Sending shockwaves through a community still reeling from the staff turnover that brought her to the series in the first place—genial baking competition audience not necessarily being the most receptive to quick change, and all—TV presenter and writer Sandi Toksvig has announced that she’s leaving The Great British Baking Show after just three seasons with the series. Toksvig announced the news on Twitter, resisting the urge to include any puns about having proved herself, or any other fun baking terms, which is how you know that this is all deadly serious stuff.
Toksvig joined the planet’s most pleasant reality competition cooking series back in 2017, which saw the series’ entire presenting team—excepting Guy Fieri-haired statue man Paul Hollywood—depart after the show transferred from the BBC to Channel 4. Teamed up with comedian Noel Fielding, Toksvig did considerable work in the all-important fields of punnery, commentary, and shouting “Baaaaaaaake!” at the start of various challenges. Also, there were a lot of jokes about Noel putting her in a bag, and that was always pretty fun.
In any case: Toksvig has departed the series in order to devote time to other projects. As a writer, TV host, and political activist, she’s always been a pretty busy person, and being beholden to the most successful television show in the U.K.—and its rigorous, tent-based scheduling—was apparently spreading her dangerously thin. The show’s production team has already announced that it’s looking to find her replacement; a proven talent for the cunning deployment of soggy bottom jokes (and a believable ability to be placed inside a bag, because, again, that’s stuff comedy gold) would pretty unarguably be a plus.