MSC Cruises will no longer use Antony Worrall Thompson next month to perform a series of culinary demonstrations aboard their cruise liner MSC Splendida.

The company announced yesterday that Paul Rankin, a Michelin award-winning chef, will replace him for the cruise that leaves Barcelona on the 5th February 2012.

The following day a series of appearances will start during which he will demonstrate some of his most popular dishes – a mouth-watering selection that can only be found on board MSC Cruises.

Paul Rankin is one of the most popular chefs in the United Kingdom. He won the first Michelin Star ever in Northern Ireland. His pioneering Caynenne restaurant in Belfast is one of the top restaurants in the country.

He regularly appears on television shows such as Ten Mile Menu and Ready Steady Cook. He is also the author of a number of top selling books.

He will join MSC Splendida on the 5th February when she departs on a seven-night cruise that will take her to Barcelona, Genoa, La Goulette (Tunisia), Valletta, Marseille and Civitavecchia (Rome).

Earlier in January Worrall-Thompson apologised after a shoplifting incident at Tesco. He promised to “seek the treatment that is clearly needed.” Strangely enough, he got away with a warning from the police.

Cruise fans in Ireland should not forget the MSC cruises that depart from Cork later this year – these will save them a lot of unnecessary travelling. Departure dates are the 15th August, the 26th August and the 5th September.