What's on TV: New Year’s Day
Mr Bates vs The Post Office
ITV1, 9.00pm
The Detectorist’s Toby Jones stars as the Erin Brockovich of the British Post Office Scandal, Mr Bates.
The Detectorist’s Toby Jones stars as the Erin Brockovich of the British Post Office Scandal, Mr Bates.
Each series sees twelve amateur bakers attempt to out-bake their opponents and impress judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, with encouragement (/harassment) from the presenters, now comedian Noel Fielding and queen of daytime Alison Hammond.
With one of the highest average audiences of any programme in the UK (in 2016, nine of the top ten most-watched programmes of the year were episodes of the show), Bake Off has become a Great British institution.
ITV deliver what they're describing as the "definitive depiction" of the hunt for Peter Sutcliffe, the serial killer responsible for murdering thirteen women and attempting to murder seven others in the late seventies.
Hammond (This Morning) was a fan favourite when competing on Celebrity Great British Bake Off 2020. She described herself to the judges as a “born baker and a born eater”, making her most likely also a born Bake Off host.
Hammond will be replacing host Matt Lucas who departed from the Bake Off Tent after joining the show in 2020, to dedicate more time to presenting Sky’s Fantasy Football League.
Host Noel Fielding will be joining her in the tent, alongside judges Dame Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood.
After Janusz's heartbreaking exit last week, Abdul, Syabira and Sandro take to the tent one last time for the grand final. All three have won Star Baker at least once, so it should prove a baking hot contest.
Last year’s competition saw Guiseppe Dell’Anno crowned the series winner, having beaten Chigs and Crystelle in the final. With Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding once again returning as hilarious hosts, meet the twelve new bakers hoping to be crowned Britain's best baker:
12 more amateur bakers will enter the tent under the beady eyes of judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, hoping to win them over and perhaps even receive the honour of a Hollywood handshake. Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding are also back to present and pester the contestants.
The usual schedule sees the field narrowed down to just three bakers by week 10, at which point the finalists will battle it out in the hopes of winning the glass cake stand.
BBC Two celebrates one of Britain’s most iconic artists, Quentin Blake, in a one-off special that sees the illustrator tell his life story by painting a 30-foot-long canvas.
Swapping the Pink Palace for the equally glamorous Bake Off tent, Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Nathaniel Curtis and Shaun Dooley will be competing to see who can whip up the best festive bakes.