The Great British Bake Off’s Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding have told of how “draining” and “emotional” it is to work on the cookery programme due to long hours of filming.
The show’s presenters have also said they are now having to do some damage control in terms of their weight after enjoying the baked goods on offer in the famous TV tent.
Toksvig and Fielding took over from Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins as the programme’s presenters when it moved from the BBC to Channel 4, and have enjoyed working together on their first series, which debuts on August 29.
They star alongside returning judge Paul Hollywood and new judge Prue Leith, who has replaced Mary Berry.
QI host Toksvig said the Bake Off is the “funnest job”, and that it is “all-consuming when you are doing it”.
But she said that, by the end of filming the 10-part series, the “tension” over who would win the show became a bit much.
She added, speaking from the set: “I’ve loved it but it is hard work. It is long hours. Today we started at 6.30am and we will finish late.”
Fielding said: “You really do feel for the bakers.
“It’s draining. When I go home afterwards, I sleep until 10am, which I never normally do.
“You are quite emotional.”
Toksvig said: “It’s quite draining but my daughter is a doctor and it’s important to say this knowing there are jobs that are way more important.”
She also joked that she needs to “go and eat salad for a year” after consuming so many treats in the tent, while bemoaning extra fried goods that appear during filming.
She added: “There is a weird thing on this programme that the wonderful kitchen at the back brings out deep fried food at 10.30am.
“Who does that at 10.30? Then what happens is you find yourself saying it must be nearly time for scampi!”
Toksvig said she will eat “whatever is put in front of me”.
“I need to stop,” she added. “I need to go and suck on a gem lettuce for at least a year.”
Fielding said he has been trying to work on an extra exercise regime to cope with the increased calories.
He said: “I have been trying to (exercise). I wasn’t eating sugar before doing this as I was playing Alice Cooper and I had to lose a stone, which was quite hard.
“I got rid of sugar other than fruit and now it’s a tidal wave of unbelievably delicious things.”
:: The Great British Bake Off airs on Tuesday August 29 at 8pm on Channel 4.
