British TV Star Noel Fielding Returns to 'Bake Off' Following Illness — Inside the Details
"The fact that I’m still here is amazing.”
Published Sept. 8 2025, 11:12 a.m. ET
Celebrities are no stranger to surprising their fans by taking some time off, but sometimes the reasoning can be of a more serious nature. British television star Noel Fielding recently returned to the spotlight following a long illness.
Let’s dive into the details.
Noel Fielding began his comedy career in the early 2000s in London working alongside The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe — however, his career blossomed in 2017 when he became the co-host of The Great British Bake Off.
Noel Fielding returns following illness.
On Tuesday, Sept. 2, Noel made his grand return to The Great British Bake Off after being on hiatus from the show since late December 2024, according to the Daily Mail.
Per the outlet, Noel’s absence was due to the cancellation of his Apple TV series, The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, after just one season.
His publicists confirmed at the time that he would not be returning to film the show due to an unknown "health reason," which led to it not being renewed.
Although filming was set to resume following Christmas break, the cast and crew were informed of the show’s cancellation in January upon returning, with production saying the show was cancelled due to “the illness of a key cast member.”
The comedian has since kept a relatively low-profile Noel, with his most recent appearance being in July 2025 with his longtime partner Lliana Bird at the British Summertime Hyde Park.
As of now, Noel has not publicly discussed his mysterious illness or any additional updates regarding his health.
Prior to his hiatus, Noel spoke about his love for 'The Great British Bake Off.'
“There are some very special bakers in the tent this year. Somehow the standard keeps getting higher,” he said of the show ahead of its most recent season, per The Guardian. “These unbelievable young bakers are way better than they should be for their age. It’s a vintage year. One of the best yet.”
“Who knew that was going to happen?” Noel said of his lengthy tenure on the show. “Maybe Paul Hollywood’s hypnotised me. I can’t escape the tractor beam of those blue eyes.
“I loved that original lineup, with Mary [Berry], Mel and Sue, as much as anyone,” he continued. “When me and Sandi [Toksvig] took over, we were terrified. We knew it was a massive risk. We said: ‘Let’s see if we can last one series.’ The fact that I’m still here is amazing.”
Noel also noted that the more grounded job of television co-host was exactly what he needed following his past party boy ways.
“When I got this job, I’d just had my first child, I was painting a lot and had a different lifestyle,” he told the outlet.
“This show fitted that phase,” Noel continued. “You want to match your career to where you are in life. It’s mainstream, family-friendly and my kids love it, so it suits me. I love not partying – and I never thought I’d say that.”