BRITISH PRESENTER SANDI Toksvig has announced that she’s leaving the hugely successful Channel 4 programme the Great British Bake Off.

In a colourful statement, the 61-year-old said that she is leaving not for her family, but to spend more time to focus on other work projects.

These include hosting the forthcoming Channel 4 series The Write Offs, which looks at the issue of adult literacy.

“When stepping down from a job it is quite common for people to say they are doing so in order to spend more time with their family,” Toksvig wrote.

“Unusually I am departing from the Great British Bake Off so I can spend more time with my other work. As my waistline will testify, Bake Off is an all-consuming show.

“Spending time with Prue, Paul and Noel has been one of the great pleasures of my life. These are friendships which I know will continue beyond the confines of television.

Bake Off is a wonderful programme which has already proved it can happily withstand a change of hosting personnel. The reason for that, of course, is that the true stars of the show are the bakers themselves.

“I wish everyone well,” she said.

Chief Creative Officer and Executive Producer for Love Productions Richard McKerrow said that Toksvig has “contributed hugely to Bake Off over the last three years with her sharp witty sense of humour, and her passionate commitment to the dozens of bakers”.

Ian Katz, Director of Programmes at Channel 4 said she was a huge part of the success of the show, adding: “we will miss her warmth and wit, not to mention her endless willingness to be the butt of jokes about being the least tall person in the Bake Off tent”.

“Fortunately, her unique voice will continue to have an important presence on the Channel with new shows in development – none of which involve cake.”