Comedian and TV presenter Noel Fielding confessed to a terrifying moment while filming his AppleTV show The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin. Speaking to Metro, the 51-year-old, who also served as an executive producer on the series, revealed that the most nerve-wracking scene involved his character Dirk Turpin being hanged.
Despite knowing safety measures were in place, he admitted: “That was my most hairy moment, when I had a rope around my neck and like a trapdoor system is going to drop and I was going to be hanged and they assured me I was on a wire but you know, the mental weirdness of that, the feeling.”
He added: “You’re just like, “Oh god, I hope this rope isn’t an inch too short….you’ve got your hands behind your back, you’ve got a rope around your neck and the floor’s going to give. It’s quite scary. So now I know what it will be like to be hanged. But luckily I was saved at the last minute.'”
These comments, made alongside co-star Hugh Bonneville, 61, came before the show was cancelled by AppleTV following Noel’s departure from production. According to The Times, the reason for the show’s cancellation was due to Noel’s health.
A source told the publication: “Noel has said that he can’t film anymore and so there was no choice but to stop.”
They noted that while there was deep concern for Noel’s health and recognition that the decision to leave was not made lightly, it hasn’t been met with universal approval. The Sun has reported that over 100 cast and crew members are mulling legal action against the show’s producers after the sudden cancellation mid-production, reports Wales Online.
A source revealed: “People have been very concerned about Noel’s wellbeing and given him time to recover but there are also significant repercussions.”
Post-cancellation, there’s been much speculation about the nature of Noel’s illness and the reasons behind his abrupt exit from the Mighty Boosh star’s AppleTV project.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Great British Bake Off co-host said: “This is a private and confidential matter regarding our client’s health. We are saddened by the decision to cease production but we cannot make any further comment on this matter.”
As the public waits for more information on the fallout from Noel’s departure, questions arise about how this will affect his role on Bake Off.
An insider informed the Daily Mail that timing is critical as the show’s executives need certainty about who will be hosting. They continued: “All those involved understand this is a health matter, but contingencies have to be put in place.”
Noel’s agent has firmly quashed rumours about his departure from Bake Off, telling The Standard: “There has been absolutely no discussion about Noel stepping down from Bake Off. We have been in contact with Channel 4 and Love Productions throughout all the speculation and his ‘stepping down’ has never been part of that dialogue. We can confirm he will be returning to co-host the next series of Bake Off.”
Since taking over as host of the Great British Bake Off in 2017 when it transitioned to Channel 4, Noel has become a staple of the show, sharing presenting duties with Matt Lucas and, most recently, TV favourite Alison Hammond who joined in 2023.
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