(Picture: Love Productions)

Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig have been confirmed as the brand new hosts of The Great British Bake Off which will air on Channel 4 ‘later this year’.

Prue Leith will join Paul Hollywood as a judge on the show, replacing Mary Berry.

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Noel, the star of The Mighty Boosh and a regular quiz show panelist said: ‘GBBO is one of my favourite shows. I’ve always loved brightly coloured cakes and Sandi Toksvig so this is a dream come true for me! It’s basically the double.’

Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig are new Bake Off hosts (Picture: Getty)

Sandi added: ‘It is an extraordinary honour to part of this national treasure of a show. Noel Fielding is one of the nicest guys in show business.




‘The first time I met him I felt like I had met a rather wayward cousin whose take on the world made me laugh. The only down side is that he has much better dress sense that I do. I spend my daytimes on Channel 4 already so it will be a treat to be there in the evenings.

‘I am so delighted to be working with Love Productions and Channel 4 on this best of British show.’

Paul Hollywood, who came with the show from BBC One, said: ‘I could not be more delighted by who will be joining me on the show. Prue is a hugely respected culinary legend and Sandi and Noel are warm and utterly hilarious. I cannot wait to get back in the tent with the bakers.’

‘I am just so thrilled to be joining Paul, Sandi and Noel on the biggest show on TV and I cannot wait to see what the real stars of the show – the bakers – are going to create for us.,’ said Prue.

Prue Leith (Picture: Getty)

The news comes after months of speculation that saw a host of names considered for the job after Love Productions sold the show to Channel 4 for a reported £75 million.

Love Productions was reportedly attempting to negotiate a deal with the BBC for a year but said it had been ‘unable to reach agreement on terms’.

In an email, reported by the Telegraph, Love Productions told staff: ‘We are really saddened by this outcome because we always wanted to stay on the BBC.’

Mel and Sue (Picture: BBC)

After the news was confirmed, Mary Berry, who judged the show for seven years with Paul Hollywood admitted she would be staying with the BBC out of ‘loyalty’.

The show’s original hosts Mel and Sue also left: ‘We’ve had the most amazing time on Bake Off, and have loved seeing it rise and rise like a pair of yeasted Latvian baps. We’re not going with the dough. We wish all the future bakers every success.’

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MORE: Prue Leith ‘offered THREE TIMES the amount Mary Berry was paid on The Great British Bake Off’