The Great British Bake Off's Noel Fielding has paid tribute to Matt Lucas after he announced his departure from the show this week.
Following Sandi Toksvig's exit in 2020, Fielding and Lucas co-hosted the popular baking format for three series in total, with judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood joining them with their expertise.
As he awaits a replacement colleague, the Mighty Boosh legend posted a picture of himself and Lucas in action on Instagram yesterday (December 6), alongside a heartfelt message.
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"So sad that @realmattlucas is leaving the show!" his caption began.
"Farewell buddy thank you for 3 amazing years. I will really miss your spark and huge smile in the tent and I will miss your kindness as a person and to all the bakers.
"I will miss your sense of the absurd and your silliness. I will miss all the times the four of us giggled together. I will miss your ability to turn into a fully formed character at the drop of a hat. I will miss you pretending to be Boris Johnson singing David Bowie songs and I will miss your upbeat nature and positive vibes."
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Fielding went on to conclude: "You are a huge comic talent but also a lovely man and a good friend. I wish you luck on your next adventure and look forward to watching as a fan. See you in the real world soon buddy. Don't forget: 'It's all about the showstopper'."
Rahul Mandal, Bake Off series nine champion, added in the comments: "Will miss Matt and the amazing chemistry you and Matt had. Good luck to Matt [for] all his future projects."
The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 in the UK. In the US, it's known as The Great British Baking Show, and streams on Netflix. Bake Off: An Extra Slice, hosted by Tom Allen and Jo Brand, airs on Fridays at 8pm on Channel 4.
