The comedian, 48, joined the Channel 4 baking competition in 2020 as a host alongside presenter Noel Fielding and judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. He announced he was stepping down in December last year.
The Little Britain star was replaced by This Morning fan-favourite Alison Hammond, who made her Bake Off debut on Tuesday (26 September).
Speaking in a February interview on the Deeney Talks podcast, Lucas referred to Bake Off as a “pandemic job”, admitting he had “never seen the show” before he was approached to star on it.
“I’d never seen the show beforehand and I was not a baker,” he said.
“They were just looking for a new host and it came at a time where I had been living in LA for seven years and I had just sold my house there and I was thinking about coming back and spending more time with my family and friends.”
He continued: “I was told they were interested in me but I said I had never seen it so they [Love Productions] asked if I would watch it and I watched a couple of episodes and thought it was great but I don’t want to host a TV show, but said, ‘Thank you, I’m really grateful.’”
Lucas eventually agreed to meet with the production company after encouragement from his agent.
“Anyway, I went along with it and I got the job and then I was like, ‘Oh, OK,’ and it just kind of happened – it was exactly when the pandemic was and it was the perfect pandemic job and I did it and it was fun and I had a great time with Noel and Paul and Prue and the bakers were lovely and I learned a bit about baking.”
“It probably utilises what I have better than Bake Off,” he said of Fantasy Football League.
“I just don’t have the time and not doing Bake Off means I have time to do some writing with David and record my music as well as Fantasy Football League.”
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Lucas and Walliams are famous for their controversial Noughties sketch show, Little Britain, which in recent years has faced accusations of racism due to the pair appearing in blackface in the series.
Walliams was replaced as a host on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year after his derogatory comments about contestants – including sexually explicit remarks about one woman and another instance in which he described an elderly man as a “c***” – were leaked.
He was replaced by Bruno Tonioli on the ITV talent show.
Bake Off’s showrunner and executive producer Richard McKerrow recently said a new co-host for Fielding on the series would be announced soon, saying he was searching for someone who would “look after the bakers during their experience and be curious about what they’re baking and to do it with charm, humour and kindness”.
The new host will make their debut on the show when it returns this autumn.
Lucas said that, after a time, he felt that he wanted to focus more on Fantasy Football League, writing a book and musical, and working on a new TV series with his former Little Britain co-star David Walliams. “It probably utilises what I have better than Bake Off,” he said of Fantasy Football League.
He explained that it had become too much of a struggle juggling his various TV commitments. “Farewell Bake Off!” he wrote in a statement. “It's been a delicious experience and I can't imagine a more fun way of spending my summers.
How did Matt Lucas lose weight? When it comes to how he succeeded in his weight loss journey, it turns out that Matt followed a pretty simple routine, including walking more and cutting down on bad eating habits. He explained on the podcast how he upped his exercise by walking, revealing: "I like to walk.
“Spending time with Prue [Leith], Paul [Hollywood] and Noel has been one of the great pleasures of my life. These are friendships which I know will continue beyond the confines of television.”
Prue has made it clear she adores the show and would like to come back in 2025." A spokesperson from Love Productions confirmed the news to Digital Spy saying: "Prue will be stepping back from The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer."
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.
Mary left GBBO because the U.K. series switched networks. The show, which originally aired on BBC, decided to move to Channel 4 instead of sticking with BBC. Unhappy with the decision, Mary left the cast to show her loyalty to BBC.
Katie has admitted to shedding more than 20 pounds by making tweaks to the food she was eating. The 37-year-old previously detailed her diet while speaking with Hollywood Life, starting with the most important meal of the day.
In April 2003, he appeared on Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and won £62,500 for the charity. Lucas is gay. He first suspected his sexuality at age 7. At a ceremony in Central London in December 2006, he entered into a civil partnership with Kevin McGee.
In January 2020, she announced she was leaving the show to focus on other work commitments, and was replaced by Matt Lucas. Toksvig presented Channel 4's four-part travel series Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig, which premiered on 10 February 2021.
Speaking to the Radio Times (via Metro) about being paired-up with Lucas, Fielding admitted that despite being friends, collaborating was a "bit weird", particularly given the roles in their original double acts.
Sandi Toksvig has said she stepped down from hosting the Great British Bake Off because she felt her brain was “atrophying”. The 65-year-old comedian and broadcaster began presenting the hit baking show in 2017 alongside Noel Fielding after it moved to Channel 4 from the BBC.
I have snapped my Achilles tendon." The set medic, "who has had nothing more exciting than bakers' cut fingers to deal with for three years, finally gets to use his ambulance, wheelchair and considerable skills." He treated Prue with painkillers and ice until she could get full medical care.
Familiar series hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond will return to present The Great Celebrity Bake Off 2024. They'll be joined once again by the show's in-house judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
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.
“With Matt it was a bit weird, because we're mates and are probably the same low-status person from our respective double acts, where he has [David] Walliams and I have Julian [Barrett],” Fielding told Times Radio last year. “It was more difficult to find how we worked together, but we managed to find a way,” he added.
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.
The thirteenth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 13 September 2022. It is again presented by Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas and judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The bakers competing in the series were announced on 2 September 2022.
Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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