How GBBO Fans Really Feel About The American Spinoff Hosts

It seems inevitable that some popular British TV shows will get an American version or vice versa. In the past several decades, everything from "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "Ghosts" to "Life on Mars" and "MasterChef" has made the trip across the pond. Some series prove more popular in some countries than others, and some shows just downright flop, whether it was the result of the adjusted format or because it simply didn't work for another reason.

"The Great British Baking Show" originally aired in the United Kingdom back in 2010 with judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. In the years that followed, it became popular in the US via PBS and Netflix. Only a few years later, the production company ultimately decided an American spin-off would be a good idea and so kicked off the show in a similar format for American contestants in 2015 (via Thrillist).

Unlike its British counterpart, the American version, which aired on ABC, was a bit of a flop, and it fizzled out of existence back in 2019 (via Eater). Luckily for fans of the franchise, Roku is picking up the baton and producing an all-new season, set to hit airwaves in 2023 (via TV Series Finale). The good news, for fans of the British show, is that Hollywood and Prue Leith, who has hosted the original series since Season 8, are also judges in this version. However, not everything will be the same when the series returns. In fact, the American version will introduce actors Ellie Kemper and Zach Cherry as new co-hosts. 

In response to this announcement, fans took to social media to express their opinions on the matter.

Will fans accept the new co-hosts?

Set to be released on Roku in 2023, "The Great American Baking Show" will feature amateur American bakers competing for the title of Star Baker. Fans of the Netflix series "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" may be looking forward to seeing actress and comedian Ellie Kemper bring her quirkiness to the role of co-host alongside "Severance" actor and comedian Zach Cherry. However, some fans simply don't believe these two will be able to fill the shoes of the British co-hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas.

One Twitter user commented, "Someone tell them one of the main reasons we Americans love the show is because there are no Americans on it." Another said, "So true! If we wanted to watch Americans, we've already got shows over here. That's actually why we like GBBO." One reply added, "If Paul & Prue like them, then I'll like them, BUT I, too, prefer non-Americans being on the show."

Interestingly, some Instagram users seemed confused and thought that the original series was simply changing hosts, as it's often done in the past. Despite the dilemma some fans were having over the prospect of American co-hosts, most fans seemed excited and said they are looking forward to the release of the show next year.