Great British Bake Off bids farewell to first contestant and hello to Channel 4

Fans miss Mary Berry as Bake Off viewers and celebrities are divided over line-up and adverts

IT programme manager Peter failed to rise to the occasion as he got the chop in the first episode of the show not to air on the BBC.

The hit programme returned to television in its new home with different presenters and a new judge but the familiar tropes of oven-watching, cake binning and sprinting round the tent in a race against the clock.

The first episode to air since the programme parted ways with the BBC featured new presenting team Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding, as well as new judge Prue Leith, who joined series regular Paul Hollywood, and the arrival of ad breaks.

Leith took over the baton from previous judge Mary Berry, while Toksvig and Fielding stepped into the shoes of Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins.

The show, which is still made by Love Productions, featured the same theme music and opening sequence, as well as the same bunting-decorated tent and three-challenge format.

Essex resident Peter, 52, was the first to get the boot from the competition after his coconut cake contained too much baking powder, his chocolate mini rolls failed to impress and his cake in the shape of a bread and bread board proved to be too dry and too simple for the judges.

He said: "I'm disappointed to be the first off, but it has been a lovely experience throughout. It was quite surreal from day one, and I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

"No matter how far you go in the series, it's still great to be part of the show. And it doesn't end for me on week one, as all of the bakers are my friends now, and they are amazing in their own way.

"They are a wonderful bunch of guys and we keep in touch regularly. I will be watching them throughout of course."