Noel Fielding had quick response after Sandi Toksvig's brutal admission about why she quit Bake Off

Back in 2020, many fans of The Great British Bake Off were left heartbroken when much-loved co-host Sandi Toksvig announced she'd be leaving the show.

The QI front-woman had only appeared on three instalments between 2017 and 2020, and when news of her departure hit the headlines, many were left wondering what had prompted her decision.

The hit cooking competition had previously seen a huge shift in a staff in the years prior to funny-woman Sandi's departure.

OG fans of the show will recall that Bake Off previously aired on BBC One, and was fronted by co-hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins.

Culinary guru Mary Berry also served as one of the show's hard-faced judges, alongside baking hunk Paul Hollywood.

When producers announced back in 2016, however, that the series would be moving over to Channel 4, both Mel and Sue and Mary announced they'd be quitting.

Prue Leith was then brought in as a replacement for Mary and has stood alongside Paul ever since.

The Great British Bake Off was originally fronted by co-hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins (BBC One)

And when it came to Mel and Sue's replacements, comedians Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding were introduced during the 2017 series.

Sadly, however, as we say, Sandi only appeared for a total of three instalments before calling it quits.

She was later replaced by Little Britain star Matt Lucas.

In the months that followed the news, however, many fans of the show wondered why Sandi had hung up her hosting apron, as she seemingly had a great relationship with her co-stars.

Speaking on the Stirring It Up podcast, Sandi not only claimed that she planned to 'spend more time' with her other work projects, but that she felt her brain was 'atrophying' as the result of 'watching meringues dry'.

Sandi Toksvig quit the show after three series (Channel 4)

"I was just getting depressed, and it’s about integrity," she claimed. "If you have that, then you can sleep.

"If you have integrity and you think ‘I’m doing a good thing, I’m doing a good thing for other people, I’m being good to my friends, my family’, then that’s fine. There’s no money in the world that can then take that from you."

And whilst fans may have expected her former co-host Noel to take offence from her comments, in a recent interview, he supported Sandi's decision.

"Sandi, as we know, is a massive brain," he recently told The Guardian. "She went to Cambridge, she’s super-smart, she writes, she does politics, she needs to be stimulated.

"She never stays anywhere too long, except QI which is the perfect show for her."

He went on: "The difference between us is that I’ve always really enjoyed hanging out with the bakers. I befriend them and get them to open up."

Noel now hosts the show with Alison Hammond (Channel 4)

After two years, Noel's new co-star Matt Lucas also quit the show, and was replaced by This Morning favourite Alison Hammond.

Reflecting on his trio of co-hosts, Noel also admitted that it feels as though he has 'three different shows'.

"First with Sandi, under enormous pressure but we pulled it off," he began. "Then with Matt, which was a privilege because he’s a comedy genius.

"Now I’m enjoying it more than ever. Alison’s not a comedian, so she’s not as neurotic about jokes as I am, but she’s a brilliant improviser and instinctively funny.

"She slotted right in. Paul and Prue are very fond of her. Even my kids adore her. We’re having a blast."