Celebrity Bake Off is set for a major change when it returns in 2026, with reports suggesting celebrated pastry chef Cherish Finden will join the judging panel alongside Paul Hollywood.
According to The Sun, Finden, 57, will step into the famous tent as a new judge, with Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding returning as presenters.
The Singapore-born chef is the executive pastry chef at London’s Langham Hotel and has built a reputation for her high standards and no-nonsense feedback.
A former Culinary Olympics champion, she has served as a judge on Bake Off: The Professionals since it launched in 2016, and has also appeared on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef and Heston’s Great British Food.
Finden began working at 14 and entered culinary school at 16, going on to lead kitchens at some of the world’s top hotels.
She famously created a Windsor Castle-shaped cake for Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday in 2016.
Meanwhile, over on the main Great British Bake Off series, long-standing judge Prue Leith is stepping back temporarily.
In 2024, Leith admitted the show’s filming schedule had become too demanding, causing her to sacrifice time with family and skip planned holidays.
She has confirmed she is taking a break but has not left the show permanently.
“These things are filmed back-to-back all the way through summer from April to August so you don't get any time off,” she told This Morning earlier this year.
“I'm getting quite old and there are places I want to see. So I'm not doing this year's.”
She shut down rumours she was quitting, adding: “It's absolutely not true at all!. What I'm not doing this year is the celebrity one.”
During her time away, Leith’s judging seat will be filled by Caroline Waldegrave OBE, former managing director and co-owner of Leiths School of Food and Wine and a close friend of Prue’s.
Waldegrave is expected to judge alongside Paul Hollywood for the next season of the main show.
The most recent season of Celebrity Bake Off featured stars including Kate Garraway, Roman Kemp, Amelia Dimoldenberg and Maxine Peake.
The Standard has contacted Channel 4 for comment.
