Matt Lucas to co-host ‘The Great British Bake Off’
The 'Little Britain' star will be replacing Sandi Toksvig
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
Matt Lucas has been announced as the new co-host of The Great British Bake Off after Sandi Toksvig stepped down last year.
After three years, Toksvig – who was among the few openly lesbian women on British television at the time of her coming out in 1994 – announced she would be stepping down as the co-host of the Channel 4 show.
Toksvig had hosted the show alongside Noel Fielding since 2017, when the pair replaced Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc following Bake Off‘s highly-publicised move from BBC One to Channel 4.
And now, Deadline report that Little Britain star Matt Lucas is set to take her place and join Noel Fielding in hosting duties with Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith returning as judges.
Lucas said: “I’m chuffed to bits to be joining the most delicious show on television. I can’t wait to break bread with Fielding, Prue and Paul and meet the brilliant bakers.
“And bearing in mind my love of cake, I’ve already ordered some much larger trousers in anticipation.”
The Great British Bake Off executive producer Richard McKerrow added: “He’s a phenomenal talent with a huge heart and we can’t wait to enjoy the mischief and mayhem he and Noel will inevitably create in the tent.
“Our new batch of bakers will be in very safe hands.”
Filming of the eleventh series is set to start this spring.