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The Great British Bake Off returned to the screens on Tuesday night and viewers were impressed by Matt Lucas’s dramatic weight loss.
the comedian, 48, was back to front the premiere episode of the 13th season of the Channel 4 baking show next door judges Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith and host Noel Fielding.
The actor left behind his unhealthy lifestyle in a bid to lose some weight after heaped up the pounds during lockdown.
Looks good! The Great British Bake Off returned to the screens on Tuesday night and viewers were impressed by Matt Lucas’s dramatic weight loss
However, Matt’s appearance left viewers stunned as they took to their social media to praise the funny man.
Viewers wrote: “Can Matt Lucas drop his diet tips please #GBBO”; “Wow Matt Lucas has lost a lot of weight! #GBBO.’; Bake Off Matt Lucas Looks Skinny #GBBO
“Where’s the rest of Matt Lucas? #gbbo’; “Just tuned in, is it just me or has Matt lost a lot of weight? #GBBO’; Matt Lucas seems to be getting younger #GBBO; ‘Is Matt Lucas okay? Not sure I like how much he’s lost! #GBBO.’
Different times: The actor dropped his unhealthy lifestyle in a bid to lose some weight after heaped up the pounds during lockdown (pictured left in 2005)
In April 2020, Matt admitted that he wanted to get “fitter” during his lockdown period, after feeling he had “gained on a little”.
He said: ‘All I have to do is get fitter, I’ve gained a little weight, that’s my next challenge to move a little more.
“Maybe I should make a game of it when I exercise to stay away from it. I don’t have a garden, so I have to find a way to do that.’
The prankster was previously told by doctors to reduce his daily calorie intake to 1,500 for fear he could develop diabetes.
Matt took the doctor’s warning seriously after he tragically lost his own father John to a heart attack in 1996.
Comment: Matt’s appearance left viewers baffled as they took to their social media to praise the funny man
Elsewhere on Bake Off, viewers praised the show for bringing back “a slice of happiness” after the Queen’s death.
In the final series of the Channel 4 show, Will, 45, unfortunately became the first baker to be sent home, while Yanusz, 34, was crowned the star baker.
After the episode, viewers gushed that the show had brought “comfort” after the sad news of the Queen’s death, which has caused TV schedules to change ahead of Monday’s funeral.
It’s back! Will became the first person to leave the Great British Bake Off tent as viewers praised the show for bringing back happiness after the Queen’s death
Former charity director Will said he was “disappointed” to be the first to leave the tent after facing some tough challenges, including forgetting to set his timer on the first challenge.
“Someone has to go first. Of course I’m disappointed, but I’m proud that I made it. I met a nice group of people and gained an experience that I can share,” he said after he left.
Following Bake Off’s long-awaited return, viewers quickly took to Twitter to thank the series for “bringing back a slice of happiness” and providing a “calming distraction” at a time of mourning over the Queen’s death.
‘Slice of happiness’: Viewers expressed their joy at the show’s return, saying it brought ‘comfort’ after the sad news of the Queen’s death
‘Comfort’: The latest Channel 4 show series kicked off Tuesday night and saw Will be the first baker to be sent home, while Yanusz (pictured) was the first to be crowned star baker
One person wrote, “Oh, go away, thank you for bringing back a bit of happiness.”
Another said, “Bake Off is the calming distraction I need from everything right now.”
A third commented, “It’s not even funny how much I’ve relied on the promise of happiness all week.”
And a fourth added: ‘Happiness was restored. Bake off is back on TV.’
While a fifth gushed: never been more grateful, bake off was moved to C4. Need some light entertainment at this point of the week.’
‘Bake Off is the calming distraction I need’: Viewers quickly took to Twitter to thank the series for ‘bringing back a slice of happiness’
The Great British Bake Off aired as scheduled on Tuesday amid recent scheduled changes following the Queen’s death.
Her Majesty died Thursday afternoon at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle and her coffin arrived at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday for her funeral on Monday.
Amid a period of mourning over the death of the country’s longest-reigning monarch, many TV shows have been canceled in favor of news coverage.
The Strictly Come Dancing launch show has been postponed to Friday, September 23, after originally airing on September 17, but Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off went ahead as planned.
So sad: The country’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died ‘peacefully’ on Thursday at the age of 96 in Scotland’s Balmoral