Paul O’Grady  will be signing a massive £8 million deal with ITV following a breakdown in talks with his bosses at Channel 4, according to a report.

The comedian will launch a new primetime Friday night chatshow on ITV1 next year, putting him head-to-head with BBC One’s Jonathan Ross,  according to The Mirror .

A source said: “This will give Paul the best of both worlds – less work but a big show on a mainstream channel in a primetime slot.

“ITV want him to be their answer to Wossy and plan to expand on his current daytime show by pulling in bigger names, including A-list celebs. Paul has a great way of relaxing his interviewees so he’s sure to get great guests onto the show.”