the great british bake off

Richard Ayoade Is Reportedly in the Running to Replace Mel and Sue on The Great British Bake Off

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Ready your baking puns, Richard. Photo: Mike Marsland/WireImage/Getty Images

Has Channel 4 tried turning GBBO off and on again? According to a report from The Sun, comedian, director, and IT Crowd star Richard Ayoade is a front-runner to fill in for hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins in Channel 4’s new version of The Great British Bake Off. “It’s still early days,” a source tells The Sun about Ayoade’s potential involvement. “But he is definitely up there and now the leading candidate.” To recap the latest GBBO drama: Mel and Sue left the show when it moved from BBC to Channel 4 earlier this year. On Channel 4, Ayoade would team up with stern judge Paul Hollywood, and probably make jokes about Dostoyevsky while contestants finish their bakes. Ayoade is not without some whipped-cream-stiff competition for the gig, however: According to other reports, comedians Jo Brand, Dawn French, and Jennifer Saunders are also being considered to fill Mel and Sue’s role. We’re just Americans, but we say the host should be chosen via a “soggy bottom” pun competition.

Meanwhile, Mary Berry, the other half of the GBBO’s judging team, has decided to stay at the BBC, which is rumored to be developing a rival baking show of its own, possibly with the help of Mel and Sue. Could they get Chris O’Dowd to guest host? Just for the sake of symmetry?

Richard Ayoade Reportedly Up for Bake Off Role