Alison Hammond recalls her 'weird' The Great British Bake Off audition

Alison Hammond has shared the unusual audition process that locked her in as the new host of Great British Bake Off.

Last week the TV presenter was announced as the replacement for Matt Lucas on the baking competition, and will soon be joining co-host Noel Fielding and judges Dame Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood filming the next season.

Sharing the news in a voiceover along with an epic cake-based recreation of the set, Alison’s already been dubbed the saviour for the series.

But despite her years of experience Alison, 48, was still required to audition for the job.

While pretending to interview bakers might have made sense, she’s actually revealed she was sent to a garden centre to chat to customers.

‘They made me interview random strangers, to obviously see if I’m good with different people,’ she recalled.

‘It was a weird audition,’ she added when speaking to The Sun.

After landing the role, Alison was told she had to make it through three weeks without telling anyone, but ended up telling her son Aidan, 18.

‘Can you believe I couldn’t tell anybody?’ she added.

‘You know what my mouth is like.’

Since the announcement was made, Alison has been congratulated by her new colleagues, who had ‘said really lovely things’, as had former host Mary Berry.

However, the exciting news was somewhat bittersweet after Alison shared the show was a favourite of her late mum Maria, who died from liver and lung cancer in 2020.

‘The fact she doesn’t get to see it – I’m devastated,’ she said.

‘It’s bittersweet. My mum was always a massive supporter of me.

‘She was always cheering me on from the side lines.’

He explained they had been looking for someone who would ‘look after the bakers during their experience and be curious about what they’re baking and to do it with charm, humour and kindness’.

The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 later this year.

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