Mel puts her Bake Off skills to good use — as a diet freak

FORMER Great British Bake Off star Mel Giedroyc is setting her culinary skills to music.

The comedienne is joining Rosalie Craig and Patti LuPone in the Stephen Sondheim musical, Company, which Marianne Elliott will direct at the Gielgud, where it runs from September 26.

Ms Giedroyc (pictured) will play Sarah, who’s wedded to Harry — they’re one of the five couples who are friends with unmarried Bobbi (Ms Craig). Sarah and Harry are what Sondheim describes as a ‘ fondly competitive couple’, both battling psychological problems.

She has been on every diet under the sun, but has a weakness for brownies, while Harry’s in denial that he’s an alcoholic.

Elliott, who is producing Company with partner Chris Harper through their company Elliott & Harper, said from New York (where she’s directing the transfer of the National Theatre’s Angels In America) that she’s a ‘huge fan’ of Bake Off.

She added that she has long been aware of Giedroyc’s theatrical talents and recalled how Mel had the audience in the palm of her hand when she compered a gala event for an autism charity during the run of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.

Elliott said she was drawn to Giedroyc’s ‘warmth, humour and charm’ when they met to talk about her being in Company and ‘she has all the qualities I was looking for’.

‘She is another amazing and talented woman to add to the cast,’ she added. ‘I can’t believe my luck, we’re going to have so much fun.’