Four celebrities who rejected roles on The Great British Bake Off

Gordon Ramsay said no to being a judge

The Great British Bake Off viewers are acclimatising to the combination of Nigella Lawson, Paul Hollywood, Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond. But the line-up for the show could have looked very different. These four huge celebrities apparently rejected roles as judges or presenters on The Great British Bake Off – here’s why.

Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay passing judgement over food in Becoming Gordon Ramsay
(Image via Netflix)

Hardcore Bake Off fans will remember Mary Berry quitting in 2017, after the show relocated from the BBC to Channel 4. Back then, Gordon Ramsay claimed he was asked to replace Mary Berry as a judge on Bake Off, but he said no.

“They did ask me for Bake Off anyway,” he told The Telegraph, “I’m not very good at sloppy seconds. I don’t want to be the male version of Mary Berry. I’m 30 years younger and more wrinkly than her anyway.”

At the time, Gordon Ramsay did also seem unimpressed the show was moving to Channel 4. He added: “For me Bake Off is like the Queen, it’s something to be respected, listened to and cared for – not sold off.”

Jamie Oliver

There he is
(Image via Channel 4)

Back in 2017, the Sun reported that Channel 4 tried to get Jamie Oliver to be a presenter on Bake Off, but he wasn’t interested.

Jamie Oliver was asked on This Morning in 2016 whether he’d been phoned up about a role on Bake Off. He responded: “I haven’t got the time to do it. I couldn’t do it if I wanted to do it.

“I would get massive credibility if I did do it, massive… the kids would be like, ‘Finally, Dad, you’re doing something useful with your life!’”

Jane Asher

Jane Asher in the 2015 BBC Two show Best Bakes Ever

Jane Asher (the actor who rose to fame in the 1960s, then ran a cake business) was apparently considered as a judge alongside Paul Hollywood. However, she didn’t want the job. She told Hello: “I might have had a slight approach at one point, but I was a bit [doubtful] about those kind of things. That would have been a long time ago. Now, I would definitely think Nigella couldn’t be beat. She’s wonderful. Acting is the main part of my life.”

Miriam Margolyes

Miriam Margolyes and a pavlova on Miriam Margolyes in New Zealand
(Image via BBC iPlayer)

Sandi Toksvig left her job as a presenter on Bake Off in 2020. Apparently, the producers contemplated replacing her with Miriam Margolyes before they settled on Matt Lucas.

Miriam Margolyes told the Sunday Mirror: “I was asked if I wanted to be considered to take over from Sandi Toksvig on Bake Off. I can’t think of anything I would rather do less than be in a room with a frying pan and a saucepan. I’m not interested in cooking. I love being asked to supper, but to have anything to do with the preparation?

“It was kind of them to think of me, but no.”

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Featured image via Channel 4.