The Great British Bake Off is set to ‘relocate’ its iconic tent ahead of this year’s summer lineup

The Great British Bake Off is expected to “move” its iconic bunting-draped tent ahead of this year’s summer lineup.

According to the Mirror, the Channel 4 program will continue from the Down Hall Hotel in Essex as there is no longer any need to register for a covid ‘bubble’.

While the show was previously filmed in Welford Park in Berkshire, the contestants and producers stay at the property for six weeks to prevent outbreaks, and the hotel and spa have been used to film the series since 2020.

A source explains in the publication: We will not be shooting in a bubble this year, but protocols will be in place to protect everyone.

“The whole team, especially Prue [Leith]she found it very difficult not to be able to go home every week.

“This year, they are very excited to be back to how they were when they filmed on the weekend and were able to leave during the week.

Iconic: Channel 4 show continues from Down Hall Hotel in Essex amid need to stop recording due to covid ‘bubble’

The show is believed to have moved from the 98-bedroom luxury historic property with rooms available for booking this summer.

In the first series of Bake Off, the show’s participants traveled to various places across the country, pulling cakes in the Cotswolds and cookies in Scotland.

But that was quickly shelved when it returned for season two, where it was based at Valentines Mansion in Redbridge, near London.

Speaking to the Full Disclosure podcast, Sue Perkins last year talked about how the show is seen as a huge success today, but the early stages were very different.

Changes: The hotel and spa have been used to film the series since 2020, competitors and producers remain in place, and Prue Leith (image right) “found it too hard” (next to Paul Hollywood, left)

He said: “Bake Off can now only be seen through the prism of tremendous success.

“But in the beginning, we were there when Barry’s burger vans were domestic catering, when he was in a youth hostel for £25 a night and Mary Berry was sick with bedbugs.

“We were a traveling show and the team needed to set up a tent. But it went from intense food documentary to the much-loved program today.’

The Journey: The first series of Bake Off saw the show attendees travel to various places around the country, pulling cakes in the Cotswolds and cookies in Scotland.

Harptree Court in Somerset was the venue for the third and fourth seasons, until it moved to Welford Park in Berkshire, where it remained until the pandemic.

It is not known when the 13th season of the series will air, but it started in September of previous years.

Prue Leith has starred alongside Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas, along with original judge Paul Hollywood, for the past five seasons.

The show: 86-year-old Mary Berry was placed in a £25-per-night boarding house in the early days of the series, where she was exposed to insects that feed on human blood (pictured by LR Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins, Mary and Paul)

Line-up: Harptree Court in Somerset later became the venue for the third and fourth season shows (Paul, Mary, Sue and Mel pictured together in 2016)

Matt returned to the show for this second season last year, replacing Sandi Toksvig in 2020.

British Bake Off presenters Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc withdrew from the show in 2016, shortly after it was announced that the series would be moved from BBC One to Channel 4.

Judge Mary Berry turned down a massive pay raise to stay on the pie show after switching networks seven years later.

The Match: Prue has played alongside original judge Paul for the past five seasons, with Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas filming at Welford Park in Berkshire until the outbreak (pictured together in 2022)