Harry Hill to host Junior Bake Off
- Harry Hill will host Junior Bake Off, the spin-off of The Great British Bake Off featuring kids
- The job follows on from a memorable appearance in The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand Up To Cancer
- He says: "I'm very excited to be going back in the tent and breathing the cake fumes"
It has been revealed that Harry Hill will host the revived children's version of The Great British Bake Off.
Producers confirm: "Comedian, author and a man who likes a significant shirt collar, Harry Hill, will host the new 15 part series of Junior Bake Off, due to transmit on Channel 4 later this year. Joining Harry, Prue Leith will swap the grown ups tent to judge the budding junior bakers alongside Bake Off alumni Liam Charles."
This will be the first series of Junior Bake Off with Channel 4, having previously run for 4 series on CBBC. The BBC lost the rights to broadcast the main programme and all derivatives thereof, as of its eighth series, in 2017. The new series of Junior Bake Off will involve 40 contestants aged between 9 - 15.
Last year, Hill appeared in The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand Up To Cancer. Makers Love Productions say he showcased his baking skills with "bald lucky cupcakes and a 3D biscuit scene representing the best day of his life entitled 'The day I went on holiday with Camilla Parker Bowles', which certainly challenged the judges' composure".
Talking about his appointment, Hill says: "I'm very excited to be going back in the tent and breathing the cake fumes - I know a certain Duchess will be looking on, brimming with pride!"
Bake Off judge Prue Leith has spent her career campaigning about the importance of children being taught about food, where it comes from and how to cook. She adds: "Almost all cooks and bakers start with brownies or pizza, finding it fun, creative and satisfying. So the more we can do to widen the nation's interest in good food the better. I'm really thrilled to be asked to judge Junior Bake Off."
Meanwhile Bake Off: The Professionals winner Liam Charles will also act as a judge, and says: "From competing to hosting and now judging, it's insane. It's going to be great to see what the junior bakers come up with because this is around the age I started. I'm well chuffed to be sharing the experience with Prue and Harry, it's gonna be wicked, ROLL ON THE JUNIORS!!"
Kieran Smith, executive producer for Love Productions, says: "We are delighted to be giving this much-loved show a new home with Channel 4. With Harry, Prue and Liam at the helm we know Junior Bake Off will only go from strength to strength."
Channel 4's Sarah Lazenby adds: "Harry Hill made himself right at home on last year's The Great Celebrity Bake Off For SU2C baking a bikini-clad Camilla Parker Bowles out of gingerbread. We're delighted to welcome him back to the tent and can't wait to see what mischief he cooks up alongside our judges - Bake Off legend Liam and the mighty Prue on the hunt for the next generation of young British bakers."
Hill will present the third series of his ITV panel show - Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule - from this Saturday.
The comedian - who has three children - published Matt Millz last year, a novel for young readers about a schoolboy who wants to become a comedian.
Bake Off: The Professionals - hosted by Tom Allen - ends next week. Junior Bake Off will be shown on Channel 4 later this year.