Why Mel and Sue quit Bake Off on first day of filming (2024)

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Why Mel and Sue quit Bake Off on first day of filming? ›

Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins' seven-series tenure as hosts of The Great British Bake Off nearly did not happen after they resigned on the first day of filming. The pair have revealed that they quit because they feared producers wanted to make a more intrusive and crueller show than they were happy with.

Giedroyc and Perkins quit, saying they were "not going with the dough". Perkins says they found out about the move to Channel 4 via a TV news report. "We wish it the best and in return we just wanted them to understand that it would have been hard for us to carry on in those circ*mstances. There's no antagonism there.

Mary left GBBO because the U.K. series switched networks. The show, which originally aired on BBC, decided to move to Channel 4 instead of sticking with BBC. Unhappy with the decision, Mary left the cast to show her loyalty to BBC.

Bakers have lives in between filming

That's because contestants don't live in the historic estate that Bake Off is filmed at for weeks at a time. Instead, they go home during the week to live their lives and work day jobs as normal.

In a joint Twitter and Instagram statement, Matt explained that his time on The Great British Baking Show has come to an end so that he can focus on other opportunities.

The comedian shocked fans earlier this month by announcing he was quitting the show after three series. He explained that it had become too much of a struggle juggling his various TV commitments. “Farewell Bake Off!” he wrote in a statement.

The contestants are not paid for being on the show, though they are given a modest stipend so they can practice their bakes at home. But the stipend apparently doesn't go very far. If you need to practice your bake multiple times at home, the cost of ingredients can get surprisingly expensive.

Her mother died in 2011, aged 105. At the age of 13, Berry contracted polio and had to spend three months in the Claverton Down Isolation Hospital. Her illness resulted in her having a twisted spine, a weaker left hand and thinner left arm.

'Power shift' The company that makes the programme, Love Productions, says it's not just about money, but money certainly played a part. The BBC's guidelines on how much of its licence fee it is willing to pay for a factual programme like the Bake Off has an upper limit of around £300,000.

At the time, Matt cited scheduling issues with his other projects, which he has now admitted is seeing him reunite with former comedy partner David.

Is each episode of GBBO filmed in one day? ›

The show is shot over the two day weekend, (signature technical one day, showstopper the next), and and the clothes have to be the same for editing purposes.

Do They Stay at the House Where the Tent Is Located? No. The contestants stay at a nearby hotel during the weekends and travel to the tent via minibus during competition days before returning home during the week, Quinn told Cosmopolitan.

4. GBBO filming is intense. The show is filmed over a 10-week period between April and June, with contestants spending up to 16 hours a day filming. They manage to package up a whole session of baking into one hour, which means that a lot of it ends up on the cutting room floor.

Matt Lucas has said "farewell" to the Great British Bake Off tent, as the comedian confirmed he was stepping down as a presenter of the show.

In January 2020, she announced she was leaving the show to focus on other work commitments, and was replaced by Matt Lucas.

Mary announced she was leaving Bake Off alongside original hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins when it was confirmed Channel 4 had outbid the BBC on the rights to continue airing the show in 2017. She was replaced by Prue Leith, with Noel and Sandi Toksvig replacing Mel and Sue as presenters.

At the time, Toksvig said she was leaving “to spend more time with my other work”. As my waistline will testify, Bake Off is an all-consuming show,” she said in her statement. “Spending time with Prue [Leith], Paul [Hollywood] and Noel has been one of the great pleasures of my life.

While double act Mel and Sue will be replaced by Sandi Toksvig (🙌) and, er, The Mighty Boosh's Noel Fielding. Leith, who is known for founding her London cookery school, has long been rumoured as Paul Hollywood's new partner in the kitchen.

Lucas said that, after a time, he felt that he wanted to focus more on Fantasy Football League, writing a book and musical, and working on a new TV series with his former Little Britain co-star David Walliams. “It probably utilises what I have better than Bake Off,” he said of Fantasy Football League.

The BBC indicated that financial demands made by Love Productions made the programme “unaffordable”, leaving Channel 4 to take on the most popular programme on British television in a three-series deal. Jay Hunt, Channel 4's chief creative officer, said the broadcaster was thrilled to have secured the show.