GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF

Season 8 BBC Lifestyle (*174) 21:00 Episode 1 Mel, Sue and Mary Berry are gone! And while Prue Leith settles right in, new hosts Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding are off to a somewhat rougher start. But the good news is that the Bake Off spirit is still alive and well and the new bakers are fantastic. NB!

Season 8 BBC Lifestyle (*174) 21:00 Reality

Paul Hollywood is back with three tasty new ingredients in the Bake Off (2010-current) mix. Prue Leith takes over from Mary Berry on soggy bottom-watch, while Sandi Toksvig and giggly goth Noel Fielding are replacing naughty hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins after they left following contract and negotiation conflicts.

Copenhagen-born Sandi juggles an academic career as former Chancellor of the University Of Portsmouth, politics and TV duties like being the new host of QI (2003-current). She quickly got into the Bake Off spirit though, saying that “there have been odd times where we have slowed down the final 10-second countdown as we can see they’ve got one quick thing left to do”.

London-born Noel comes across as the human embodiment of whimsy in shows like The Mighty Boosh (20042007) and The IT Crowd (2006-2013). Just after landing his Bake Off role, he caused scandal when he reportedly claimed never to eat cake because “no one likes a tubby goth.” Noel laments, “I wasn’t eating sugar other than fruit before doing this. Now it’s a tidal wave of unbelievably delicious things!”

South African-born-and-raised Prue has run and owned a Michelin-starred restaurant, written 12 cookbooks and judged My Kitchen Rules (2014-current) and The Great Bri-tish Menu (2006-current). Prue is also keeping one saucy Bake Off tradition alive. “Paul is the devil. He’ll see something rude in the most innocent remark and once he laughs, we all do. Innuendoes are here to stay,” she reveals.