Despite the drama on his other series, Apple TV+’s The Completely Made-Up Adventures Of Dick Turpin, Noel Fielding will return to host The Great British Bake-Off. In a new statement, the actor and host’s spokesperson insisted that, despite the rumor mill churning out worry given the cancelation of Dick Turpin, Fielding “will be returning” to host the popular reality series.
Fielding’s spokesperson has since issued the following statement (which we first encountered via Deadline):

There has been absolutely no discussion about Noel stepping down from ‘Bake Off.’ We have been in contact with Channel 4 and Love Productions throughout all the speculation and his ‘stepping down’ has never been part of that dialogue. We can confirm he will be returning to co-host the next series of ‘Bake Off.’

Deadline also reported that Love Productions/Channel 4 fully anticipate the actor’s return to the tent once production on the forthcoming season of Bake-Off begins.
What Happened With ‘The Completely Made-Up Adventures Of Dick Turpin’?

The reason for all the worry about Fielding’s future on Bake-Off stems from his controversial exit from his Apple TV+ series, The Completely Made-Up Adventures Of Dick Turpin. The show — which was three-quarters of the way through filming its second season — was seemingly canceled as production ground to a halt last week when Fielding failed to show up to set multiple times. According to production insiders who spoke to The Sun, Fielding was repeatedly unavailable to hit “scheduled and rescheduled” filming dates, effectively forcing the series to shut down after it “ran out of road.” It is now looking like the actor will be sued for breach of contract given his not returning to the set after Christmas break.
Fielding’s agent at PBJ Management denied that the actor dropped out, telling The Sun that, “one of the main cast members who has not been well is not recovered enough to complete the filming,” adding that it was “hugely disappointing” for all involved. It was revealed by the aforementioned production sources that this “main cast member” was, in fact, Fielding and that he was in France for reasons unknown. Fielding, who was also a writer on the series, has not been seen in public since allegedly leaving for France.

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‘The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin’ was a hit with viewers last year, but its lead star has reportedly not returned for filming.

Neither Apple TV+, nor Fielding himself, have issued any sort of comment regarding the series’ abrupt end. It’s a sad moment for all involved, given the series’ positive reception in its first season, and the fact that this development has effectively put hundreds of people out of work. Fielding was also a writer on the series about the storied and romanticized English highwayman who frequently robbed, poached, burgled, and killed across the English countryside atop his horse Black Bess.
The series was a whimsical send-up of all those criminal tales, and featured a bevy of esteemed British talent in its cast, including Fielding as Dick Turpin, Duayne Boachie as Honesty Barebone, Ellie White as Elaenor “Nell” Brazier, Marc Wootton as Moose Pleck, Dolly Wells as Eliza Bean, Mark Heap as John Turpin, Geoff McGivern as Lord Alistair Rookwood, Joe Wilkinson as Geoffrey the Gaoler, Kiri Flaherty as Little Karen, Hugh Bonneville as Jonathan Wilde, Asim Chaudhry as Balthazar / Craig the Warlock, and Tamsin Greig as Lady Helen Gwinear. It was said that Jason Isaacs, Dawn French, Miranda Richardson, as well as sibling actors Jamie and Natasia Demetriou, were set to appear in Season 2.

Release Date

March 1, 2024

Creator(s)

Claire Downes
, Ian Jarvis
, Stuart Lane

Cast

Noel Fielding
, Duayne Boachie
, Ellie White
, Marc Wootton
, Dolly Wells
, Mark Heap
, David Threlfall
, Geoff McGivern
, Joe Wilkinson
, Kiri Flaherty
, Hugh Bonneville
, Asim Chaudhry
, Greg Davies

Streaming Service(s)

AppleTV+