Holly Willoughby reaches out to Alison Hammond as Bake Off host drops first look at new series-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

Holly Willoughby has thrown her support behind Alison Hammond (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

The Great British Bake Off has given us a first look at Alison Hammond as she makes her debut in the competition, and we’re just as excited as her This Morning co-stars.

Paul Hollywood, Dame Prue Leith and Noel Fielding have returned to the Bake Off tent, this time with Alison, who is taking over for Matt Lucas.

Little Britain star Matt revealed that he was stepping back from the Channel 4 show to focus on other commitments, shortly before Big Brother’s Alison was announced as his successor.

And we’ve now seen her take her place beside the others, standing in front of the infamous tent.

She wrote: ‘@britishbakeoff is back with a new series and addition – Meeeeee !! I cannot wait 🍰 Coming soon to #channel4 #GBBO.’

The official Bake Off page added: ‘Alison + cake = heaven.’

We couldn’t agree more!

We can’t wait! (Picture: Instagram)

Her This Morning stars rushed to support her with Holly Willoughby commenting some hearts and raising hand emojis while Carol Vorderman wrote: ‘Perfection. You’re my showstopper babe xxx.’

This Morning’s resident vet Dr Scott also wrote: ‘Yes Yes Yes!!! Never watched a full series, but this one I’ll be glued to. Proud of you babes.’

Alison revealed the epic news that she was joining the team earlier this year, in a video showing an incredible cake recreation of the set – and the cast – as she interviewed herself in a voiceover.

She asked: ‘Breaking news, Alison Hammond is joining the team of the Great British Bake Off. Alison, have you got any words whatsoever?’

Responding to her own question, she said: ‘Well, d’ya know what? I’m just absolutely thrilled, I’m gonna be meeting the bakers very soon and joining the Great British Bake Off.

‘I’m so very excited! As you can see, all my colleagues are absolutely speechless… Yep, yep, just speechless. We’re so very happy and we can’t wait to get started.’

She wrote alongside the video: ‘It’s OFFICIAL!!! It’s happening The Great British Bake off ! Let’s have it ! The cake that is 😂#GBBO 2023’

In a statement she added: ‘Finally I can talk about it! I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Great British Bake Off and can’t wait to meet this year’s bakers. It’s a huge honour to be back in the tent and I can’t wait to get started.’

Alison was unveiled as the new host earlier this year (Picture: @britishbakeoff)

She replaces Matt Lucas on the programme (Picture: Love Productions / Channel 4 / Mark Bourdillon)

It won’t be her first appearance in the tent, after she signed up as a contestant for the Stand Up To Cancer special back in 2020.

Talking about Alison’s exciting news, Dame Prue previously told Metro.co.uk: ‘I think it’ll be fantastic, not only because of her character and her personality, but I like the fact she’s a woman. 

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‘I love Matt Lucas and I’m sure we’ll be friends for life, but the fact is, when there were three men and me, because there were numbers of them, they just got sillier and sillier and I never understand the jokes.  

‘They can go into hysterics about the word sausage. They’re like four years olds. So, I’m looking forward to having a woman around.’

The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 in September.

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