BAKE OFF SHOULD GO ON FOR EVER

PAUL HOLLYWOOD, PRUE LEITH AND ALISON HAMMOND DISCUSS BAKE OFF'S RETURN

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AUTUMN bakes feels like a treat, packed full of the flavours of pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, caramel and comforting warm spices, so what could be more of a treat than the return of The Great British Bake Off to our screens?

The bunting has been dusted off and once again, a batch of the UK’s amateur bakers are heading to the famous white tent to work their way through 30 brand new challenges, set by judges Paul Hollywood, 59, and 85-year-old Dame Prue Leith.

The new batch of 12 contestants includes a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, a bridal designer and two hairdressers hoping to make the cut. But the contestants won't be left to figure things out on their own. They will receive moral support, jokes and warm hugs from hosts Noel Fielding, 52, and Alison Hammond, 50.

Paul believes Bake Off will go on long after he and Prue are gone

He says: “There should be a Bake Off for ever now. Obviously, not in the current lineup. We will all go. But I think it should stay. It is an institution. It’s a cult now. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t go on, like Match of the Day or something. There are some shows that just go on.”

On this year’s competition, Paul says there are fewer Hollywood handshakes than usual but the standard is still very high.

He says: “If I don’t give a handshake, it's ‘Paul's been stingy: If I give out too many, it’s ‘Paul is devaluing them’