The Great British Bake Off will be returning this year - everything we know so far

The new series is expected to return to screens later this year (Photo: Channel 4)The new series is expected to return to screens later this year (Photo: Channel 4)
The new series is expected to return to screens later this year (Photo: Channel 4)

Fans of the Great British Bake Off can look forward to another helping of the hit show this year, as Channel 4 confirms it will be returning.

The show will look as normal when the series makes its return to screens, despite the cast and crew adhering to a number of coronavirus safety measures.

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When was the series filmed?

Production of the 11th series was initially delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with filming originally due to begin in April.

Work on the new series instead began in July, with cast and crew undertaking an intense six-week shoot that consisted of “two days on, two days off”.

Filming of the upcoming series is now complete, with producers wrapping the new series last week (19 August).

Will the show look the same?

Channel 4 has promised that the show will look as it normally would when it airs later this year thanks to coronavirus safety measures.

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Transmission risks while filming were managed by strict health and safety regimes, with everyone in the cast and crew needing to have tested negative for coronavirus before entering into a “bubble”.

Kelly Webb-Lamb, deputy director of programmes for Channel 4, explained that various testing and quarantine measures had to be followed in order to produce the series, but the result means the show will now appear as it normally would.

She explained: “We have worked hard to put testing and quarantine regimes in place beforehand for all talent, all cast, all crew, so that when we go into the bubble we know everyone there is negative.

“The car you’re driving to set also has to be quarantined, nobody can have been in it for the time of quarantine and then everything that comes on to set has to be properly disinfected to protect everybody on set and the production.

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“That then means that set is Covid-secure and that enables a little bit more flexibility, so in the tent what you will see looks like normal Bake Off because it is normal Bake Off and we’ve been able to do that.

“That does mean the talent and cast and crew lived in that bubble for the duration of production which is obviously different to how we would normally make Bake Off.”

Who will present the series?

This year’s series will see the return of Noel Fielding as host, alongside comedian Matt Lucas as his new co-host.

Lucas is replacing Sandi Toksvig, who left the Great British Bake Off in January.

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Will the judges be the same?

Both Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood will be returning as judges in the Bake Off tent this year.

When will it be on TV?

Channel 4 is yet to confirm an official return date for the 11th series, but it is expected to be on screens later this year.

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