Over the past few weeks it has been claimed that when The Great British Bake Off returns, it will be EXACTLY the same as it was on the BBC, but with a “Channel 4 twist”.
It turns out that they really meant it. Well, apart from the Channel 4 twist bit.
Because if the first episode is anything to go by, even with the additions of Prue Leith, Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding, there is nothing that makes it definitively Channel 4.
Off-the-wall comic Fielding was supposed to be the “twist”, but he has toned down the wackiness and upped the warmth to make himself indistinguishable from Mel or Sue.
This is not really a criticism. The one thing fans want is a really good new series – and that is what they will get.
The innuendo-laden gags and quips are all there, thanks to ingredients that include courgettes (snigger) and a chocolate champagne bottle that looks remarkably, ahem, similar.
One of the 12 contestants, Stacey, throws every one of her three bakes into the bin half-way through and starts over.
Some get the coveted Paul Hollywood handshake, while others learn their bakes are “dry” or “boring”.
There are plenty of teary eyes, but Sandi and Noel are on hand to comfort and cajole.
They seem to have a genuine rapport. Noel said: “We made love straight away – comedically.”
At yesterday’s screening, Sandi quipped there had been “suppressed sexual frisson”, while Noel described them as “owner and pet”.
Prue even compared them to Morecambe and Wise. Blimey, no pressure.
Noel knows alienating the core audience with madcap antics would be a bad move. He said: “I just wanted to slot in.”
And Sandi said: “We have enormous respect for the show – we don’t want to break it.”
Prue seems to be warmer than on previous TV shows, and even macho Paul claims to have struck up an unlikely bro-mance with Noel.
That said, when petrolhead Paul heard The Mighty Boosh Star couldn’t drive, there was a scene.
Noel said: “He fainted. I had to revive him with a macaroon.”
Some will baulk at the ad breaks, but – to the dismay of Channel 4 boss Jay Hunt – Prue helpfully suggested watching on catch-up to skip them.
It is clear the ratings will be well below the nine million the show got on BBC1.
Noel reckons it will be somewhere between “five people and seventy million”, which can only be true.
If you liked the old Bake Off, there shouldn’t be anything too alarming about this version.
The Great British Bake Off 2018
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Mary Berry, Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc have (apparently) given the show their blessing.
So perhaps it’s forgivable for old-timer Hollywood to be a bit smug. Smiling, he declared: “I feel like a proud dad.”
But Noel had the last word: “We’re like a little family now. I’m the dog.”