Who is the new Inside the Factory presenter? BBC show start time - and presenting team
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- Inside the Factory is back on our screens tonight (December 22).
- Gregg Wallace is no longer on hosting duties - and has been replaced by Paddy McGuinness.
- A new series is about to start just in time for Christmas.
Inside the Factory is back on the BBC - but not as you remember it. The presenting team has seen a major shake-up following the earlier departure of Gregg Wallace - which came before the news of allegations against him broke.
Paddy McGuinness is stepping into his shoes and joins Cherry Healey for a brand new series of the popular documentary. Kicking-off with a look at how Christmas chocolate seashells are made, the new batch of episodes will begin tonight (December 22).
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Hide AdFirst starting back in 2015, Gregg Wallace had hosted the show from the beginning - but it was announced in 2023 he would be leaving the show. His final episodes aired earlier in 2023.
What time is Inside the Factory on TV tonight?


The brand new series of the popular documentary starts today (December 22) - and it is actually the ninth so far, since its debut in 2015. The episode is scheduled to start at 6.30pm on BBC1 and will run for an hour.
You can also watch it on BBC iPlayer - live or on catch-up after the fact. It will also be repeated on the morning of Saturday December 28.
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Hide AdWho is the new host of Inside the Factory?
It was announced in 2023 that Gregg Wallace would be leaving the show after filming season eight of the show. His final episode aired earlier in 2024 - and his departure is not linked to his recent decision to stand down from Masterchef.
Paddy McGuinness joins Cheryl Healy as co-presenter, while historian Ruth Goodman is also back as usual. BBC Commissioning Editor Denise Mather said: “We’re really delighted that Paddy is joining Inside the Factory, he brings such energy, warmth, and of course humour.”


What to expect from the new episode?
For the first episode of the ninth series of Inside the Factory Paddy will join Cheryl and head to Belgium to learn about chocolate. While Paddy is at a factory that makes four million chocolate seashells every day (and that is just my personal order), Cheryl will learn the secrets of white chocolate production at the biggest chocolate factory in the world.
In keeping with the Christmas release date, Ruth is in a city with a familiar-sounding name, Saint Niklas, exploring the European origins of Santa. The BBC has also revealed the full list of factories the team will visit for the new series:
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Hide Ad- Episode 1 - Chocolate Seashells
- Episode 2 - Sliced Bread
- Episode 3 - Cheese Curls
- Episode 4 - Flapjacks
- Episode 5 - Sausage Rolls
- Episode 6 - Hardback books
How to watch Inside the Factory - as channel changes
The new series is not only getting a fresh presenter, it will also be swapping BBC channels. It is making the jump over to BBC One, so make sure you are switched to that at 6.30pm to avoid missing out.
Executive Producer Michael Rees added: “As we’re in our ninth series, it’s not an easy task, but thankfully there are loads of wonderful factories all over the country with new stories to tell. We always like to feature well-known brands and products that most people in the UK will have bought and experienced, but might not have thought how they’re made.
“Products with a hint of nostalgia that we’ve all grown up with are especially great for fun-packed programmes. We have regular brainstorms in the office for products that the team would like to see featured, and it certainly gives the weekend supermarket shop a whole new angle as you scour the shelves for inspiration.”
What are you most excited to watch on the TV this Christmas? Let me know your picks by email: [email protected].
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