January 30th 2025.
In an unexpected turn of events, it has been announced that Dame Prue Leith will not be appearing as a judge in this year's Bake Off celebrity special. Instead, her longtime friend and former co-owner of Leiths School of Food and Wine, Caroline Waldegrave OBE, will be stepping in to take her place. The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer is set to return this spring, bringing together familiar faces such as Alison Hammond, Noel Fielding, and Paul Hollywood, along with a surprise guest judge in Caroline.
The special series will feature four celebrities competing against each other in every episode to be crowned the coveted title of Star Baker. They will have to tackle the Signature, Technical, and Showstopper challenges, showcasing their skills and creativity in the kitchen. Prue has been a co-judge on the show since 2017, but she announced that she would be taking a break from the celebrity version in 2024 in order to have more time to pursue other passions. However, she will still be a part of the regular and US versions of the show.
During an interview on This Morning, Prue explained her decision to take a break from the celebrity edition, stating that filming for the show takes up the entire summer, leaving her with no time off. As she is getting older, she wants to have the opportunity to travel and explore other interests. With Caroline taking over her role for the celebrity special, the network has also revealed the star-studded line-up for this year's contestants, including the likes of TV presenter Kate Garraway, comedian Phil Wang, and writer Jamali Maddix.
Other familiar faces joining the competition include influencer Amelia Dimoldenberg, Ghosts actor Jim Howick, and British acting icon Meera Syal. The middle bulk of contestants features podcaster Sarah Beeny, comedian Adam Buxton, and sibling duo Scarlette and Stuart Douglas, among others. The final group of bakers includes Bafta winner Gbemisola Ikumelo, radio presenter Roman Kemp, music artist Self Esteem, and Derry Girls actor Tommy Tiernan.
Earlier this month, there were concerns that Noel Fielding may not return as a host for Bake Off due to the cancellation of his Apple TV+ show, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, because of his ill health. However, it has been confirmed that he will be back as planned. As for Prue, she recently made an appearance on The Masked Singer UK, where she was revealed to be the celebrity behind the Pegasus mask. When asked about what her fellow judge Paul Hollywood would think of her participation in the show, she joked that he would probably tell her to relax and just stick to Bake Off.
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer will be back on our screens in spring 2025. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, be sure to get in touch with The Agency entertainment team. You can email us, call us, or visit our Submit Stuff page - we would love to hear from you.
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