Tiers and TRIUMPHS!

LIAM CHARLES and new co-host STACEY SOLOMON on the return of TV's toughest baking contest

- CAREN CLARK

Tasty line-up: Judges Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden, with hosts Liam Charles and Stacey Solomon

BAKE OFF: THE PROFESSIONALS

NEW TUE, 8PM, C4 COOKERY

Stacey Solomon is thrilled with her new role overseeing proceedings on C4's ever-popular patisserie competition Bake Off: The Professionals.

'It's a dream job because I just eat food all day!' laughs the Loose Women panellist, who replaces comedian Tom Allen at the helm alongside returning co-host Liam Charles when the show starts its seventh outing this week.

But while the presenters may be having a ball sampling all the yummy-looking creations, the heat is on for 12 new pairs of pastry chefs, who are challenged to whip up mouth-watering miniature classics and stunning showpieces to impress no-nonsense judges Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden.

TV Times caught up with Liam, 24, and Stacey, 32, for a video chat about what's on the menu in the new 10-part run...

Are you enjoying presenting the show together?

LIAM It's been great! I said to Stacey, 'It's weird because I feel like I've known you for such a long time.' We found our feet very quickly and spent a lot of time giggling!

STACEY We did! And Liam's like an encyclopaedia - we'd tell the chefs what they had to make and then I'd go to Liam, 'What's that in layman's terms?'

He's like my younger brother and has so much empathy because he understands what the contestants are going through [Liam came fifth on the 2017 series of The Great British Bake Off]. I remember texting him to say, 'Thanks for being the nicest co-host ever!

How did you feel when you got the co-hosting job, Stacey?

STACEY It's a well-oiled machine, so stepping into something that brilliant is scary.