Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig will host the all-new Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 later this year, in news that stumped the nation (and made everybody take to Twitter pretty much instantly to voice their opinion).
In a potentially genius move from Channel 4 (and, let’s be honest, it’s the most Channel 4 thing ever) the new line-up has caused major conversation among the entire British population, and some people who were previously ready to #boycottGBBO - when it was revealed the format would be shaken up last autumn - might have just changed their minds.
Cast your minds back to September last year, when the biggest headline was GBBO leaving the dear old BBC with hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins leaving with it. Oh, and Mary Berry wasn’t coming back either (that was the final straw for many). It was all to do with the production company setting a £25 million fee for the rights to the show which the BBC couldn't afford. At the time, Bake Off fans couldn’t imagine Wednesday nights without the tried-and-tested recipe for success that the seven series of Bake Off came to be. Could it really be aired on anything other than the BBC? WITH ADVERTS? Without Mel and Sue? Without Mary? And Paul deciding to stay on... oh, it was just too much to bear.
In a way, those people had a right to be sad (for a bit). Channel 4 is a completely different thing to the BBC, but the Beeb hasn't exactly patented TV baking shows with compulsory bunting, has it? You could argue that at least the new line-up is true to the channel's controversial style. Noel tweeted he'd be 'representing goths in the mainstream', and Sandi tweeted: 'It's an extraordinary honour to be charged with being in the mix to produce this national treasure of a show'. I'd been trying to avoid cake puns up until now, but that's a direct quote so I think I can get away with it. Although sod it, I've started now. Here's how the internet reacted:
All the right ingredients
Russell Brand quickly took to Twitter to suggest that if his best mate Noel was hosting Britain's much-loved baking show, he could take the role of head judge on Strictly, replacing Len Goodman who bowed out of the dancing show last year.
Thus... bringing goth back to the mainstream.
Series 7 favourite Selasi was a guest on *This Morning, *uh, this morning and said Noel Fielding was exactly what the show needed: 'It's not surprising news to be fair because they are both really good presenters. Noel Fielding is very funny which is what the new bakers need in the tent."
Caroline Flack love love LOVES the new line-up.
Broadcaster Stuart Maconie echoes the views of the whole nation, whatever your view.
A total flop
Some fans are not holding out hope for the new duo:
'Disgusted'.
'Fuming'.
'Dead'.
Neither cynics nor fans, but hoping for the best
And this little iced gem (sorry).
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.