Three seasons of sweets and Sandi Toksvig is stepping out of the kitchen. Channel 4 announced the host of three years is leaving The Great British Bake Off.
According to Channel 4, Toksvig is leaving the series to focus on other projects, including a new series for the network, The Write Offs, which focuses on adult literacy. According to the network, a new host, who will be announced at a later date, will join Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith and Noel Fielding in the tent.
“When stepping down from a job it is quite common for people to say they are doing so in order to spend more time with their family. Unusually I am departing from the Great British Bake Off so I can spend more time with my other work. As my waistline will testify, Bake Off is an all-consuming show,” Toksvig said in a statement.
“Spending time with Prue, Paul and Noel has been one of the great pleasures of my life. These are friendships which I know will continue beyond the confines of television. Bake Off is a wonderful programme which has already proved it can happily withstand a change of hosting personnel. The reason for that, of course, is that the true stars of the show are the bakers themselves. I wish everyone well,” she continued.
Toksvig joined the show when it jumped networks from BBC to Channel 4 in the UK.
“We’ll always be incredibly grateful to Sandi for becoming one of the hosts of Bake Off when we moved to Channel 4, along with Noel, Paul and Prue. She has contributed hugely to Bake Off over the last three years, with her sharp witty sense of humour and her passionate commitment to the dozens of bakers during her time in the tent. We wish her all the very best on the exciting projects she is currently working on and beyond,” Richard McKerrow, chief creative officer and executive producer for Love Productions, said in a statement about Toksvig’s exit.
Toksvig joined the show in season eight and lasted through season 10, which is on Netflix in the United States as The Great British Baking Show.