20 celebrities set to rise to Bake Off charity challenge
DESPERATE Housewives star Teri Hatcher will be putting her domestic skills to the test for charity in The Great Celebrity Bake Off. The former Bond girl was among the 20 contestants confirmed yesterday for the special edition of Bake Off – part of Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign with Cancer Research UK. She joins Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson, Countdown host Nick Hewer and actor and comedian Griff Rhys Jones in the show which will be broadcast later this year. Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith return to the baking tent while presenters Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig will be on hand to offer congratulations or tea and sympathy to the contestants. Each episode of the Bake Off special will feature four celebrities competing in the signature, technical and show-stopper challenges in a bid to be named Star Baker. The other contestants confirmed include former BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull, who now presents Songs of Praise, comedian Alan Carr, from Channel 4’s Chatty Man, doctor turned comedian and author Harry Hill and Australian musician and comedian Tim Minchin who composed the award-winning Matilda the Musical, based on the Roald Dahl book.
Actor Martin Kemp, who shot to fame in the 1980s as bassist for the New Romantic band Spandau Ballet but is best known as villain Steve Owen in EastEnders, will also compete alongside comedians Aisling Bea, Lee Mack, Joe Lycett, TV presenters Stacey Solomon, Melanie Sykes, writer and actress Roisin Conaty, Kaiser Chiefs star Ricky Wilson, Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, singer Ella Eyre, Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox and Diversity dancer Perri Kiely.
The celebrity special mirrors The Great Sport Relief Bake Off, which was shown for three series on the BBC prior to the show being bought by Channel 4.
The first series of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 was broadcast last year following its high-profile move from BBC One.