OUR SHOW IS LIKE BAKE OFF’S BOSSY OLDER SISTER
New presenting double act The Great British Bake Off: The Professionals’ Liam Charles and Tom Allen tell Georgia Humphreys about their dream job
THE Great British Bake Off is a competition that can get surprisingly emotional – and its forthcoming sister series, Bake Off: The Professionals, is no different, according to its presenters.
“There is so much drama in it,” teases Tom Allen, 35 – a comedian you’ll know from shows such as 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Mock The Week.
“It’s a real roller coaster. There are tears all round at various points.”
The show sees 12 professional duos from across the UK go head to head in a series of heats watched by judges, celebrated pastry chefs Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin.
For 20-year-old co-host Liam Charles, who came fifth in the latest series of The Great British Bake Off, seeing things go wrong with the bakes was “pretty difficult”.
“When stuff like that does happen, we have to encourage them to move on and sort of gee them up,” he elaborates. “We are their support network!”
Here, the pair tell us more about their exciting new roles.
RISE TO FAME
HACKNEY-BORN Liam – known by his friends as Cake Boy – shot to stardom after The Great British Bake Off last year, thanks to his personality and use of interesting flavours.
“Everyone has been ridiculously supportive,” he gushes. “I didn’t think it would be this big.”
The role is also a dream come true for Tom, who, at the age of 22, won the UK’s most prestigious comedy newcomer award, So You Think You’re Funny.
“It comes in this long British tradition of camp things, in a way, in that it is taking something that is quite flippant to many people – just baking and cakes and patisserie – and suddenly making it the most important thing in the world,” remarks the comedian.
“Something about it just feels naturally fun and witty, and it’s great to be part of it.”
DOUBLE ACT
FROM the way they big each other up and laugh over memories from filming, it’s clear working together came naturally for Liam and Tom.
“I hope that comes across in the show, because we did have such a lovely fun time doing it,” notes Tom. “I’ve learnt so much from Liam in terms of his natural enthusiasm and natural energy towards it all.
“My job has been finding funnies in things, and hopefully we both sort of taught each other stuff.”
The fact he’s starred in the amateur version means Liam knows how helpful it is to have the presenters be supportive.
And Tom agrees urging the competitors to do well is at “the heart of the programme”, as well as getting to know them.
“That was the fun of it,” he reflects. “As the competition went on, we really got to know different details about them. Some of them have very interesting lives.”
HANDLING THE PRESSURE
BOTH stars have plenty of other projects happening. Tom has been touring with his stand-up show, while Liam is studying Drama and Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths, University of London, and has a cookbook coming out in July.
Surely it was pretty tiring filming this, then?
“You just have to get on with it really,” says Liam matter-of-factly.
Discussing the pressure surrounding taking on a revamp of a show – it was called Bake Off: Creme De La Creme on the BBC – the hosts seem cool and collected.
“You know what it is, everyone was so welcoming,” Liam affirms. “Bake Off has that vibe.”
And the pair are “very ambitious” for the new version of the spin-off show.
“We think of it as Bake Off’s bossy older sister, that’s just come back from university,” quips Tom.
“She has a personality, has a bit of an edge. She’s great, she knows who she is and she is not taking any prisoners.”
LIFE IN THE LIMELIGHT
TOM and Liam are self-professed chatterboxes, who say they’re more than happy being approached by fans.
If things go to plan, fame is something Liam could have to deal with more in the future – he says he sees himself doing TV as a proper career now.
“It’s just so fun, especially when you get to be yourself.
“I wouldn’t say it is easy, because that sounds a bit big-headed; it just feels natural to do it,” he says.
■ THE Great British Bake Off: The Professionals starts on Channel 4 on Sunday, at 8pm.