Former The Great British Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc opened up about past moments of jealousy in a candid insight into her friendship with a co-star
GBBO hosts Mel and Sue with Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry
The Great British Bake Off returns for its 17th series, with hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding at the helm alongside judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson, who makes her debut on the show. Before the programme moved to Channel 4, presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins fronted the series for six years.
The gig was one of many the pair took on together during their long-running friendship, which Mel has now revealed hasn’t always been smooth sailing. The broadcaster said their relationship has gone through “phases”, with periods when they’re inseparable and other times when they’ve been “off” with each other.
Speaking on the Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball, Mel explained that she and Sue are currently in one of their closer spells, chatting and seeing each other frequently. At the time of recording, the pair were also preparing to reunite at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
“There’s a real friendship there, you’ve known each other for ages and you know you’ve got each other’s backs and I think that is such a lovely thing,” she shared. Though keen not to be “disingenuous”, Mel admitted there had been moments of jealousy.
“There’s been times over the last 39 years or whatever that I’ve known Sue, I’m sure that we’ve had moments of a little bit of jealously and, sort of, off with each other but, you know, at base you’ve got each other and it’s everything,” she shared.
“It really is everything and the older I get the more I realise that you have to cling to the real proper quality.”
Mel and Sue released a statement in 2016 when the show left the BBC, saying they were “very shocked and saddened” by the news. In the statement at the time, they praised the BBC for helping shape the programme’s tone and for growing its audience from two million to nearly 15 million.
They also confirmed they were “not going with the dough”, while wishing the future bakers well.
After their departure, the hosting role passed to Sandi Toksvig, who left in 2020, and Noel Fielding, who now presents the show alongside Alison Hammond.
The current judging panel consists of Paul Hollywood, who has been part of the programme since it began, and Nigella Lawson, who makes her debut after stepping into Prue Leith’s shoes.
The new series returns tonight, with 12 amateur bakers entering the tent in the hope of impressing the judges and being crowned this year’s champion.
Away from Bake Off, Mel and Sue have also returned to screens with their Saturday night gameshow Win Win with Postcode Lottery.
The Great British Bake Off airs tonight at 8pm on Channel 4