What a year Alison Hammond is having! After being tapped up to co-host the BAFTAs in Feb., and continuing to light up our screens on ITV’s “This Morning”, on 17 March she was officially confirmed as the co-host of the “Great British Bake Off”. The national treasure, known for her priceless celebrity interviews, will be replacing Matt Lucas, who left the show in December, and will take the helm for the next series alongside Noel Fielding.
Hammond confirmed the delicious news on Instagram via a hilarious video of an epic cake (of course!). The sweet treat includes model icing figures of her and Fielding with judges Pure Leith and Paul Hollywood, while Hammond stages a mock breaking news interview about her newest gig. “It’s OFFICIAL!!! It’s happening The Great British Bake off ! Let’s have it ! The cake that is 😂,” she wrote in the caption.
Friends and celebrities were quick to comment on the news, with Leith writing: “Huge congratulations Alison, you will be magnificent and I can’t wait for your infectious laugh to be ringing through the tent.” Claudia Winkleman, Joel Dommett, and Clara Amfo were just some of the other stars to offer their congratulations to the TV host.
Hammond not only has the star quality to join the show, but she has firsthand experience of what it’s like to bake in the iconic tent. She appeared on the celebrity Stand Up to Cancer version in 2020 where she made a good biscuit, but her decorating skills left a sour taste in the judge’s mouths. Lucas, who had co-hosted the Channel 4 show since 2020 but left due to clashing work commitments, said in a statement upon leaving: “I wish whoever takes over the very best and I can’t wait to tune into the next series without already knowing who won!” Hammond’s infectious personality is sure to make the show all that bit sweeter, we just hope she at least got a Hollywood handshake to celebrate.
