The Great British Bake Off

Channel 4, 8pm

Is it our imagination, or is there a tangible delight in just taking part as this year’s contestants compete again inside a Covid bubble? At any rate, the dozen bakers hoping to be the winner at the end of the competition’s ten episodes are a particularly entertaining and varied bunch.

Liverpudlian luxury car builder Lizzie alone is worth tuning in for as she displays a dress sense colourful and eccentric enough to out-dazzle even Noel Fielding (near right, with Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood). For the opening episode it’s cake week and, after starting out by baking a dozen mini-rolls, there’s the technical round and, of course, the showstopper challenge.

Do make sure to watch from the start or you’ll miss the judges and presenters in country-music gear for a silly version of Achy Breaky Heart. Yeehaw!