Noel Fielding has revealed that his ex-Great British Bake Off co-host Matt Lucas once swore at him in anger while competing on the show’s Stand Up To Cancer celebrity special.
Lucas, 49, joined Fielding on the Channel 4 series in 2020 for three seasons and while it was mostly an enjoyable experience for both of them, Fielding admitted that their partnership did have challenges.
In 2022, while presenting a celebrity Bake Off special, Lucas was forced to step in as a contestant when one of the celebrity bakers dropped out at the last minute.
Appearing on Ed Gamble and James Acaster’s Off-Menu podcast, the Mighty Boosh star spoke about the celebrity incarnations of the beloved series after both comedians reflected on their ‘stressful’ experiences in the tent.
Acaster, whose disastrous appearance on the baking show in 2019 went viral, told Fielding: “You were the only person who – at least to my face – was constantly finding [my breakdown] funny.”
To which the 50-year-old responded: “Yeah, and [Matt] was having a breakdown as well.
“He told me to f*** off. Because I just came up and was laughing at him and he was like: ‘Oh, f*** off.’ And then he went, ‘Oh I’m really sorry, I’m just really stressed.’
“I was like ‘Are you joking?’ but it really got to him. I think he felt extra pressure because he was supposed to be good or something.”
Fielding also revealed in the podcast that the producers of Bake Off have repeatedly attempted to get him to compete in a celebrity special, which he’s refused to do.
“They’re always like to me: ‘You should go on it, as a joke.’ And I’m like: ‘That’s not funny. That won’t be funny.’”
Lucas was replaced last year by This Morning star Alison Hammond and quickly became a fan favourite alongside Fielding, who has co-presented the series since 2017.
Later this year, the pair will host a new series of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer, which will feature soap star Danny Dyer, former Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker and Spice Girl Mel B.
Also among the hopefuls will be TV presenter Dermot O’Leary, broadcaster Gabby Logan, singer Paloma Faith and former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse.
