Matt Lucas, a comedian and actor, left his role as co-host of The Great British Bake Off in 2022 after three series and 51 episodes. He was replaced by Alison Hammond in March 2023. Lucas cited a heavy workload as the reason for his exit, as he wanted to focus more on his other projects, including writing childrens books, working on a new TV series with his former Little Britain co-star David Walliams, and hosting the show Fantasy Football League. In a February 2023 interview, Lucas referred to Bake Off as a “pandemic job” and admitted he had “never seen the show” before he was approached to star on it. However, in a later interview, he revealed that his decision to leave was also inspired by his good friend and frequent collaborator, David Walliams. Lucas has been busy with his other projects since leaving Bake Off, including releasing his debut novel, The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas, and recording his own music.