The Great British Bake Off: The Great New Year’s Bake Off will see Alison Hammond, Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith and Matt Lucas reunite for a special episode of the Channel 4 show
Alison Hammond has opened up about her disappointment with Paul Hollywood during the filming of The Great New Year’s Bake Off.
Following the crowning of Emmerdale’s Chris Bisson as the champion of The Great Christmas Bake Off soap special, there’s been no downtime for the judges as they gear up for the New Year’s edition of the beloved show.
Former Scottish contestants will be reuniting for a Hogmanay celebration in the iconic Bake Off marquee. The bakers, including Nicky, Peter, Lea, Kevin, James and Norman, will be crafting delicious delicacies inspired by their native land.
The judges and presenter fully embraced the Scottish theme with their attire, and a traditional ceilidh band was brought in to add some extra sparkle to the event.
However, despite the joyous atmosphere, Alison found herself slightly miffed with renowned judge Paul Hollywood due to his choice of outfit, reports Birmingham Live.
She shared: “Oh, it was brilliant, it was so much fun. I’ll get up on my feet and start dancing. I’m straight in there.
“Paul wore a kilt… and so did Prue. Well, she wore a tartan skirt… And Paul did wear his pants underneath. We were really upset!
“Nicky from last series was back, so that was really nice. They were my first Bake Off babies, so it was lovely seeing her again.”
The contest kicks off with the Signature bake featuring a traditional dish that some consider an acquired taste. In the Technical challenge, Paul and Prue task the bakers with creating a classic Scottish favourite, shortbread.
The bakers were tasked with whipping up a cranachan concoction, giving a twist to the Scottish classic that tantalises taste buds with oats, whisky, honey, raspberries and cream.
Alison Hammond couldn’t contain her laughter on the Bake Off’s festive episode, as telly favourites like Natalie Cassidy of EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale actor Bisson, soap veteran Dean Gaffney, crossover star Sheree Murphy and Corrie’s own Shobna Gulati competed for Yuletide glory.
In one hilarious moment, EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy (the iconic Sonya Fowler) shared a gem from June Brown, the beloved Dot Cotton, who had apparently commented on-screen childbirth saying “darling, it’s like pooing a melon”, during an intense birthing scene when Cassidy was just 15.
Meanwhile, the This Morning star has been proudly sharing the story of her incredible 11-stone weight loss journey. Diving into the details with Good Housekeeping, she explained the turning point came after receiving a pre-diabetes warning.
Sharing with Good Housekeeping, Alison revealed: “Just before she died, mum said to me ‘If you can, sort out your weight, Alison’ and that really set it in my head.
“My mum had type 2 diabetes and she was worried for me, so when I then found out that I was pre-diabetic, that was frightening. I thought ‘I have to be an adult about this’. The sweets had to stop and the fatty foods.”
The Great New Year’s Bake Off will air at 7.40pm on Channel 4 on Friday, January 3.
