Andi Oliver to swap judging for hosting Great British Menu including a Christmas special

Andi Oliver is to become the presenter of Great British Menu after four series hosting.

The broadcaster and chef will swap her place at the judging table for the heat of the kitchen as she leads the BBC Two cooking competition.

And will take over for the show’s new festive special – the Great British Christmas Menu – that will see culinary titans from the show’s history compete once again to serve up a festive feast for key workers. She will also present series 16 of Great British Menu in 2021.

For the Christmas special, taking Andi’s place in a new line-up of judges will be comedian Kerry Godliman, who joins Matthew Fort and Oliver Peyton on the panel.

A different guest judge related to the series’ theme of supporting key workers will also be joining each week. Andi Oliver will compere the scoring and have the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

Great British Christmas Menu will take place over seven episodes, with previous winners from the series joined by veteran judges, including Tom Aikens, Tommy Banks and Lisa Goodwin-Allen, who compete alongside them. The chefs will judge each other’s dishes, culminating in a six-course banquet dedicated to the nation’s key workers.

Andi Oliver said: “I am so completely thrilled and honoured to have been asked to expand my role at Great British Menu!

“It’s an amazing opportunity to understand the journey that the chefs go through and to watch the evolution of the dishes before they come to judges chamber is a mind blowing revelation.

“It’s such an extraordinary opportunity to work so closely with the top culinary talent in the country – it’s a privilege I am not taking for granted.”

Patrick Holland, Controller BBC Two, added: “I couldn’t be more delighted that Great British Menu is returning this Christmas with a very special run.

“And it is terrific that Andi is stepping out from behind the judges’ table to lead the series from now on.

“She is an amazing talent, bringing unrivalled expertise, insight and enthusiasm to this most brilliant of series. Great British Menu is an essential part of the BBC Two schedule and it saw strong growth in 2020. It is fantastic that Andi will now be making the series her own.”

Great British Christmas Menu will air in early December on BBC Two. Series 16 of the Great British Menu will air in 2021.