Noel Fielding has made a welcome return to our screens this autumn on the new series of The Great British Bake Off. The Mighty Boosh comedian is best known for his witty one-liners and his colourful wardrobe choices, as well as his on-screen chemistry with fellow presenter Alison Hammond, and we love tuning in every week to see who has left the Bake Off tent. Noel's TV comeback left fans breathing a sigh of relief as his Apple TV show, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, was cancelled midway through filming due to an unknown "health concern". Noel had failed to return to set after the Christmas break, leaving the whole cast and crew, which included Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonnebvile, unable to resume work. At the time representative for Noel commented: "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."
The star's representatives dismissed claims that Noel is leaving Bake Off at the time, saying: "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." While he has never commented on the nature of his health issues, Noel seems to have made a firm recovery. Throughout it all, the presenter was supported by his long-term partner, Lliana Bird, and their two daughters. Here's all you need to know about the Nevermind the Buzzcocks star's family....
Partner Lliana Bird
Noel's partner is 43-year-old former Radio X presenter Lliana Bird. The pair began dating in 2010 and reportedly met after Lliana appeared in The Mighty Boosh. The pair have been the picture of romance ever since and live together in north London. Alongside radio work, Lliana has also worked as a writer, actress, podcast host and co-founder of charities including Help Refugees and The Kindly Collective. The star has also appeared on Sky News, BBC News and as a guest on Springwatch.
The mum-of-two is also a published author, having released her debut book, The Mice Who Sing for Sex, in 2016, and her first children's book, Baboo the Unusual Bee, in September 2023. In the acting world, Lliana has appeared in a stage production of Fiddler on the Roof and in several episodes of Noel's sketch show The Mighty Boosh.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHis two daughters
The couple have two daughters together. In April 2018, Noel and Lliana welcomed their first child, Dali, who is named after Noel's favourite artist Salvador Dali. Their second child, Iggy, arrived in August 2020, with the mum-of-two announcing the happy news on Instagram. Lliana posted a photo of four spiders made out of pipe cleaners and different coloured microphone covers which sat on a table in the family's home. She captioned the picture: "The Bird Fielding family of [spider emoji] x x (finally figured out what to do with all my old mic covers!) #halloweencrafts." Lliana wrote in a comment: "Noel is pink, Dali is orange, I'm grey and Iggy is red [heart emojis]."
© Can Nguyen/ShutterstockShortly after Dali was born, Noel opened up about his experience of fatherhood during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show. "She is very beautiful and she blows my mind about a hundred times a day," he told the presenter. "It's a new level of tiredness that I've never experienced. I've done a lot of all-nighters in my life. In a way, I've been in training for this moment all my life." Noel previously revealed his hosting gig on Bake Off came at just the right time for his family. "When I got this job, I'd just had my first child, I was painting a lot and had a different lifestyle," he told The Guardian. "This show fitted that phase. You want to match your career to where you are in life. It's mainstream, family-friendly and my kids love it, so it suits me. I love not partying – and I never thought I'd say that."
© InstagramReflecting on Noel's parenting style on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, Lliana said: "He kind of makes the silliest little moments, he makes having breakfast a real moment. I think I've just really leaned into that and just going like, 'This is amazing. We're getting to have porridge and it's funny, and it's fun. And we're wearing silly hats, and we're dancing. And that's okay'. "Maybe someone else's kids are going to have a few more spoonfuls of porridge because it's going to be quicker, they're eating it properly, and digesting it properly. But, you know, my kids are having a lot of fun."
