Great British Bake Off Christmas special line-up revealed - and we can't wait to watch!

Great British Bake Off cast
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For a Christmas like none other before, the Great British Bake Off really has pulled out all the stops to give us TWO seasonal specials that we certainly won't forget.

Presenters Matt Lucas and Tom Allen, who will be filling in for Noel Fielding, will be joined by famous faces from seasons past including James Hillary, Jamie Finn, Rosie Brandreth-Poynter and Ruby Bhogal for the first of the two episodes.

If you've been wondering where the previous GBBO contestants are now, you'll certainly want to tune into this one-off baking extravaganza!

Set to air on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve at 7.40pm, the Christmas special will feature the star studded line-up of four bakers competing in a mini-tournament and to assess their progress along the way, the bakers will be judged by Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood as normal.

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It might still be a couple of weeks until Christmas but some GBBO fans just can't wait for the special to air. As one wrote after hearing that 2018 favourite, Ruby Bhogal would be in the episode, 'Omg yes 🙌🏼 I need more Ruby bakes in my life!'

Another said, 'Christmas just got even better!! X' and previous contestants weighed in to wish Ruby luck on the day with Val Stones writing, 'You will have had so much fun 👏👏👏👏👏😘'. 

The baking excitement doesn't just stop there though, as a further New Year's special will air on January 3 at 7.45pm on Channel 4 with four more bakers. Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding will present and they'll be joined by previous winners Nancy Birtwhistle and Rahul Mandal, along with Helena Garcia and Henry Bird from 2019's season.

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Fans of Helena's were also quick to congratulate as one wrote, 'YESSSSSS I was hoping this would happen 🖤✨. Stay safe' 

Another commented, 'Can't wait!!! I can't wait to see you! You are so uniquely YOU and sooooo amazing! I love your bakes! 🖤🖤🖤'

The bakers will undoubtedly be keen to get back into the tent, as the programme has gone under some major changes since many of the contestants were last on the show. Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas are recent additions to the presenting team and have made quite a splash already, with both presenters hit by Ofcom complaints in the last season.

The show wrapped its 11th series recently with Peter Sawkins announced as the winner.

Grace Walsh
Features Writer

Grace Walsh is a health and wellbeing writer, working across the subjects of family, relationships, and LGBT topics, as well as sleep and mental health. A digital journalist with over six years  experience as a writer and editor for UK publications, Grace is currently Health Editor for womanandhome.com and has also worked with Cosmopolitan, Red, The i Paper, GoodtoKnow, and more. After graduating from the University of Warwick, she started her career writing about the complexities of sex and relationships, before combining personal hobbies with professional and writing about fitness.