Noel Fielding worried fans when he pulled out of a second series of The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin but he is now back on our screens for the charity version of Bake Off
Noel Fielding is back on our screens tonight, presenting the new series of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer alongside Alison Hammond, following concerns about his health at the beginning of the year.
Noel and Alison are joined by Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood and Caroline Waldegrave, standing in for Prue Leith, who has decided to concentrate on the main Bake Off series in the summer. Among the celebrities trying to hide their soggy bottoms and baking failures are podcasters Chris and Rosie Ramsey, Loose Women’s Gloria Hunniford, DJ and presenter Roman Kemp, presenter Sarah Beeny, Good Morning Britain’s Kate Garraway and actress Maxine Peake.
In the first episode, Noel returned to co-star Alison’s side as they welcomed Chris and Rosie Ramsey as well as Scarlette and Stuart Douglas into the tent. Noel showed off his classic humour as they introduced Prue’s replacement, Caroline. He quipped: “To be honest I thought Prue had forgotten her glasses again.”
Fans loved having Noel back as one said: “This episode of #GBBO has been SO much fun, I love Alison and Noel together.” Another cracked up over Noel’s joke as they commented: “Noel comparing Chris’s Chocolate fingers to Paul’s,” followed by a laugh crying emoji.
Noel wasn’t at the Celebrity Bake Off launch earlier this week, despite the presence of Alison, Paul, Caroline and all 20 contestants, but it has been confirmed that he will be returning to film the new edition of The Great British Bake Off this year, as the Mirror exclusively revealed on Friday. A spokeswoman told the Mirror that Noel’s position on Bake Off had never been in doubt. “We had never claimed that Noel would not present Bake Off,” she said. “He will indeed be part of the team.”
Concerns for Noel’s health were raised when filming on the second series of his Apple TV+ drama The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin was cancelled in January after filming had been disrupted to the point where bosses felt it was no longer viable.
He did not return to the show – on which he was also a co-writer and executive producer – after the Christmas break, forcing the second series to be scrapped mid-way through production. For his second time of playing the legendary 18th century highwayman Noel is said to have been accompanied on set by a “fatigue coach” who had the role of balancing the time that he spent filming scenes.
An initial plan to try and salvage a shorter version from what had already been filmed has now been abandoned. “There is nothing possible – we’d filmed everything apart from him. But you can’t do a drama about Dick Turpin without Dick Turpin,” an insider said. Since the multi-million pound production ended, Noel has been resting in a bid to fully recover his health – both at home in London and at a holiday pad in France.
At the time of the show’s cancellation, Noel’s spokesperson said: “This is a private and confidential matter regarding our client’s health. We are saddened by the decision to cease production but we cannot make any further comment on this matter.”
Noel rose to fame for his starring role in the quirky, offbeat comedy The Mighty Boosh, which aired on the BBC from 2004 to 2007. He has also had smaller roles in comedy shows such as Nathan Barley, The It Crowd, and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer begins on Sunday 16 March at 7.40pm on Channel 4.
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