Great British Bake Off: Diana Beard quits due to illness (2024)

Great British Bake Off: Diana Beard quits due to illness (1)

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Diana Beard has left the Great British Bake Off tent due to illness, BBC producers have confirmed.

The 69-year-old Women's Institute member quit the show after losing her sense of smell and taste the night before episode five was filmed.

The BBC said Diana's exit this was "not connected in any way" to the Baked Alaska scandal of episode four that viewers witnessed last night.

Diana, who is the oldest contestant to ever take part in the series, was attacked on social media after she took fellow contestant Iain Watters' ice-cream out of the freezer during the all-important final task.

Iain became enraged when his dessert was left runny and stormed out, only to return and present his creation in the bin. The 'bingate' hashtag was born and it was announced that Iain would be leaving the competition.

The worst Bake Off gaffes

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Despite the dramatic events of the latest instalment, the Bake Off was shot last spring, meaning that recent controversy would not have affected Diana's decision to leave.

Nevertheless, the BBC received 556 complaints from viewers arguing that Diana should have left instead of Iain.

Earlier today, Diana broke down in an interview and claimed she had been "stitched up" and made a scapegoat by the show's editor.

"Why would I want to sabotage Iain's Baked Alaska?" she told the BBC. "Iain does not hold me responsible for his failed ice cream. He rang me three days ago to warn me that the knives were out."

The BBC also rushed to Diana's defence, insisting that the offending ice-cream removal lasted "less than a minute" and was "in no way responsible for Iain's departure".

Paul Hollywood also took to Twitter to put an end to the drama, tweeting '#enoughnow' and adding that his fellow judge Mary Berry would be "upset" at all the debate.

Great British Bake Off: Diana Beard quits due to illness (2024)

FAQs

Great British Bake Off: Diana Beard quits due to illness? ›

Beard tells The Guardian that she withdrew because she lost her sense of taste and smell after fainting in a restaurant. "It's an absolute bummer," she said. "My neurologist says it may never come back." The 70-year-old was at the centre of a row about a baked Alaska that shook the usually tranquil series this week.

What really happened to Diana on The Great British Baking Show? ›

The controversy deepened when Diana dropped out of the competition soon after due to a fall that left her without a sense of smell or taste. Since the show, Diana continues to cook (with the help of her husband and cousin's senses) and is in demand to give cook talks and demonstrations.

Did Diana take Ian's ice cream out of the freezer? ›

During the bake, Diana took Iain's ice cream and sponge cake assembly out of the freezer to make room for hers, mistakenly leaving it out on a counter in the hot tent. When Iain found it, the ice cream had melted and, frustrated, he threw the sponge cake and melted ice cream in the dustbin.

Why was Noel Fielding missing Great British baking show? ›

After getting a degree from Brunel University, Fielding had hepatitis, according to a 2013 Guardian piece. 2-Does Matt Lucas have a child?

What is the illness in The Great British Bake Off? ›

She was then rushed outside. A tearful Tasha was comforted by new host Alison Hammond. Tasha was filmed having a discussion with the camera crew and revealed she had suffered with a migraine the night before. The decision was made for her to go home.

What is the biggest Great British Bake Off controversy? ›

#Bingate. Arguably one of the most controversial moments in the Bake Off tent ever; when Iain Watters ice cream melted after his fellow contestant Diana Beard removed his dessert from the freezer during the 2014 series.

Why did Diana lose weight? ›

According to Andrew Morton's 1992 biography, based on confession tapes recorded by the princess, Diana's condition began before her wedding to Charles. "The bulimia started the week after we got engaged and would take nearly a decade to overcome," she said on the tapes, according to Vogue.

What happened to Ian from Bake Off? ›

Ian lives in Cambridgeshire with his wife and two children. He's a travel photographer and has the honour of being the Dalai Lama's personal snapper when he visits the UK.

What happened to Ian's Baked Alaska? ›

The baked Alaska fiasco

A frustrated Iain threw his creation into the bin and even presented said disposal unit to the judges when it was time to bring his bake up to the front of the tent. It provoked national outrage though as Beard's apparent devious actions hit the headlines.

Why does the ice cream not melt in Baked Alaska? ›

Baked Alaska is a baked dessert consisting of cake, ice cream, and meringue. So how does the ice cream not melt during the baking process? The meringue insulates it from the heat. The treat is baked in a hot oven for a few minutes or just long enough to firm and brown the meringue.

Does Noel Fielding have hepatitis? ›

In 2009, a Sunday Times article revealed that Fielding developed alcohol-induced hepatitis during his college years; he said that he was helped through this time by his friend and collaborator Nigel Coan. This forced him not to drink alcohol for six months, which led him to become teetotal for a couple of years.

How much does Noel Fielding get for Bake Off? ›

It was previously reported that Noel makes around £200,000 per series of Bake Off, according to The Sun. Meanwhile, Alison is no stranger to the programme as she took part in Celebrity Great British Bake Off which helps to raise money for Stand Up to Cancer.

Why did Prue leave The Great British Baking Show? ›

The current favourite to fill in for Prue is celebrity chef Nigella Lawson. A spokesman for Bake Off creator Love Productions said: “Prue will be stepping back from The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.”

Which British Bake Off Baker died? ›

“We are deeply saddened to hear that Luis Troyano has passed away,” the “Great British Bake Off” show account tweeted Tuesday. “It was a huge honour and pleasure to have him in...

Why did Diana Beard leave the Great British baking show? ›

The 69-year-old Women's Institute member quit the show after losing her sense of smell and taste the night before episode five was filmed. The BBC said Diana's exit this was "not connected in any way" to the Baked Alaska scandal of episode four that viewers witnessed last night.

Why did the woman leave the British baking show? ›

She quit the show in 2019, when she was replaced by comedian Matt Lucas. At the time, Toksvig said she was leaving “to spend more time with my other work”. As my waistline will testify, Bake Off is an all-consuming show,” she said in her statement.

Why did Mary Sue and Mel leave GBBO? ›

Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins' seven-series tenure as hosts of The Great British Bake Off nearly did not happen after they resigned on the first day of filming. The pair have revealed that they quit because they feared producers wanted to make a more intrusive and crueller show than they were happy with.

What happened to Flora from Great British baking show? ›

Flora Shedden

After leaving the tent, she wrote for The Telegraph and The Scotsman, and published her first book, Gatherings, in 2017. Since then, she has opened her own artisan bakery in Dunkeld called Aran, and will publish an accompanying cookbook this autumn. Follow her on Instagram @florashedden.

What happened to Diana England? ›

During the early hours of 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died from injuries sustained earlier that night in a fatal car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. Diana's partner, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were found dead inside the car.

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