The Liberal MP Craig Kelly, a leading climate change sceptic in the Liberal party, is set to become a regular co-host of Sky News’ Outsiders program following the network’s decision to sack Ross Cameron for racist comments.

Kelly confirmed he had a “verbal agreement” to co-host the program with commentator Rowan Dean once a week.

Kelly is currently the sitting member for Hughes in Sydney’s south but faces a serious preselection challenge for his seat before the federal election next year. The preselection has been delayed amid lobbying to get his challenger, Kent Johns, a moderate, to pull out. Johns is resisting the overtures.

“All members of parliament make regular appearances on Sky News,” he told the Guardian. “[Minister for defence] Christopher Pyne is the host on Pyne and Marles.

“We are are talking about a weekly spot on Outsiders.”

Sky News terminated the contract of its Outsiders presenter Ross Cameron last week for using racist language to describe Chinese people.

Cameron described Chinese people as “black-haired, slanty-eyed, yellow-skinned” during a 30 October broadcast.

The activist group Sleeping Giants Oz, which aims to hold the media accountable by targeting advertisers who sponsor at-times problematic programs, published the clip on social media, where it was quickly picked up by the former race commissioner Tim Soutphommasane.

That soon led to advertiser action.

Kelly and the former prime minister Tony Abbott have called for an end to renewable subsidies and withdrawal from the Paris agreement.

Last month Kelly told Guardian Australia the government should consider reducing excise by 25%, or 10c a litre, at a cost of $3.5bn a year when the budget situation allows.