Why Is Matt Lucas Back Co-Hosting ‘The Great British Baking Show: Holidays’?

For the last three months, new Great British Baking Show co-host Alison Hammond has lulled us into a state of contentment. We embraced her giggles, hugs, and sweetly silly antics so quickly that we almost forgot what the vibe in Netflix‘s Great British Baking Show tent used to be like. However, today, the latest two installments of The Great British Baking Show: Holidays premiered on Netflix, revealing one last Matt Lucas hurrah (or jump scare) for the year. Yes, it weirdly wasn’t Hammond yukking it up with Noel Fielding, Paul Hollywood, and Prue Leith in this year’s two new Great British Baking Show: Holiday episodes. Instead, Matt Lucas was on hand for two final Bake Off episodes. But why?

The Great British Baking Show: Holidays is an annual one-two punch of festive specials produced by the folks behind The Great British Baking Show proper. Each year, Paul and Prue preside over a Christmas or Festive-themed episode and a New Year’s Day installment of the classic Bake Off format. Sometimes the contestants are returning fan favorites from Great British Baking Show seasons past, while other times, the stars of British television will swing by the tent for hijinks. This year, “Channel 4 Legends” Terry Christian, Miquita Oliver, Tony Robinson, Gaby Roslin, and Claire Sweeney duked it out in a Christmas-themed episode before GBBS All-Stars Anthony Amourdoux, Lottie Bedlow, Manon Lagrève, and Chigs Parmar competed in the New Year’s throw down.

Both of the latest installments of The Great British Baking Show: Holidays are delightful for very different reasons. The “Channel 4 Legends” episode is a hilarious look at niche British celebs struggling through bakes, and sometimes succeeding. The episode featuring Great British Baking Show alums, however, was a comfort insomuch that we got to see four familiar faces all shine once again in the tent. The only thing slightly disappointing about this year’s Holiday episodes? We kind of sort of missed Alison.

So why isn’t Alison Hammond in The Great British Baking Show: Holidays? Why is Matt Lucas back? And who exactly are the “Channel 4 Legends”? Here’s your guide to unraveling the mysteries of The Great British Baking Show: Holidays on Netflix…

Why is Matt Lucas Hosting The Great British Baking Show: Holidays? Where is Alison Hammond?

Are you a big fan of Alison Hammond and worried Noel’s joke about her lasting only one season in the tent came true? Happy to see Matt Lucas return? Well, the truth is that Matt Lucas has still moved on from The Great British Baking Show and — until we hear otherwise — Alison Hammond is still poised to co-host next year’s season with Noel Fielding. Confused? That could be because these technically aren’t “new” episodes of The Great British Baking Show: Holidays. They are the episodes British audiences saw last year on Channel 4…

One of the perks of Netflix’s deal with The Great British Baking Show‘s British broadcaster Channel 4 is that new episodes of the main series now premiere on the American-based streaming service only a few days after they premiere in the UK. However that deal only applies to the main series. Netflix subscribers still have to wait a fair share of time before The Great British Baking Show spinoffs land on our screens.

The two “new” episodes of The Great British Baking Show: Holidays were shot in 2022. They aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day in the UK. Because Matt Lucas was still working on the show last year, he’s still in the tent. You’ll notice that the New Year’s special is called the first Bake Off of 2023…because it technically rang in the last year.

As far as we know, Alison Hammond is returning to the tent next year and will likely be in any holiday episodes filmed in 2023…

Who are the “Channel 4 Legends” Competing on The Great British Baking Show: Holidays? (From L to R) Meet Claire Sweeney, Miquita Oliver, Terry Christian, Tony Robinson, and Gaby Roslin

Sure, The Great British Baking Show: Holidays does a decent job introducing all five “Channel 4 Legends” gracing the tent this week, but maybe you’re still confused. After all, not every British celebrity makes the jump to American stardom the James Corden way! Here’s who pops up in The Great British Baking Show: Holidays that you may or may not have seen before…

Claire Sweeney: From 1991 to 2001, the Liverpudlian actress played Lindsey Corkhill on Channel 4’s beloved soap, Brookside. Although she went on to appear on Celebrity Big Brother and in musicals on the West End, she’s forever synonymous with Lindsey, a single mother-turned-lesbian gangster.

Miquita Oliver: British Millennial icon Miquita Oliver shot to fame co-hosting the early ’00s show Popworld with bestie Simon Amstell. She is also, as repeatedly mentioned throughout the show, the daughter of celebrity chef, former musician, and TV presenter Andi Oliver.

Terry Christian: In 1990, Christian made the transition from radio to Channel 4 when he hosted a new music series called The Word. It was the UK broadcaster’s answer to MTV, offering up viewers the opportunity to watch Nirvana’s international debut and Oasis’s first TV peformance of “Semisonic.”

Tony Robinson: Sweet Sir Tony Robinson is an actor, comic, and history presenter best known for his work hosting the long-running, cozy, British archeology series Time Team. He’s also appeared on everything from comedies like Blackadder to delightful docuseries like History’s Worst Jobs.

Gaby Roslin: As The Great British Baking Show mentions, Gaby Roslin was the original host of Channel 4’s icon morning show, The Big Breakfast. Between 1995 and 2004, she also presented Britain’s annual charitable telethon Children in Need. She still fills in regularly on morning shows like the aptly named, Morning Live.