The Great British Bake Offwill kick off its 14th series tomorrow, set to delight fans and baking fanatics across the nation once more.
Tomorrow's episode will air at 7PM, and, as per the trend set by previous series, episodes are expected to then air at 8PM every Tuesday onChannel 4.
The contestants for the new series of The Great British Bake Off have been announced, with the show’s first ever deaf baker featuring on the line-up, as well asa scientist, an accountant and a retired flight attendant introduced.
With Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith reprising their roles as judges, the new series will mark the arrival of vivacious new co-host Alison Hammond, alongside regular hostNoel Fielding.
Matt Lucas, 49, announced his exit from the Channel 4 show in December 2022, after three series of co-hosting with Fielding - but what was the real reason that the Little Britain comedian left the contest?
Farewell: In December 2022, Matt Lucas announced that he was quitting his role as host of The Great British Bake Off (Pictured L-R Paul Hollywood, Noel Fielding, Prue Leith and Lucas)
Fantasy Football League
In December 2022, Lucas announced that he was quitting his role as presenter of The Great British Bake Off.
The comedian had co-hosted the Channel 4 show alongside Noel Fielding since 2020, but decided that his time on the programme was over after 51 episodes.
In a statement, Matt 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.
'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!'
Matt 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.
From fondant to football: In a statement, Matt 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 (Pictured, from left: Comedian Elis James and Lucas)
New host: With Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith reprising their roles as judges, the new series will mark the arrival of vivacious new co-host Alison Hammond (pictured)
Musical and novel writing
Matt Lucas revealed in February 2023 that he is fulfilling his dream of writing a musical, which is adapted from a short novel he has written.
Speaking on The Deeney Talks podcast, the comedian acknowledged that he is lucky he is able to afford to pause other work projects in order to tick this off his bucket list.
He said: 'I've written a short novel and I'm adapting it into a musical. That's the only thing I've dreamed of doing that I haven't done yet.
'That's not something anyone can give me, [role-wise], it's something I had to decide to do myself. '
He continued: 'I'm lucky enough to be able to afford to not audition [for a show he didn't have time to do] or to not do anymore Bake Off because I don't do that anymore to take time to write my bucket list project.
He also 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.
Matt said: 'I had a great time and the bakers were lovely. Now it's time for someone else to do it.'
Pandemic work: Lucas described his stint alongside Prue Leith, Noel Fielding and Paul Hollywood as 'a pandemic job' (Pictured, from left: Jesy Nelson and Matt Lucas)
What is Matt Lucas doing now?
Lucas and David Walliams, 52, announced earlier this year that they were writing together again, sparking speculation they were working on a Little Britain reboot.
But Matt Lucas insisted on The One Show on in January 2023 that his new project with David Walliams is something completely different after presenters Alex Jones and Ronan Keating quizzed him about it.
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.
Fresh ideas: Matt revealed in January 2023 that he and David Walliams were writing together again (Pictured, from left: Elis James, Matt Lucas, Rita Ora, Alex Jones and Ronan Keating)
'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.'
It comes after Matt revealed that he and David quit their jobs to create their new show.
The comedian admitted that they both thought 'it was time' to brainstorm ideas and build concepts having not worked together since their last comedy series Come Fly With Me which aired in 2011.
It comes after children's author Davidsensationally left his position as judge on Britain's Got Talent,weeks after he was forced to apologise for describing an elderly contestant as a 'c***'.
Speaking on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, Matt revealed: 'Me and David Walliams have started writing together again.
'We just thought it was time so we quit our jobs and decided to do that. I mean I still do Fantasy Football League, obviously.
'We just started last week. We got together and we started brainstorming. But we have to write the treatment for it and we have to go and pitch it and see if anyone wants to make it. But if someone wants to make it, we'll be thrilled to do it.'
The Great British Bake Off will air tomorrow on September 26 at 7PM.
Reunited: Matt revealed that he and David had quit their jobs to focus on their new venture,
Sketch show: Little Britain ran from 2003-2006 and was a sketch comedy show featuring the celebrities as different characters including Andy and Lou (Pictured)
