The Great British Bake Off fans declare their love for contestant Saku as she gets a HUG from hard to please judge Paul Hollywood: ‘I would die for her!’

The Great British Bake Off return to Channel 4 screens on Tuesday evening. 

And fans have already ‘declared their love’ and are ‘ready to die’ for new contestant Saku after just the first episode. 

Kicking off the series, the latest bakers were tasked to create a vertical cake infused with buttercream. 

The Intelligence analyst, 50, admitted she was ‘not nervous’ but as time went on her nerves started to show. 

This resulted in Saku having a Bake Off first… a Paul Hollywood hug. 

Wow: The Intelligence analyst, 50, admitted she was ‘not nervous’ but as time went on her nerves started to show which resulted in her having a Bake Off first… a Paul Hollywood hug

Unfortunately unlike the Hollywood Handshake this did mean nothing but prompted fans to rush to X, formerly known as Twitter, to gush over the Sri Lankan-born baker.

One wrote: ‘I want it on record that I would die for Saku’

Another penned: ‘Figured out the baker I’m going to hyper-fixate over this series. love you Saku #GBBO’

A third said: ‘I already love Saku #GBBO’

‘I LOVE SAKU. PROTECT SAKU AT ALL COSTS. #GBBO’, gushed another.

Saku struggled with her vertical cake cracking but later placed in fifth for the Technical Challenge as they bakers created the iconic chocolate cake from the GBBO opening titles. 

For her Showstopper, Saku created an incredible turtle cake however it was not a hit with the judges as Prue described it as ‘stodgy’ which Paul added: ‘It’s a case of style over substance’. 

It comes as Alison Hammond takes over hosting duties and confessed her nerves ahead of her debut episode.

‘I would die for Saku’: Unfortunately unlike the Hollywood Handshake this didn’t mean anything but prompted fans to rush to X to gush over the Sri Lankan-born baker

The TV personality, 48, appeared on This Morning on Tuesday where she expressed her excitement about teaming up with Noel Fielding to host the show this year.

Speaking to Holly Willoughby and Ben Shephard, she said: ‘Obviously, I’ve been in the tent before, I’ve been on the baker side so I know what is like to be that nervous.

‘But I’m gonna be honest, I have never been that nervous since I hosted first with Dermot O’Leary on the main show.

‘If you think of the bigger pictures, you think this is a global show, I don’t want to ruin this. And I could you know, I’m a little bit risky!’

Alison explained she was adamant that she kept Bake Off the same and that she was worried about upstaging the other stars with her iconic laugh.

She said: ‘I was really respectful of the brand. I just wanted it to be Bake Off – what it it was.

‘I didn’t want it upstage anyone but I couldn’t help the laugh. The laugh always comes out.’

She went on: ‘It is a massive responsibility. I feel so blessed and so privileged to be given that role, I’m pinching myself now.

‘When it was first released I didn’t realise how big it was, people I’ve never met before were saying well done Alison!

‘Everyone loves Bake Off, it’s non offensive, it’s wholesome, it’s so good. It’s a lovely show.’

Debut: It comes as Alison Hammond takes over hosting duties and confessed her nerves ahead of her debut episode