, and presented two shows over the Easter weekend.

But his appointment prompted an outcry, with listeners blasting him as 'irritating' and holding him responsible for the downfall of Question of Sport after he took over Sue Barker as the show's host in 2021.

McGuinness, who shot to fame with the help of fellow comedian Peter Kay, will present his radio show from the summer having previously fronted BBC programmes Top Gear, I Can See Your Voice and Question of Sport - all of which have been axed.

Andrew Montague tweeted: 'Has Paddy McGuinness got photos of senior BBC execs in compromising positions or something?

'What is it with him? Nice bloke but he was a bit irritating on Top Gear and he destroyed A Question of Sport.'

Radio 2 listeners reacted with fury today after the BBC revealed Paddy McGuinness (pictured) will host a new Sunday show between 11am and 1pm from June. 

Paddy McGuinness fronted Question of Sport between 2021 and 2023 after replacing Sue Barker. But critics held him responsible for the show's demise

He also co-hosted Top Gear but the popular car show was paused following Freddie Flintoff's horror crash

Andrew Montague described him as 'irritating on Top Gear' and said he 'destroyed A Question of Sport'

Another X user said: 'Paddy McGuinness is the kiss of death to any programme. I'm trying to imagine him sitting in the same likability zone as Steve Wright and I just can't.' 

McGuinness said: 'I've loved keeping Rylan's seat warm on Saturday afternoons and returning to the airwaves over Easter.

'To be given my very own regular show on the legendary Radio 2 is a dream come true.'

The BBC also announced Michael Ball will present a new Sunday Love Songs show on Radio 2, following the death of Steve Wright earlier this year.

Singer and West End star Ball, who currently presents on Sundays from 11am to 1pm, will host Love Songs with Michael Ball from 9 to 11am from June.

Wright was the long-time host of the Love Songs show on the radio station and continued to present it even after he stepped down from his weekday afternoon show on Radio 2 in September 2022.

Wright died in February at the age of 69 and Nicki Chapman has been filling in the Love Songs slot.

McGuinness will host his new show from 11am to 1pm from June when Ball moves to the earlier time to front Love Songs.

Social media users reacted angrily to the news that McGuinness had been given a plum Radio 2 slot

Michael Ball (pictured) will present a new Sunday Love Songs show on Radio 2, following the death of Steve Wright earlier this year

Ball said: 'Steve made Love Songs 'appointment to listen' radio.

'I'm beyond excited and more than a little nervous to be tasked with the chance to continue with his extraordinary legacy.

'Beautiful, moving, relaxing and uplifting music to lift the soul on a Sunday morning, coupled with the stories, suggestions, requests and precious memories from you, the listener, will ensure that this won't be just MY show, but OUR show.

'I hope you will join us as we continue to share the love.'

Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said: 'Although these are changes that we'd rather not be making given the circumstances, I'm delighted to welcome Paddy and Michael to their new Sunday slots on Radio 2.

'I'm looking forward to Michael's new earlier show, where he'll entertain his 'lovelies' as he's always done, and Paddy made a huge impression on our listeners when he sat in for Rylan as well as with his Easter specials.

'I'd also like to thank Nicki Chapman for presenting brilliant editions of Sunday Love Songs for the past few weeks.'

McGuinness' appointment comes shortly after he revealed he was 'absolutely devastated' when the BBC cancelled A Question of Sport in December.

The Corporation announced that the loved programme would be axed after running for more than 50 years and laid the blame at the feet of inflation and dwindling ratings.

Paddy McGuinness used to host dating show Take Me Out on ITV before the programme was cancelled

McGuinness' appointment comes shortly after he revealed he was 'absolutely devastated' when the BBC cancelled A Question of Sport in December

(L-R) Freddie Flintoff, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris star on Top Gear in 2018

McGuinness is pictured beaming with Flintoff and Harris before Top Gear was paused following the ex-England cricketer's horror crash 

The show underwent its latest revamp in 2021, when McGuinness was drafted in to front the quiz as a replacement for long-standing host Barker.

The former British No 1 tennis player had left the show after 24 years in 2020, and new team captains Ugo Monye and Sam Quek were also called up to replace Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell.

Staff were said to be 'gutted' after the axe fell on the programme two weeks ago, and the former Top Gear presenter echoed their statements whilst hosting Stick to Football's quiz.

'Oh my god,' McGuinness said when prompted on the show's cancellation by Gary Neville. 'Absolutely devastated (it got cancelled).

'It's like in management, football, you go in, do your best, and that's that. But telly, you can be involved with a show and it'll run and run, or it'll finish and you move on, that's just the nature of the beast.

'But when Question of Sport, when they stopped it - and honestly think whether it's captains, me, whatever it is, whatever the reason, they say it's budget stuff, but it's all kind of stuff - I just think, it's going to come back.

'Because I'm a fan of it.'

Upon his hiring, McGuinness said that it had been 'one of his favourite shows' and that he had been 'weaned on it from an early age'.

McGuinness also suffered a blow when Top Gear was 'shelved' in November following Freddie Flintoff's horror crash.

Following the shocking incident, the BBC announced that it would pause production on the show, co-presented by McGuinness and automotive journalist Chris Harris, as it was felt it would be 'inappropriate', adding there would be a health and safety review.

In a statement, the BBC said: 'Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future.

'The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show's renaissance since 2019, and we're excited about new projects being developed with each of them.

'We will have more to say in the near future on this. We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.

'All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.'

Paddy McGuinness is pictured alongside Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris for an episode of Top Gear, which has been axed 

At the time, McGuinness  said: 'We were always going to be bell***s but we were your bell***s.

'Thanks for all the love over the years folks, it was very much appreciated. #TopGear.'

And McGuinness was dealt another setback when I Can See Your Voice was scrapped by BBC bosses last year.

It was reported in February 2023 that I Can See Your Voice had been dropped by BBC bosses after two series.

McGuinness was the host on the show, with Alison Hammond, Amanda Holden and Jimmy Carr starring as judges.

Last October, the presenter confessed that he never turns down work in television due to a 'constant fear' that work might dry up.

Speaking to The Mirror, he said: 'When it comes to telly, it does feel like sometimes 'God, he never stops working' but there are always gaps in between filming shows.

'But also I do think being working class, it's in you, you know? I left school at 16 and you just have that thing of that constant fear of, 'if it stops, what do I do next?'