Noel Fielding’s future on The Great British Bake Off has been “confirmed” after “uncertainty” about his involvement.
Concern about the participation of Fielding, who co-hosts the Channel 4 series with Alison Hammond, was thrown into question after it was revealed the second season of the comedy star’s acclaimed Apple TV+ series had been cancelled as he was unable to complete filming due to a mystery health battle.
The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin ceased production towards the end of the shoot due to a health issue faced by Fielding, with Apple deciding to scrap everything that had been filmed so far.
At the time, a rep for the Mighty Boosh star told Deadline: “This is a private and confidential matter regarding our client’s health.
“We are saddened by the decision to cease production but we cannot make any further comment on this matter.”
After it was claimed that Channel 4 was having “crisis talks” over the new series of GBBO, which is due to start filming in a matter of weeks, a spokesperson for the actor told The Sun there had been no talks about the actor stepping down from his GBBO duties, and that he will be hosting as usual.
This arrives after a source told the outlet: “Time is of the essence because bosses need a degree of certainty about who will be fronting Bake Off.
“So much has to be put in place long before the cameras start rolling and producers are already geared up, ready to go.”
“All those involved understand this is a health matter, but contingencies have to be put in place.”
The Independent has contacted Fielding and Channel 4 for additional comment.
According to initial reports from Deadline and The Sun, the axing of The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin occurred after Fielding “failed to return to work” after production resumed following the Christmas break.
Meanwhile, a source close to the show told The Times that the decision to scrap the show was a last resort, stating: “It’s not a decision that was taken lightly and they wouldn’t have got to this extreme result if every possible solution hadn’t been exhausted.”
Created by Claire Downes, Ian Jarvis and Stuart Lane, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin became a low-key hit for the service after debuting in March 2024, and a follow-up season was commissioned in July.
Season two of the absurdist historical comedy, a retelling of the life of the 18th-century highwayman, was set to welcome back cast members including Hugh Bonneville, Mark Heap, Ellie White and Dolly Wells.
New episodes were set to include “a host of great British comedy talent” following season one cameos from Greg Davies, Diane Morgan and Jessica Hynes.
The first season of The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin is available to stream on Apple TV+ now.
