Bringing some stateside flavour to the tent is American actor John Lithgow. He’s got more showbiz awards than you could shake a wooden spoon at, but how does he feel about swapping the glitz and glamour of Hollywood for the piercing gaze of our very own Mr. Paul Hollywood?
So, John. can you bake?
Yes. My wife taught me, she’s a really good cook. We bake together, it’s a fun thing to do, and I defer to her. I’ve been working years to perfect pie crust, for example.
What’s your signature dish?
Apple pie – it’s as American as it can be.
Are you a Bake Off fan?
Oh, yes. I’ve seen loads of episodes, it’s just delightful — great people, and the set is extremely simpatico.
Are you feeling competitive about taking on the tent?
No, not in a setting like this, but in ordinary life, yes, I think I have a smouldering competitive streak that I try to suppress, it’s one of the occupational hazards of the acting profession.
Who do you most want to impress, Paul or Prue?
I just want to dazzle them both.
Why is it important to you to support Stand Up To Cancer?
It’s a combination of being very flattered to be asked to be on this show and really liking this show, and admiring what they’re doing for such a really noble cause. Cancer has affected absolutely everybody’s life. I’ve had two different cancers, both years ago, both detected early on and both never recurred, so I’m a very lucky survivor. The good news is that the word cancer is not the death sentence it used to be, but there’s still so much to learn. In my immediate family there has been no cancer crisis, but we’re the exceptions. It’s still very much a compelling need to support the fight.