“Reality depresses me,” Noel Fielding once said. “I need to find fantasy worlds and escape in them.” Lucky for Noel, he’s found the perfect fantasy world in The Great British Bake Off‘s unreally wholesome land of British sun, scones and gingham. Yesterday it was announced that he’d be presenting Channel 4’s GBBO reboot alongside the one-time Antiques Master presenter Sandi Toksvig – just picture the impact of Fielding’s glittery imagination bombs on Toksvig’s arch wit, and the result is either a beautifully weird hybrid or a complete writeoff. Fans of the former BBC show are painfully aware of how it could go…
Many people are picturing Fielding bringing the zany lols of The Mighty Boosh and Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy to Bake Off:
"Wow, imagine if your cake was called Keith & he was a cockney with a bad temper & gun made of rainbows" #GBBO is going to be…interesting.
— Nick Pettigrew (@Nick_Pettigrew) March 16, 2017
"this cake is like a cloud made of jealousy." *does interpretive dance to further explain*
– noel fielding on #gbbo— wirrow (@wirrow) March 16, 2017
#GBBO " it's a good bake but … pic.twitter.com/XRKxKY432m
— ✨ Sophie ? ✨ (@Flamepr1ncess_) March 16, 2017
Noel fielding presenting #GBBO: "This cake looks like a funky melody trapped in a pringle can directed by geese, well done"
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) March 16, 2017
I can picture Noel Fielding as the new #GBBO presenter, prancing around in a sparkly cape sprinkling chilli powder in everyone's cake mix
— Sam (@shiner_sam) March 16, 2017
Fielding’s move has inspired Russell Brand to go for Strictly, which would be equally excellent:
Right. If @noelfielding11 can do Bake Off I'm replacing Len on Strictly.
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) March 17, 2017
Representing goths in the mainstream x x x https://t.co/PkomKCPHjQ
— noel fielding (@noelfielding11) March 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/frostysmaug/status/842689148251181057
Some think Fielding being a host is a terrible decision:
Noel Fielding on #GBBO is the human equivalent of putting pineapple on pizza.
— David Bedwell (@DavidBedwell) March 16, 2017
Looking at the new #GBBO lineup like pic.twitter.com/eufU8pOy2b
— Harry Marven (@HJMarven) March 16, 2017
— John (@johnedwards996) March 16, 2017
— VOTE LABOUR (@andyjacksson) March 16, 2017
Others think it’s kind of inspired:
Okay. The new Bake Off line up just made me laugh out loud and go "WHAT?!" in the street. I reckon that means they've nailed it. #GBBO
— Daniel J. Layton (@DanielJLayton) March 16, 2017
They only hired Noel as he's the only one who can understand Paul Hollywood these days #GBBO #noelfielding pic.twitter.com/efXP9eKiCN
— Ben Fenlon (@HailLeviathan) March 16, 2017
Noel Fielding hosting Bake Off is the most Channel 4 thing ever.
— Stuart Maconie (@StuartMaconie) March 16, 2017
Can't wait for Noel Fielding to host meringue week on #GBBO pic.twitter.com/5rKuq4akQc
— Sarah Rees (@SarahRees95) March 16, 2017
Some are so upset about Fielding’s involvement that they’re going to boycott the show:
Also those new judges for #GBBO have got to be someone's idea of a sick joke. #boycottGBBO
— Billie-Gina (@Billie_Gina) March 16, 2017
Just seen the list of #GBBO hosts and I am so underwhelmed. #boycott
— Shikha ? (@ShixSays) March 17, 2017
Me at the new #GBBO line up. pic.twitter.com/ObCABFDlpP
— Jamie (@jmehough) March 16, 2017
Others, who had planned to boycott the show when it announced it was moving to Channel 4, have changed their minds because of Fielding’s involvement:
i know we all agreed to boycott #gbbo but i'm 100% here for noel fielding and his many amazing outfits
— Marama Whyte (@maramawhyte) March 17, 2017
oh boy #gbbo @noelfielding11 and @sanditoksvig this is SO dreamy my bottom's gone all soggy! boycott after BBC exit officially abandoned!
— Rosa Innes (SOHK) (@RMSINNES) March 16, 2017
Meanwhile, some people just used the opportunity to play around with some lovely puns:
The Great British Bake Goth #NoelFielding #GBBO
— Rufus Hound ? (@RufusHound) March 16, 2017
Are they going to rename it The Mighty Amuse-Bouche? #GBBO #GreatBritishBakeOff
— Billybob69 (@WillieMcAlpine) March 16, 2017