Great British Bake Off 2023 episode one as it happened: Tears, cheers and soggy bottoms as Alison Hammond hailed a success and fans praised show's first ever deaf contestant

Who is ready for a brand new GBBO?

All the action kicks off at 8pm on C4.

Tune in for all the drama, and not too many soggy bottoms. We hope!

GBBO fans wept into their cornflakes when they found out funnyman Matt Lucas was leaving the show.

He hung up his apron for the last time in December 2022.

While Matt cited a heavy workload as the reason for his exit, a month later he revealed that there was more to the story, that his decision to leave was also inspired by his good friend and Little Britain collaborator, David Walliams.

GBBO is back tonight and fans can hardly wait.

Gonna be strange without Matt Lucas.

Fans are really missing him. Honest.

Matty will have fans all emotional from the get-go.  

The cake that first caught his imagination was a teddy-bear one that his late nan made him for his fourth birthday.

Now his family have roped him in to design cakes for all their celebrations.

His biggest commission is yet to come though. 

He'll be making his own wedding cake, at the request of his fiancée, Lara.

No pressure, then!

© Channel 4

Just under an hour to go before our fave baking show returns to the screens.

Never wanted cake more in our lives. 

*licks lips*

Bake Off fans will be in for a sweet treat tonight  -  as Alison Hammond is presenting the show.

All eyes will be on the disco dancing This Morning presenter who makes her show debut alongside co-presenter Noel Fielding -  in half an hour.

*screams.*

Watch out for Abbi!

She's ready to whip up some treats tonight -  and she means business.

Abbi, from Yorkshire, has been busy in the kitchen since her teens,  don't cha know. 

Whipping up plenty of delicious recipes with her mum. 

She's a huge fan of the Victorian era, and the traditional bakes of the time, including steamed puddings and fruit cakes. 

So her Victoria sponge is going to be out of this world.

Crikey. Am getting hungry... How long before Bake off starts?

Here's your 10 minute klaxon.

Cannot wait!

It's going to get hot in the kitchen tonight.

The Great British Bake Off returns as Alison Hammond makes her show debut.

She is replacing Matt Lucas, who fronted the show alongside Noel Fielding.

Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith will return to judge a new batch of contestants' incredible creations.

We know his last name is Hollywood, but Paul's acting in this opening sketch, is well...

The bakers look over the moon to see Alison Hammond.

Honest...

Moving on, fans are so excited to see the show's first ever deaf contestant and their BSL interpreter.

Awesome.

Well, he's the one who had a wedding cake for his 21st birthday.

A guy after my own heart.

Noooo. Not already. Just a few minutes into the new series Tasha's cake base has a soggy bottom.

Tasha means business though -  do you see her determined to fix it.

The show's first deaf contestant is ready to ruffle feathers with her cake creation.

Go, girl!

Bake Off fans have already shared their verdict on new host Alison.

Erm, Matt, who? Ha!

Did you see Amos rush to put the finishing touches on his cake?

Paul, go easy on these contestants. Do you see how nervous they look?

It's almost time to judge the cakes.

*Gulps*

Not the usual way to describe a cake, Paul, but, hey, it looks good!

Where's the handshake, people?

Paul's not one to mince his words, is he?

Did you hear him call Tasha's cake 'terrible?'

*shakes head*

Spare a thought for Abbi.

Do you see her chocolate cat creation is falling apart -  with just minutes to go.

Eeek!

Not Prue complaining about having to taste the row of chocolate cakes.

Surely!?

Fans are loving the show so far, though.

Someone's looking smug this evening.

Did you hear Dan comparing winning the chocolate cake challenge to having a baby?

Because it's just the same, isn't it. Ha!

Did you see Dana hold back tears as her cake creation didn't go to plan?

Almost time to judge, hold it together, love!

Gotta love Keith.

Did you hear him describe his pooch ahead of the animal cake challenge?

"She's not a thing of beauty."

Classic.

Fans are already obsessed with this year's line-up of lively contestants.

It includes the show's first ever deaf contestant Tasha and her BSL interpreter.

Plus Alison Hammond who is the new host.

Score!

Did you see poor Amos' cake just slide off the table?

The whole nation is trying not to laugh.

*giggles*

GBBO fans have already crowned their winner.

It was the hug from Paul that swung it.

Keith's cake though!

He warned the judges she 'wasn't a thing of beauty' -  but she looks pretty tasty to us.

And Prue!

Cutting up these 'show-stopping' animal creations just seems too cruel to watch.

Unless it's Amos' one. What a disaster. Sorry. 

One fan Tweeted: "Did Paul Hollywood just stick a knife through the HEAD of that poor man’s dead dog cake?"

Ouch.

Did you hear Paul with his cake critique for Tasha?

"I don't like it...I LOVE it."

Her face. Pure delight.

While Dan gets Star Baker (Congrats, love), it's the end of the road for poor Amos.

The nation sobs with him.

Awww, did you see Alison hug Amos as he broke down in tears after being sent home?

Amos was the first to be booted off the show tonight.

Fans were gutted to see the charismatic baker break down in tears as he was axed from the C4 program after he failed to impress with his erm, show-slopper cake in the first episode.

Tune in next week at 8pm to find out who will be the next star baker.

Can we even wait that long?!