Great New Year’s Bake Off 2023 line-up: Meet the contestants of the New Year’s Day special - including Chigs

Channel 4 baking show The Great British Bake Off is back with a New Year’s Day special episode that sees the return of some familiar faces.
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As if the end of 2022 could not get even better in the lead-up to Christmas, Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off is set to return with two special episodes. On top of the festive special which has a confirmed line-up of celebrity debutants, a few familiar faces will return to the tent on New Year’s Day.

The upcoming New Year’s Bake Off episode will see four former contestants re-enter the competition in hopes to attain the very first Star Baker award in 2023. To do so, though, they must once-again impress judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood.

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Presenting the 2023 special will be the returning Noel Fielding, who for the last time will work alongside Matt Lucas. The Little Britian and Come Fly With Me comedian announced his departure from co-hosting The Great British Bake Off in December to pursue other projects.

His replacement is yet to be announced with a number of big names rumoured to take on hosting duties of the Channel 4 programme. The likes of fellow comedian Joe Lycett, former Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussain, and presenter Amelia Dimoldenberg are among the favourites for the hot seat.

In the meantime, showrunners have since confirmed the line-up of Great New Year’s Bake Off 2023’s line-up. So let’s meet some familiar faces once again before they return to the tent.

Great New Year’s Bake Off 2023 full line-up

Chigs

Chigs is returning to the Bake Off tent (Channel 4)Chigs is returning to the Bake Off tent (Channel 4)
Chigs is returning to the Bake Off tent (Channel 4)

Great British Bake Off 2021 finalist Chigs has been confirmed to be returning to the tent for Channel 4’s New Year’s Day special episode. The Leicester-based sales manager finished as runner-up to fan-favourite baker Giuseppe Dell’Anno.

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Since viewers last saw Chigs, he has featured on the likes of Steph’s Packed Lunch and That Baking Show Experience. He continues to post videos and images of his baking on social media channels such as Instagram.

Lottie

Welcome Lottie back to the Bake Off tent on New Year’s Day (Channel 4)Welcome Lottie back to the Bake Off tent on New Year’s Day (Channel 4)
Welcome Lottie back to the Bake Off tent on New Year’s Day (Channel 4)

Lottie Bedlow is scheduled to make her triumphant return to the Bake Off tent to face the judgement of Paul and Prue to bring in the New Year. The West Sussex-born baker was a contestant of the 2020 season and finished in sixth place.

She has continued her baking journey by writing and publishing her first cookbook. While furthering her culinary skills by sharing her recipes with followers on Instagram.

Manon

2018 series favourite Manon is back in December (Channel 4)2018 series favourite Manon is back in December (Channel 4)
2018 series favourite Manon is back in December (Channel 4)

As an alumni of the 2018 series of The Great British Bake Off, Manon Lagreve is set to return to the tent to kick-off 2023. She was a quarter-finalist in the same series that saw Rahul Mandul emerge as the winner.

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Ms Lagreve is a software project manager from France that currently resides in London. Since her last appearance on the show, she has set up her own website called Manon’s Little Kitchen, as well as the clothing brand Manon and Rose.

Antony

Antony is back on The Great British Bake Off New Year’s Day special (Channel 4)Antony is back on The Great British Bake Off New Year’s Day special (Channel 4)
Antony is back on The Great British Bake Off New Year’s Day special (Channel 4)

The fourth and final returning baker to the Channel 4 New Year’s Day special episode is Antony Amordoux, who viewers will recognise from the 2018 series. Antony was the third person to leave the show.

Since his Bake Off exit, Antony has been living in France as well as picking up new and working on his culinary skills. He recently returned to London and shares his recent bakes on social media.

The Great New Year Bake Off airs on New Year’s Day at 7:40pm on Channel 4. If you can not catch the episode, it will be available via on-demand service All4.

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