American fans of the Great British Bake Off have been sharing their love of new host Alison Hammond.
The This Morning star made her debut as the new co-host of GBBO last week when the Bafta-winning show returned for its 14th series.
The show is available to watch in the US on Netflix, but it is known as The Great British Baking Show due to copyright reasons.
For most American fans, last week’s episode was their first introduction to Hammond – and it seems she went down a storm.
One wrote: “Episode 1 of the Great British Baking Show was released this morning. I love Alison, the new host!”
Another penned: “Loving the new host too. She’s perfect,” while another wote: “I am enjoying the new GBBO host immensely.”
Alison Hammond as co host one of the best decisions the show ever made since Mel and Sue and sandy departure pic.twitter.com/kFn9lQRv3y
— 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 ☾ (@crawlingbacktus) September 30, 2023
Despite her popularity, the show suffered a slight ratings dip compared with last year as it returned to screens.
Overnight figures revealed an average of 4.3 million tuned in last week.
The number is 100,000 fewer viewers than last year’s premiere episode, 4.4 million. Notably, 2022’s debut had dropped 1.3 million compared to 2021’s figures.
This year, figures peaked at 5 million, which was a 200,000 drop in viewers from last year.
It also held an overall audience shared of 29 percent but proved to be a hit among 16-34s, who held 48.7 per cent of the viewership. The current figures don’t include streaming figures.
A spokesperson for Channel 4 told the Standard: “Bake Off launched with a 5 million peak audience and an average audience of 4.3 million.
“It was the most popular show in the slot with 29 per cent of all viewers tuning in to see the new intake of bakers. The show was also a massive hit with young audiences with 48.7 per cent of 16-34 year olds watching the show.
“It was up on share compared to the last series. We await the streaming figures.”
Fans were also left in hysterics during the season premiere after judge Prue Leith dropped some beaver-related innuendos – which were also picked up by Hammond.
During the first Showstopper challenge, the hopefuls were tasked with putting together an elaborate cake shaped like an animal of their choosing.
Former flight attendant Nicky opted to bake a beaver-inspired showstopper, comically revealing she wanted to immortalise the animal in cake as she once dressed up as one.
After sharing her explanation, Leith said: “I’m not even sure I know what a beaver looks like”, prompting laughter in the tent.
Leith later said with a straight face, “So, Nicky, tell us about your beaver”, before breaking down into a fit of laughter with the rest of production.
Fellow judge Paul Hollywood complained that Nicky’s cake, which she had named Norman, “looked amazing, but it was bone dry”.
“I don’t like dry beavers, do you?” new host Alison Hammond then joked which left co-presenter Noel Fielding, asking: “Am I in a Carry On film?”
The Great British Bake Off continues on Tuesday night at 8pm on Channel 4
