Celebrity Bake Off favouritism row as fans accuse Paul Hollywood of helping Matt Lucas before famous handshake

CELEBRITY Bake Off fans have accused Paul Hollywood of helping Matt Lucas before giving him a controversial handshake.

The Great British Bake Off returned with stars Ed Gamble, Annie Mac and Example, and Matt stepped in at the last minute after a fourth celeb pulled out.

Matt Lucas took part in Celebrity Bake Off as a contestant after one of the line-up pulled out

Paul Hollywood couldn’t resist slipping a handshake to Matt

Matt’s Arsenal themed biscuits also won him the first task

Despite being unprepared, the comic got stuck in and won the first task of making Arsenal-themed biscuits.

Some might say he fared even better in the next round, as Paul dished out his coveted Hollywood handshake to his colleague.

Fellow judge Prue Leith even tried to push Paul’s hand out of the way, but eventually gave in and Matt looked delighted.

Taking to Twitter, one fan started a poll and asked: “Does Matt Lucas’ handshake count?” to which 60 per cent of voters said “no”.

Matt even bagged top spot in the technical challenge as he made doughnuts with jam inside and red icing.

Annie, Ed, and Example failed to get a handshake, but Example’s Australian themed cake won him this week’s show.

Matt previously explained how he had come to slip on an apron at the very last minute, saying: “I was forced to bake by my bosses at the last minute when one of the bakers became unavailable.

“I can’t tell you how happy I was that my humiliation was caught on camera.”

Whilst Paul revealed the comedian almost crumbled under the pressure.

He said: “He was nervous. He got a little bit tetchy didn’t he? He got really upset because something had gone wrong and it’s funny how it affects people.”

Rapper Example revealed Martine McCutcheon was due to take part, but wasn’t there to film on the day.

He said: “I was told it was me, Annie Mac, Ed Gamble and Martine McCutcheon and I got there and Martine McCutcheon wasn’t there.

“So I’m pretty sure that Matt Lucas jumped in at the last minute as obviously he was meant to be one of the presenters.”

The Kickstarts hitmaker, real name Elliot John Gleave, hailed Matt for getting stuck in with “no preparation” and confirmed it was a last-minute shake-up on the Channel 4 Stand Up to Cancer special.

He said: “I think fair play to him as a lot of people will think maybe he wanted to do this and he didn’t want to do it as he had no preparation.

“He found out the morning we started filming he was told ‘sorry you’re not going to be presenting today you’re going to be baking’ so he’s the real soldier in all this.”

Matt was cracking under the pressure, according to Paul

Paul, Prue Leith and Noel Fielding were back judging tonight

Matt was up against Annie Mac, Example and Ed Gamble, with Example taking home star baker