Paddy McGuinness addresses ‘unfounded’ plastic surgery rumours: ‘This is just a tan’

Comedian set right the ‘absolutely scurrilous and unfounded rumours that I’ve had a bit of work done over Christmas’

Paddy McGuiness has addressed rumours that suggested he has recently undergone plastic surgery.

Opening up about accusations that he had work done during a “long weekend” in Turkey, the Top Gear presenter posted a video to Instagram, in which his face appears to be chiselled and his skin looks airbrushed.

“Hello there, I’ve come on here today to address the absolutely scurrilous and unfounded rumours that I’ve had a bit of work done over Christmas,” he told fans in a video captioned: “Ignore the fake accounts. Unless it’s this guy, it’s not real.”

The 49-year-old comedian continued: “Now, yes, I have been to Turkey for a long weekend but absolutely no truth in that I’ve had a bit of work done.”

“This is just a tan and I’ve had a couple of cans of that Prime,” he says, referring to the viral energy drink created by YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI.

“There’s a lot of fake accounts going round of mine but unless it’s this guy, it’s not the real deal,” he says, gesturing to his unusually airbrushed face.

Fans flooded the comments section with cry-laughing emojis as they realised that McGuiness was using a facial filter to alter his appearance on the app.

“Took me a second to realise that’s a filter,” commented one follower.

Paddy McGuinness joined ‘Top Gear’ as a co-host in 2019 (PA Media)

Other fans speculated that McGuiness resembled David Beckham or Gary Barlow with the filter.

“HILARIOUS,” commented another.

In the summer, McGuinness and wife Christine announced their separation after 11 years of marriage, describing it as a “difficult decision”.

A joint statement posted on both their Instagram accounts read: “We hadn’t planned on sharing this publicly until we were ready but after the lack of privacy surrounding our personal life, we feel left with no other option but to clarify.

“A while ago we took the difficult decision to separate but our main focus as always is to continue loving and supporting our children. This was not an easy decision to make but we’re moving forward as the best parents we can be for our three beautiful children.”

Speaking to OK! Magazine in an interview published on 19 December, Christine said the separation was “heartbreaking” and she never expected her marriage would come to an end.

She said the children were not aware of the split “at all”, adding: “They’re so young. I’m trying to just stick to their normal routine.”