Sandi Toksvig, 66, co-presented Great British Bake Off from 2017 to 2020, hosting alongside comedian Noel Fielding.
In 2020, she stepped down and was replaced by comedian Matt Lucas, who has since been replaced by This Morning‘s Alison Hammond.
She has now revealed that it felt like “the longest three years of her life” and that her psychotherapist wife, Debbie, eventually convinced her to quit as she “wasn’t happy”.
Sandi has also let slip that she is joined at the hip with judge Prue Leith but does not speak “so much” with Paul Hollywood as he is so busy.
When asked if she was still pals with her former co-host Noel she told The Times: “No”.
She told the publication why she quit: “It’s not for me. I walked away from the biggest paycheque of my life, but that’s fine.
“I’d never watched it. I still haven’t watched it. I didn’t understand it.
“Cakes are readily available in the shops. I didn’t enjoy the process. There was this showbiz thing you’d made with Bake Off. It was a big show that was getting a lot of attention.
“But my wife Deb said, ‘It’s not making you happy.”
Noel responded to Sandi’s comments that being on Bake Off made her “depressed”.
Noel said of his former co-star: “Sandi, as we know, is a massive brain. She went to Cambridge, she’s super-smart, she writes, she does politics, she needs to be stimulated.
“She never stays anywhere too long except QI, which is the perfect show for her.
“The difference between us is that I’ve always really enjoyed hanging out with the bakers. I befriend them and get them to open up.”
Noel also said that his years presenting with Sandi came with “enormous pressure” as they were taking over from original hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc.
He admits that his eight-year tenure with a steady stream of co-hosts has made it feel like he has done “three different shows.”
“First with Sandi, under enormous pressure, but we pulled it off. Then, with Matt, which was a privilege because he’s a comedy genius. Now I’m enjoying it more than ever.
“Alison’s not a comedian, so she’s not as neurotic about jokes as I am, but she’s a brilliant improviser and instinctively funny. She slotted right in. Paul and Prue are very fond of her. Even my kids adore her. We’re having a blast.”