We’ve relaxed into Bake Off now – Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig

Great British Bake Off hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig have said they have finally got past the pressure of taking over the show and have relaxed into their roles after a “tense” start.

The pair joined as presenters in 2017, after hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc quit following the baking programme’s move from the BBC to Channel 4.

They have now wrapped filming on their third series, which starts later this month.

Fielding told Radio Times magazine: “The first year was very tense. The pressure was scary.

“We needed it to work as the whole nation loved the show.

“We just wanted to get through it alive.”

“The second year we relaxed slightly,” he added.

“This year it’s gone to how it should be.”

Toksvig agreed: “It’s been more fun this year. More relaxed.”

Fielding said initially he did not realise how big Bake Off was.

He said: “I was on the cover of the Daily Mail and the headline was, ‘Is this who we want to do Bake Off?’ and I realised it was like a national crisis. ‘This vampire guy, who is he?’

“Everyone knew Sandi could do it, but I was the wild card.

“Even my friends were, like, ‘Wow – what?’ If you’d told me five years ago I’d be presenting Bake Off, I’d have laughed in your face.”

This week’s Radio Times is out on Tuesday.