It only took a handful of smiling snapshots to send the internet into meltdown.
When Paddy McGuinness shared a series of warm, behind-the-scenes photos with his new Inside The Factory co-host Cherry Healey, fans instantly began asking the question he never expected to face so publicly: Is there something more going on?
From relaxed restaurant moments to caravan-park laughs and a touching appearance together at the finish line of Paddy’s gruelling Children in Need charity bike ride, the images painted a picture of two people completely at ease in each other’s company.
Then came the caption that really set tongues wagging.
Paddy described Cherry as an “absolute diamond”.
For many followers, that was all the confirmation they needed.
“Is this the new Mrs?”
The comment section quickly turned into a guessing game.
“You look so cute together — is this a soft launch?” one fan wrote.
“Is she your soulmate?” another asked.
A third went straight to the point: “New lady, Paddy?”
Within hours, speculation had spread far beyond the original post — turning a simple work update into a full-blown dating rumour.
Paddy shuts it down
Faced with the growing chatter, the 51-year-old presenter decided not to let the narrative run away from him.
Responding directly, he made his position crystal clear:
“Not at all. She’s just a great person.”
No mystery. No secret romance. Just friendship.
A new chapter on screen
The pair recently joined forces after Paddy replaced Gregg Wallace on Inside The Factory. Cherry, who has been part of the show since 2015, welcomed him during the Christmas special, with the upcoming series set to return viewers to the Warburtons factory in Bolton — where Paddy once worked himself.
Admitting he was nervous before they met, Paddy later shared how instantly things clicked.
“You never know how it’s going to be,” he said.
“But we just got on straight away. We laugh a lot.”
A friendship built on kindness
One moment that truly cemented their bond came after Paddy completed his epic charity bike ride for Children in Need.
Cherry surprised him at the finish line in Kendal — not with a publicity stunt, but with something far more personal: a homemade lasagne.
For fans, it was another glimpse into a friendship that clearly runs deeper than just television schedules.
Two separate lives, moving forward
The rumours surfaced only months after Paddy’s divorce from Christine McGuinness was finalised in October 2024.
Cherry, meanwhile, has two children and is currently in a relationship with Justin Mountstephens, CEO of a sports marketing agency, following her divorce from husband Roly in 2016.
Despite what social media wants to believe, both presenters are simply moving forward — separately.
Professional chemistry, nothing more
As Inside The Factory returns to screens, viewers may continue to notice the warmth between Paddy and Cherry.
But for him, the message is simple:
There’s no hidden romance — just genuine respect, shared humour, and the easy chemistry that makes great television.
