Channel 4 are said to be a strongly considering actor, writer, comedian and director Richard Ayoade to take over as host for The Great British Bake Off having recently acquired the rights to the show from the BBC.
Best known for his acting roles in The IT Crowd and The Mighty Boosh and for directing The Double and Submarine; Ayoade is said to be well liked among those in charge of the new look Bake Off. A source has told The Sun that: “Richard is a really popular choice at the minute, as many think he’s got a great character that would bring a great spark to the show”. The source went on to say that, “He’s got a wonderful off-beat sense of humour, which would really fit the change of channel – and would no doubt be a popular choice with viewers too. It’s still early days, but he is definitely up there and now the leading candidate.”
But Ayoade is not the only name linked to the show. Comedian Jo Brand, host of Extra Slice, has expressed interest in moving with the show to Channel 4 saying that, “I would like to continue doing it, but there are other considerations to think about, so who knows? But I probably would.” Previous reports have linked Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders to the show as potential replacements for Mel and Sue, whilst former Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain has since pledged her allegiance to the BBC, sparking rumours that she may join Mary Berry in hosting a rival show.
You can see Ayoade try his hand at food himself in his current show Travel Man: 48 Hours In… with Jack Dee below. He even likens Dee to a young Paul Hollywood:
