BBC Cancels “Paddy and Chris: Road Trippin’” After Strong Debut

The BBC has decided not to renew the popular show Paddy and Chris: Road Trippin’ for a second series after its successful debut. Despite attracting a solid audience of 3.2 million viewers for its series opener on BBC One last year, the network has confirmed that there are currently no plans for new episodes.

The show featured former Top Gear hosts Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris as they explored various locations in search of a remedy for the mid-life crisis. The cancellation has taken many by surprise, particularly given its strong ratings on Sunday evenings.

A source within the television industry noted that some controversy surrounding Chris Harris may have influenced the decision. Just weeks before the show aired, Harris publicly criticized the BBC after a serious incident involving fellow Top Gear presenter Freddie Flintoff. Flintoff sustained serious injuries while filming, leading Harris to express concerns that the show’s stunts could be dangerous. He claimed he had warned producers that someone could be severely hurt.

Although the timing of the criticism was unfortunate, by then, all episodes of Road Trippin’ had been completed and were ready for broadcast. McGuinness has largely refrained from discussing the accident involving Flintoff, while Flintoff himself described feeling like he was treated “like a piece of meat” in a recent documentary aired on Disney+.

Despite the cancellation, the BBC has not entirely closed the door on future collaborations with McGuinness and Harris. A spokesperson stated, “While viewers can enjoy all episodes of Road Trippin’ on BBC iPlayer now, there are currently no plans for any new episodes at the moment.”

In other programming news, the BBC has confirmed that a new series of The Celebrity Traitors is set to debut in October 2023, airing three nights a week for three weeks. This new series will coincide with the launch of ITV’s Big Brother. The BBC’s Destination X is currently outperforming ITV’s The Fortune Hotel in ratings, indicating a competitive landscape ahead for UK television viewers.