Alison Hammond has reportedly been hired as the new presenter of The Great British Bake Off, replacing outgoing comedian Matt Lucas.
The This Morning star, 48, will co-host the Channel 4 show with comedian Noel Fielding, 49.
“Alison is a great choice. She will bring warmth and humor to the tent. We laugh just thinking about it,” a source told The Mirror.
Alison will make history as the first non-white host or judge in the show’s 14-year history.
MailOnline has reached out to Alison’s rep for comment.
Career: Alison Hammond has reportedly been hired as the new presenter of The Great British Bake Off, replacing outgoing comedian Matt Lucas
Exit: Matt has co-hosted the Channel 4 show with Noel Fielding since 2020 but has decided his time on the program is up
Matt has co-hosted the Channel 4 show with Noel Fielding since 2020 but has decided his time on the program is up.
He described his stint alongside Prue Leith, Noel Fielding and Paul Hollywood as a “pandemic job” having taken on the role early in the Covid-19 lockdown.
Matt said: “I had a great time and the bakers were very nice. Now it’s time for someone else to do it.”
In a statement, Matt cited his heavy workload as the reason he retired from Bake Off, saying he didn’t have the time to host it alongside his work on the Fantasy Football League.
He wrote: “Farewell Bake Off! It was a delicious experience and I can’t think of a more fun way to spend my summers.
“But I’ve realized that I can’t present both Fantasy Football League and Bake Off alongside all my other projects.
“Well, after three series and 51 episodes, I’m happily passing the baguette on to someone else.
“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone at Love Productions and Channel 4 as well as Noelipops, Paul, Dame Prue, the crew and of course the wonderful bakers for welcoming me to the tent.
“I wish whoever takes over the very best and I can’t wait to get ready for the next series without already knowing who won!”
Matt joined the show in Series 11, replacing fellow comedian Sandi Toksvig, who left the program after three seasons.
The comedian was inundated with well wishes from Bake Off fans, who said they would miss him on the show.
The Great British Bake Off is reportedly set to undergo an overhaul after the last series failed to impress viewers.
Fans are said to have complained about the complexity of some of the tasks – such as the Halloween lantern, which had to be a pinata – and the time constraints of Mission Impossible.
New presenters: 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 humor to the tent. We laugh just thinking about it.”
A source told The Mirror that the bosses have decided to bring things back together for the next series and contestants will have more classic baking tasks.
They said: “There’s a realization that last year’s show didn’t really work. We’ll boil it down to the basics with a few twists.
The Great British Bake Off has announced the star cast for their 2023 celebrity special benefiting 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 wet bottom with their baked goods.
A total of 20 famous faces will head into the famous tent, with other names competing for star bakers including Loose Women’s Judi Love and Coleen Nolan, comedian Paddy McGuinness and Olympian Tom Daley.
While Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, presenter AJ Odudu, The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades, radio host Adele Roberts and Strictly’s Ellie Taylor also compete for the coveted Hollywood handshake.
Also joining the Channel 4 show are comedians Rose Matafeo, Mike Wozniak and Lucy Beaumont, radio host Tim Key and filmmaker David Morrissey.
Rounding out the star-studded line-up are Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas, Shaun of the Dead actress Jessica Hynes and Murder in Successville actor Tom Davis.
Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will return as judges, alongside presenters Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas – with the latter making a final appearance.
It comes after Matt and David Walliams recently announced they are writing together again, sparking speculation they were working on a Little Britain reboot.
But Matt insisted on The One Show on Friday night that his new project with David Walliams is something else entirely after presenters Alex Jones and Ronan Keating quizzed him about it.
Ready, set, bake! The Great British Bake Off has announced the star cast for their 2023 celebrity special benefiting Stand Up To Cancer
Little Britain ran from 2003 to 2006 and was a sketch comedy show starring celebrities as various 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 on a new thing together, but it’s not Little Britain.
“It’s something very new. If anything it’s more of a spiritual sequel to Come Fly With Me, there will be all new characters.
“But we’ve literally just started the process, we’re still brainstorming. We know the concept, but we’re creating the characters now.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/alison-hammond/article-11869547/Alison-Hammond-unveiled-new-host-Great-British-Bake-Off.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 Alison Hammond ‘unveiled as new host of Great British Bake Off’
