Matt Lucas QUITS as presenter of The Great British Bake Off

Matt Lucas has announced he has quit his role as presentrer of The Great British Bake Off after three series.

The comedian, 48, has co-hosted the Channel 4 show alongside Noel Fielding since 2020 but has decided his time on the show is over.

In a statement, Matt cited his heavy workload as the reason he has stepped away from Bake Off, saying he wouldn’t have the time to host it alongside his work on Fantasy Football League.

Bowing out: Matt Lucas (centre) has announced he has quit his role as presentrer of The Great British Bake Off after three series

He wrote: ‘Farewell Bake Off! It’s been a delicious experience and I can’t imagine a more fun way of spending my summers.

‘But it’s become clear to me that I can’t present both Fantasy Football League and Bake Off alongside all my other projects.

‘So, after three series and 51 episodes, I am cheerfully passing the baguette on to someone else.

‘I would like to give my warmest thanks and gratitude to everyone at Love Productions and Channel 4 and to Noelipops, Paul, Dame Prue, the crew and, of course, the wonderful bakers for welcoming me into the tent.

‘Farewell’: In a statement, Matt cited his heavy workload as the reason he has stepped away from Bake Off

‘I wish whoever takes over the very best and I can’t wait to tune into the next series without already knowing who won!’

Matt joined the show in series 11, replacing fellow comedian Sandi Toksvig who left the programme after three seasons.