Host Sandi Toksvig of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ Quits
After three years as its co-host, The Great British Bake Off‘s Sandi Toksvig, has quit the show according to a statement the show host released today.
Find out what led to Toksvig’s departure from the show and what the show’s judges and other co-host had to say.
Statement from ‘The Great British Bake Off’
The Great British Baking Show (known as The Great British Bake Off in the UK) made the startling announcement this morning on its Twitter account, saying “All pud things come to an end. The upcoming series of The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off will mark the end of Sandi’s magnificent stint as a presenter on the show. We would like to thank her for all the wonderful memories and wish her the very best for the future.”
Fans were shocked at the sudden news with comments including, “Who is going to look after Noel?” and “Absolutely gutted, she was pure joy to watch in the tent, will miss her very much.”
For his part, her co-host Noel Felding tweeted his sadness to see her go. “I feel like Tom without Jerry! Mick without a Keef :( gonna miss yooooooooooooooooo and the wonderful times we got to play together in the tent! Double acts are rare and magical beast and working with you was a pleasure x x x all my love Mr Noel x”
Toksvig’s reason for leaving
The 61-year-old told the BBC that, while she loves being on the program, she hasn’t loved all the extra pounds and inches she’s grown while tasting and sampling her way through her three years as co-host of the competition. Toksvig and Felding took over hosting duties when the program moved from the BBC to Channel 4 three years ago.
She tweeted today, “As my waistline will testify, Bake Off is an all-consuming show. Spending time with Prue, Paul, and Noel has been one of the great pleasures of my life. These are friendships which I know will continue beyond the confines of television. Bake Off is a wonderful programme which has already proved it can happily withstand a change of hosting personnel.”
“The reason for that, of course, is that the true stars of the show are the bakers themselves.”
What’s the future hold for ‘The Great British Bake Off’?
The program has withstood the departures of favorite Mary Berry, Mel Giedroyc, and Sue Perkins. All three left the show in 2016, during a network change in England.
Prue Leith, who replaced Mary Berry as a judge on the show, tweeted, “I have absolutely loved working with Sandi, she’s been a brilliant host and enormous fun and I am in awe of how hard she works juggling so many different projects. We shall be lifelong friends way beyond the tent.”
And show judge Paul Hollywood also posted his disappointment to see Toksvig go: “I will miss Sandi, she has done an amazing job in the tent, much loved by all who met her. I wish Sandi continued success in all that she does.”
As for Toksvig’s other projects, perhaps they include other television programs, or maybe even a cookbook or two in her future.
We’ll have to wait and see who will be tapped to pair off with Felding as co-host of the fan-favorite program.
Read more: Mary Berry’s Disturbing Habit During Breaks on ‘The Great British Baking Show’
