IT’S amazing that The Great British Bake Off managed to get on screen at all given the pandemic – and tonight we will see who is crowned champion in the final.
In the mixing bowl are favourite Peter Sawkins, Dave Friday and Laura Adlington, who say taking part in the show has changed their lives.
In fact, armoured guard Dave was even spotted by Bake Off fans while his girlfriend Stacey was giving birth.
He said: “The midwives and doctors asked where they knew me from. The doctor who delivered Ronnie is a big fan of Bake Off so was very excited about it. I have been recognised a bit — even with a face mask on!”
Laura has experienced the dark side of fame, having been trolled over beating Hermine in last week’s semi- finals. But she is upbeat about the future.
Laura, a digital manager, said: “The ultimate dream is to develop my own recipes to showcase my love of proper comfort food. Baking with Holly and Phil on This Morning is also on my bucket list. I’m really into my plus-size fashion so would love to get involved in that world.”
For this year’s 11th outing of the hit Channel 4 show, cast and crew had to live together in a bubble at a country estate in Essex.
And the contestants rose to the challenge.
Finance student Peter said: “I came well prepared with toiletries, but I did have to order some more clothes to wear in the last couple of weeks.
“I didn’t have too much trouble adapting to life in a swanky hotel with all my meals cooked for me. It felt rather luxurious to be living like this for seven weeks.” Win, and it might go on longer . . .
DUO’S CAPE CAPER
COP buddies Pike and Bishop are in South Africa for a three-part special of their hit show Bulletproof.
After two series of Sky’s original drama, the detective duo, played by Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters, will take a much-needed break from their London day jobs and head to Cape Town in Bulletproof: South Africa.
But the relaxing holiday does not quite go to plan when Bishop, Pike and his family find themselves embroiled in the frightening kidnap of a young girl in the adventure, due to air on January 20 on Sky One and NOW TV.
Paul Gilbert, executive producer for Sky, said: “We’re excited to see TV’s favourite cop duo back in action, but transported from London to one of the most beautiful coastlines on the planet.
“Bishop and Pike will offer a New Year thrill ride to die-hard fans of the show and new viewers alike.”
The fellas will surely need another break after this one.
LOOK WHO’S BACK
DOCTOR Who fans will enjoy a cracker this festive season – as John Barrowman puts on his famous RAF greatcoat once more and returns to our screens as Captain Jack Harkness.
In the Doctor Who Christmas special, called Revolution Of The Daleks, Captain Jack will help “the fam” as they discover a disturbing plan involving the Daleks.
With the Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, locked away in a space prison, he will try to save the planet, leaving viewers on tenterhooks.
John revealed: “Putting on Jack’s coat and setting foot on the set of Doctor Who was just like going back home.
“It’s always thrilling to play Captain Jack. He’s a character very close to my heart.”
The show will air on BBC1, with details to be revealed soon.
Worzel: My worry over scabby duck flaps
MACKENZIE Crook got into a panic about some of the lines spoken by the Saucy Nancy character in Worzel Gummidge.
Last year the actor revived the 1970s scarecrow – previously played by Jon Pertwee – for two episodes.
And he has written an hour-long special due to air on BBC1 this Christmas. But when reviewing some of Nancy’s rude sayings, such as “scabby duck flaps”, he had his doubts. He told Radio Times: “These words Saucy Nancy uses are funny to a child, but some of them sound almost shocking to an adult.
“We thought, ‘Are we going to get away with this, because they sound awful . . ?’ ” Saucy Nancy, a carved ship figurehead who comes to life, was previously played by Dame Barbara Windsor. But Harry Potter actress Shirley Henderson takes the role this time round.
Speaking about how viewers took to the Worzel reboot, Mackenzie added: “I couldn’t have hoped for a better reaction.
“I was anxious about how it would be received because I’d become aware just how close to the heart a lot of people held the old adaptation. But children, especially, loved it, and that’s what I’d hoped for.”
