Great British Bake Off hosts are at loggerheads as Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith clash backstage
TENSIONS are simmering behind-the-scenes on The Great British Bake Off as relations between the new line-up crumble, The Sun can reveal.
Mary Berry’s replacement Prue Leith has clashed backstage with Paul Hollywood, while Sandi Toksvig, 59, has been spending all day in her trailer knitting.
Co-presenter Noel Fielding, 44, will not even taste the contestants’ cakes as he is worried about putting on weight.
Judge Paul, 51, was the only member of the BBC line-up to move to Channel 4 when talks over a new series broke down last year. Ex-hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins quit.
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On-set sources have disclosed Paul and Prue, 77, have not bonded as bosses had hoped.
A show insider said: “The feeling backstage has totally changed with the new line-up. Prue has told staff she can’t stand Paul.
“Mary put up with him but Prue is much feistier.”
The new team also spend little time together off camera, it is claimed, in contrast to Mel, Sue and Mary who got on well.
The source added: “Paul, Prue, Sandi and Noel sit in their personal spaces backstage and don’t talk to each other. Sandi in particular spends most of the time knitting alone and refusing to mix with the others.
“Noel has struggled to adjust to the totally different environment and has been saying he doesn’t want to taste too many of the cakes because he’s worried about getting fat.
“And, worst of all, Sandi does not seem to have any interest in the contestants off screen like Mel and Sue used to.”
Bake Off insiders fear the lack of team spirit will hit viewing figures.
The insider added: “Morale is low among a lot of staff members and crew. There’s a lot of new people with their own ideas on how things should be done.
“Channel 4 will probably say it’s all teething problems, but it doesn’t bode well.”
A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: “The Great British Bake Off team get on brilliantly and together have all the ingredients for a show-stopping series.”