The Great British Bake Off is back on screens on Tuesday evening, with the show’s 15th series kicking off with Cake Week.
Ahead of the first show, it’s been revealed one contestant sadly had to leave just hours into filming on the first day due to feeling unwell, with the baker “gutted” to have had to make an early exit.
Each Bake Off hopeful has to undergo a lengthy process to earn a place on the show, but unfortunately for one of this year’s stars, they barely got to enjoy a full day of filming.
Host Alison Hammond is set to explain to the remaining 11 bakers on day two of filming that unfortunately, one contestant had to leave, reports The Mirror.
A TV source told the publication: “The baker was gutted to miss out on the second day but they weren’t feeling up to it and so they had to sit it out.”
It has also been reported the series will introduce a new twist called the taste and bake challenge.
Series 15 of The Great British Bake Off begins on Tuesday
Channel 4
Hammond, 49, explained during the first episode: “Each week the bakers will face a gingham-clad secret second challenge but this time there’s an extra surprise awaiting them.”
Co-host Noel Fielding continued: “This is a taste and bake challenge. You have five minutes to inspect your cake and then you have to recreate it with no recipe.”
Deadpool actor and Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds was seen with Hugh Jackman near the set, with Fielding going on to share a funny story from the series.
Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the 51-year-old shared: “I tell you what was really funny, we were about to film something and somebody said ‘there’s a guy out there dressed as Wolverine, can we get him out of the shot?’
Paul Hollywood shared a snap of some Hollywood A-listers in the Bake Off tent
“And then they went ‘I think that’s Wolverine’ and it was Deadpool!”
Hollywood even posted a snap of himself with Reynolds, Jackman and Blake Lively earlier this year. In view of his 642,000 Instagram followers, he shared the photo alongside the caption: “Welcome to the tent, @blakelively @vancityreynolds @thehughjackman …. Next time you need to bake!” (sic)
Hollywood star Jackman, 55, even responded with a comment which read: “Let’s pretend we got a handshake!!!”
Hollywood has since gone on to share more teaser posts for the series, including the 12 contestants and snaps of himself with fellow judge Prue Leith and hosts Fielding and Hammond.
Hollywood’s latest post, shared on Tuesday, shows a hilarious snap of himself, Leith and the hosts embracing their inner Barbie characters, with Hollywood donning a cowboy outfit while the others shine in pink.
He penned: “Bake off is back tonight Channel 4 at 8pm, it’s a Barbie kind of launch … X.”
Judges Hollywood and Leith will be back in the famous tent and countryside surroundings, which have once again been filmed on the grounds of Welford Park in Berkshire.
The Channel 4 favourite aired its initial series on the BBC before moving from the broadcaster in 2017.