Some extra Spice in the Bake Off: Em set for US spin-off

THE American version of Bake Off is to get an extra helping of spice. Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton is to join Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood on the Great American Baking Show, the show’s US counterpart. Ms Bunton, 42, revealed her new role yesterday during her morning show on Heart radio station. The one-time Baby Spice confirmed that filming has already begun, and said: ‘Dream job, dream job. I get to host The Great American Baking Show. It’s a holiday edition so it’s around Christmas, and who loves Christmas more than me? So basically, it’s Christmas cakes, pastries, biscuits... which now I have to call cookies.

‘My friends came down and I was filming one bit. I get to taste everything. She took a picture of me eating this huge chocolate eclair. People on Bake Off don’t really tend to eat too much. And I was there like, “Can you put that in my trailer please? I want to eat that after”. It’s amazing. Just being in the famous tent. It took me a week to get used to being in the tent.’

Ms Bunton said she had so far enjoyed working with Hollywood, pictured with the singer, but joked about his reputation for judging contestants harshly. ‘Paul is great fun,’ she said. ‘He’s got a great sense of humour. I did watch out for him, though. I know he can be trouble. Don’t look in his eyes.’

The Great American Baking Show was taken off air mid-series last year after claims of sexual harassment surrounding judge Johnny Iuzzini. The pastry chef, who denied the allegations, had been a judge in all three previous series of the show.

Ms Bunton, a judge on the ABC talent show Boy Band last year, said moving to cover baking for US viewers meant she had to watch her words. She said: ‘There was this whole biscuit week and I was like, “It’s biscuit week”, and they were, “Oh no, it’s cookie week”, and I was like, “Hang on, I’m the expert in biscuits…”’