The new series of The Great British Bake Off got off to a turbulent start as one contestant was forced to withdraw from the tent before the first episode had even finished. Hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding returned alongside judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, but a show source confirmed that a baker had to pull out on the second day of filming owing to illness.
Alison Hammond announced that the baker would miss the rest of the episode, with the insider adding: “The baker was gutted to miss out on second day but they weren't feeling up to it and so they had to sit it out.” The departure left the presenting team and judges visibly shocked.
Despite the hiccup, the episode made history with one of the earliest Hollywood handshakes, awarded within the opening 30 minutes. The bakers also faced a brand-new “taste and bake” challenge, where they had five minutes to inspect a cake before recreating it without a recipe.
In a separate twist, Paul Hollywood revealed that Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds was spotted filming nearby with Hugh Jackman as Deadpool and Wolverine. Ryan reportedly called his wife Blake Lively, who was so eager to meet the Bake Off team that she began making her way to the tent. Paul even joined a Zoom call with Blake, who he said “just went black” after saying hello.
