Caroline Waldgrave has replaced Prue Leith for the new celebrity series of the hit Channel 4 baking show
The Great British Bake Off is back for another year of celebrity fun as more star-studded faces take on the tent in the Stand Up To Cancer series.
Since 2018, Channel 4’s hit baking show has hosted a special series to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer. The aim is to raise significant funds for translational cancer research through online and televised efforts.
From Sunday March 16 to Sunday April 13, four new celebs will be taking each other on as they bake to impress the judges. Each week, they’ll be tasked to complete three bakes – the signature, the technical and the showstopper.
At the end of every episode, one celebrity will take home the glory of being crowned Star Baker, all while raising money for a very good cause.
Last year, Dermot O’Leary, Gabby Logan, Spencer Matthews and Leigh Francis all won Star Baker in their respective episodes after Dame Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood praised the stars for their efforts.
In the tent this year, viewers can watch Sarah Beeny, Adam Buxton, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Scarlette and Stuart Douglas, Kate Garraway and Ellie Goldstein. Also joining them in the tent and vying for Star Baker will be Jim Howick, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Roman Kemp, Jamali Maddix, Maxine Peake, Chris and Rosie Ramsey, Self Esteem AKA Rebecca Lucy Taylor, Meera Syal, Tommy Tiernan, Phil Wang and Sophie Willan.
Here is when their episodes will air:
- 16 March – Chris Ramsey, Rosie Ramsey, Scarlette Douglas, Stuart Douglas
- 23 March – Roman Kemp, Sarah Beeny, Maxine Peake, Amelia Dimoldenberg
- 30 March – Kate Garraway, Phil Wang, Sophie Willan, Gbemisola Ikumelo
- 6 April – Adam Buxton, Meera Syal, Tommy Tiernan, Self Esteem
- 13 April – Jim Howick, Ellie Goldstein, Jamali Maddix, Gloria Hunniford
While Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding will be returning to fulfil their roles as hosts, Paul Hollywood is joining forces with a new judge.
Since 2017, Dame Prue Leith has been a part of Bake Off after she replaced Mary Berry and took on the role as co-judge. For this year’s celebrity special, however, she has made the decision to step down.
A spokesperson from Love Productions (the television company behind the Channel 4 show) confirmed that Prue wouldn’t be filming this year’s SU2C series: “Prue will be joining Paul as usual to judge The Great British Bake Off, but will be stepping back from The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.”
Who is the new judge?
Stepping up to the plate, Caroline Waldegrave will be filling in for Prue as she enters the tent for the very first time. Caroline is a close friend of Prue as well as former co-owner and managing director of Leiths School of Food & Wine.
Paul Hollywood opened up about Caroline stepping up to the plate. Speaking to Channel 4, he said: “Following in the footsteps of Dame Mary Berry and Dame Prue Leith, we have a Lady, so she’s played the trump card from the off.”
The new judge’s official title is Lady Waldegrave of North Hill and she has co-written several cookery books with Prue, including Leiths Easy Dinner Parties and Leiths Cookery Bible.
Paul insisted that Caroline has settled into the tent, as he continued: “Initially there were nerves. You’re dealing with Alison, who’s like a bouncing ball. Noel, who’s been around since medieval times and me, who’s been here since the year dot with ‘Bake Off’…
“It’s quite daunting, but Caroline’s knowledge is unsurpassable. Within the first couple of hours, she’d settled right in. We’re all pretty open and get on with everybody in the tent whoever joins us. There’s a sort of collective hug.”
Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer airs on Sunday 16th March weekly at 7:40pm on Channel 4.
