TV presenter Noel Fielding has ended his online hiatus amid worries about his role on The Great British Bake Off.
Tensions are reportedly high in the Bake Off tent, as concerns over Noel’s health issues cast doubt on his future with the Channel 4 series.
The Mighty Boosh comedian, 51, unexpectedly left an Apple TV+ series mid-production last month, prompting fears among Bake Off chiefs that his abrupt exit from the streaming platform’s comedy might signal problems for their show.
Last year saw Noel debut his own show on Apple TV+, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, which was greenlit for a second season in July after receiving rave reviews for its premiere episodes. However, the entire project has been scrapped due to Noel’s withdrawal for health reasons during the festive period.
With the new series of Bake Off looming, producers are left wondering if Noel will be fit to rejoin Alison Hammond under the iconic tent in the coming months. “Time is of the essence because bosses need a degree of certainty about who will be fronting Bake Off. So much has to be put in place long before the cameras start rolling and producers are already geared up, ready to go,” an insider revealed.
The insider revealed to MailOnline that there’s “a lot riding” on Noel’s return as Bake Off is Channel 4’s flagship show and one of the UK’s most cherished programmes. They added: “All those involved understand this is a health matter, but contingencies have to be put in place,” Despite not addressing his health concerns publicly, Noel remains active on social media, reports the Mirror.
Over the weekend, he paid tribute to the late Manchester United legend Denis Law and shared several music clips on his Instagram Stories Sunday night. He captioned his sketch of the late footballer: “Denis Law rest in peace x x x,” on Saturday.
Fans expressed their concern and support in the comments, with one writing: “Hope you are doing ok Noel. Really hope you will be back on Bake Off. Whatever is wrong, take care of yourself and rest,” while another added: “I hope you’re doing well, my favourite goth”. A third fan wrote: “I hope you are ok. Take time for you. You are an awesome person and absolute ledge.”
Meanwhile, Noel’s abrupt departure from The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin due to health issues has caused a stir, leading to the cancellation of the show’s second season just weeks into filming.
A source disclosed: “Noel has said that he can’t film anymore and so there was no choice but to stop.”
The source revealed that the decision to halt production was not “taken lightly” and came as an “extreme result” after all other options were “exhausted”.
They also noted: “People have been very concerned about Noel’s wellbeing and given him time to recover but there are also significant repercussions.”
Additionally, they mentioned that some are “furious” with the outcome. Earlier in the month, The Sun reported that over 100 cast and crew members might sue the producers due to the sudden stop in production, leaving them jobless.
Responding to the situation, a spokesperson for Noel emphasised that he did not wish for his exit to cause such severe fallout, stating: “This is a private and confidential matter regarding our client’s health. We are saddened by the decision to cease production but we cannot make any further comment on this matter.”
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