Alison Hammond has confirmed she will replace Matt Lucas as the host of Channel 4 show Great British Bake Off later this year.
The increasingly popular This Morning presenter had originally been mooted as a potential replacement for Little Britain star Lucas, who announced he would be stepping down as host last year, in February.
Taking to Instagram on Friday, Hammond, 48, confirmed her new role by sharing a short video of herself and co-host Noel Fielding alongside judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith as iced figurines atop a large, Bake Off themed cake.
Staging a mock press conference, Hammond’s disembodied voice is heard as she centres on the new line-up.
‘Breaking news everyone,’ she announces. ‘Alison Hammond is joining the team of the Great British Bake Off. Alison, have you got any words whatsoever?’
Zooming in on her iced caricature, she adds: : ‘Do you know what? I’m just so very excited. As you can see, all my colleagues are absolutely speechless. We’re so very happy and we can’t wait to get started!’
Captioning the post, she wrote: ‘It’s OFFICIAL!!! It’s happening The Great British Bake off! Let’s have it!’
Official: Alison Hammond has confirmed she will replace Matt Lucas as the host of Channel 4 show Great British Bake Off later this year
A source told The Mirror: ‘Alison is a great choice. She will bring warmth and humour to the tent in spades. We’re laughing just thinking about it.’
Hammond is set to make history as the first non-white host or judge in the show’s 14-year history.
Lucas co-hosted the Channel 4 show alongside Noel Fielding since 2020 but has decided his time on the programme is over.
He described his stint alongside Prue Leith , Noel Fielding and Paul Hollywood as ‘a pandemic job’ due to landing the role at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Lucas said: ‘I had a great time and the bakers were lovely. Now it’s time for someone else to do it.’
In a statement, the comedian cited his heavy workload as the reason he has stepped away from Bake Off, saying he wouldn’t have the time to host it alongside his work on Fantasy Football League.
He wrote: ‘Farewell Bake Off! It’s been a delicious experience and I can’t imagine a more fun way of spending my summers.
Career: Alison Hammond has reportedly been lined up as the new host of The Great British Bake Off, replacing departing comic Matt Lucas
Exit: Matt co-hosted the Channel 4 show alongside Noel Fielding since 2020 but has decided his time on the programme is over
‘But it’s become clear to me that I can’t present both Fantasy Football League and Bake Off alongside all my other projects.
‘So, after three series and 51 episodes, I am cheerfully passing the baguette on to someone else.
‘I would like to give my warmest thanks and gratitude to everyone at Love Productions and Channel 4 and to Noelipops, Paul, Dame Prue, the crew and, of course, the wonderful bakers for welcoming me into the tent.
‘I wish whoever takes over the very best and I can’t wait to tune into the next series without already knowing who won!’
Lucas joined the show in series 11, replacing fellow comedian Sandi Toksvig who left the programme after three seasons.
The comedian was inundated with well wishes from Bake Off fans who said they’d miss him on the show.
The Great British Bake Off is reportedly set to undergo a ‘back to basics’ revamp after the last series failed to impress viewers.
Fans were said to have complained about the complicated nature of some of the tasks – such as the Halloween lantern that had to be a pinata – and the ‘mission impossible’ time constraints.
New hosts: Alison will join Noel Fielding, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith for the 2023 series
A source told The Mirror: ‘Alison is a great choice. She will bring warmth and humour to the tent in spades. We’re laughing just thinking about it.’
A source told The Mirror bosses have decided to pair things back for the next series and contestants will have more classic baking tasks.
They said: ‘There is a realisation last year’s show didn’t really work. We’re going to strip it back to basics, with a few twists.’
The Great British Bake Off recently announced the star-studded line-up for their 2023 celebrity special in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.
And leading the way are former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson , Friends legend David Schwimmer and reality star Gemma Collins – who will also be hoping to avoid that dreaded soggy bottom with their bakes.
A total of 20 famous faces will be heading into the famous tent, with other names battling for star baker including Loose Women’s Judi Love and Coleen Nolan , comedian Paddy McGuinness and Olympian Tom Daley.
While also jostling for that coveted Hollywood handshake is Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, presenter AJ Odudu, The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades, radio host Adele Roberts and Strictly’s Ellie Taylor.
Also taking part in the Channel 4 show are comedians Rose Matafeo, Mike Wozniak and Lucy Beaumont, radio presenter Tim Key and filmmaker David Morrissey.
Completing the star-studded line-up is Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas, Shaun of the Dead actress Jessica Hynes and Murder in Successville actor Tom Davis.
Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will be back once more as judges, alongside hosts Noel Fielding and Lucas – with the latter appearing for one final time.
It comes after Lucas and David Walliams recently announced they were writing together again, sparking speculation they were working on a Little Britain reboot.
But Lucas has insisted his new project with David Walliams is something completely different after presenters Alex Jones and Ronan Keating quizzed him about it.
Ready, set, bake! The Great British Bake Off has announced the star-studded line-up for their 2023 celebrity special in aid of Stand Up To Cancer
Little Britain ran from 2003-2006 and was a sketch comedy show featuring the celebrities as different characters including Andy and Lou.
Matt, who appeared on the show alongside Fantasy Football League co-host Ellis James and singer Rita Ora, said of the rumours: ‘It’s not true! Me and David Walliams are working together on a new thing, but it’s not Little Britain.
‘It’s a brand new thing. If anything it’s more of a spiritual successor to Come Fly With Me, it’s going to be all new characters.
‘But we have literally just begun the process, we are still brainstorming. We know what the concept is but we are now creating the characters.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk