BBC star 'paid whopping £250,000 despite string of cancelled shows' in bid to keep him

51, has appeared on numerous BBC programmes, including and A Question of Sport.

The motoring programme was put to rest after Freddie Flintoff's horrific car crash, while after 53 yearsin December.

However, it's now been claimed that despite both programmes being taken off the air, Paddy has been paid £250,000 by the BBC.

A source told the : "Paddy is loved by BBC Studios and they wanted to keep him in the family even though both of his programmes had been axed.

"He was picking up a nice sum of cash for it, too. Some production staff were told they had to come up with a great new project for him."

Paddy's in their annual corporation report, which saw Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball among top earners, because those whose salaries are paid via production companies are not published.

Paddy, who replaced Sue Barker on A Question of Sport in 2021, has recently returned to our screens for a new travel programme with his Top Gear co-star Chris Harris.

He is also reported to be heading over to ITV fora revival of 80s gameshow, and earlier this year, it was claimed his Channel 4 series had landed a second season.

The dad-of-three has also hosted Catchpoint and I Can See Your Voice in recent years, though both were said to be pulled by the BBC and not green-lit for further seasons.

A source claimed last year: "This will come as a real blow to Paddy, who's made a firm commitment to the Beeb since he quit ITV four years ago.

"Both I Can See Your Voice and Catchpoint saw him retain his place as a star of Saturday night TV, something he forged fronting dating favourite Take Me Out on ITV.

"But these axings mean that's effectively gone, so he's likely to be looking for new projects to fill the void."

The insider added to : "He remains hugely popular with viewers, who see him as a relatable and funny bloke they want to welcome into their living rooms. He is likely to bounce back in some way.'

It comes as Christine McGuinness says ex-husband Paddy is rarely at home with their children, and she admits co-parenting was "not easy."

The 36-year-old split from Paddy, 50, in 2022, and the former couple share three children - twins Leo and Penelope, 11, and eight-year-old Felicity.