“He often acts as the bad cop and does that intense stare, but he’s always himself, which encourages others to be themselves, too.” Lawson added, “We complement each other. He gets straight to the point and, as you can tell, I’m quite the talker. I love discussing food and sometimes can’t stop.”

While that skill has certainly served her well, she admitted she was “apprehensive at first” about filling Leith’s shoes.

“I wasn’t sure whether I was even qualified and was mindful that it was a risk, both for me and the show,” she explained. “I had a significant meeting with the producers and said, ‘Look, these are the things I can’t do.’ They responded, ‘That’s OK, that’s what Paul does.’”

“I didn’t want them to go to the wrong shop, as it were,” she added. “I’m not a scientist, a technician, or a professional baker, but what I can do is discuss food, its taste, texture, and why I enjoy it.”

Great British Bake Off season 17 premieres on the U.K.’s Channel 4 on Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. BST and on Netflix in the U.S. on Sept. 25. Until then, read on for more exciting TV premiere dates…