The Great Celebrity Bake Off will feature Scottish crumpet James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley and more

The star-studded cast also includes a Little Mix singer and one of Harry Styles' bffs

James McAvoy attends the "Atomic Blonde" premiere 2017 SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 12, 2017
(Image credit: Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Christina Izzo
By Christina Izzo
last updated

Calling all Great Celebrity Bake Off fans! (That's everybody at this point, no?) Another celebrity season of Great British Bake Off is blessedly almost here, and this year's iteration features a fresh batch of British A-listers. 

Twenty famous folks from the worlds of movies, music, TV and sports will tie on an apron for the five-episode celebrity offshoot, which will air on Channel 4 in the UK this spring. The special benefits the Stand Up to Cancer campaign, a charitable effort from the entertainment industry to raise funds for translational cancer research through online and televised programs.

James McAvoy on the Great Celebrity Bake Off

(Image credit: Credit: Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions)

Among this year's illustrious bakers are two sci-fi superstars: James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley. 

Along with prestige drama movies like Atonement and The Last King of Scotland, McAvoy is best known as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise and as the multiple-personalities murderer in M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable trilogy. 

Ridley, of course, leads the latest Star Wars sequel trilogy as the scrappy heroine, Rey.

Daisy Ridley on Great Celebrity Bake Off

(Image credit: Credit: Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions)

Joining the Hollywood stars are: Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall, X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, comedian (and new Doctor Who companion) John Bishop, Olympic running legend Dame Kelly Holmes, radio broadcaster and Harry Styles' pal Nick Grimshaw, Paralympian Ade Adepitan MBE, YouTube celebrity KSI, and more.

Jade Thirlwall on Great Celebrity Bake Off

(Image credit: Credit: Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions)

One famous Brit who won't be taking part in the celebrity-focused special is regular GBBO host Noel Fielding, who welcomed a second child with his partner Lliana Bird this past fall. Fielding also sat out from last year's Christmas Bake Off special due to his paternity break—TV presenter Tom Allen temporarily filled in for Fielding, and will also compete during this year's charity special. 

Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith and Matt Lucas will all be back in the baking tent to host and mentor the celebrity bakers. 

The celebrity version of Bake Off operates slightly differently from the usual GBBO series. Each episode features four new celebrity bakers, who go head-to-head in three challenges (the Signature, the Technical and the Showstopper), for the title of Star Baker. 

Instead of the usual bouquet of flowers and branded glass cake stand, however, the winner takes home a special Star Baker apron. Here's hoping none of this year's celebrity competitors suffer the dreaded soggy bottom!

Christina Izzo
Christina Izzo

Christina Izzo is the Deputy Editor of My Imperfect Life. 

More generally, she is a writer-editor covering food and drink, travel, lifestyle and culture in New York City. She was previously the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. 

When she’s not doing all that, she can probably be found eating cheese somewhere. 

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