Today brings potentially encouraging news for fans of The Great British Baking Show: judge Prue Leith has said this year's season could still go ahead.

Shooting on the new season of the popular cookery contest – known in the U.K. as The Great British Bake Off – was due to start in the spring. Little Britain's Matt Lucas was confirmed to be joining the show as a new co-presenter alongside Noel Fielding after Sandi Toksvig announced her departure in January.

However, production on the show, which takes place in the gardens of Welford Park, a country house in Berkshire, southeast England, has been postponed while the U.K. follows strict social distancing rules imposed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a bid to combat coronavirus.

Asked on BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show whether this year's contest will actually happen, Leith replied: "I really hope so, everybody’s hoping so, but we’re all waiting for Boris to tell us what we’re allowed to do and what we’re not allowed to do."

"It’s impossible at the moment because there are really a lot of people on set, but I’m sure they’ll find a way as soon as they can," she added.

Leith, 80, also confirmed that she'll be part of the show if and when it happens, saying: "Absolutely, I’d be very upset if somebody kicked me off. Last year I did Junior Bake Off and senior Bake Off. Whether or not I’d be able to do both this time... I just don’t think there’s enough time in the year."

Leith joined The Great British Baking Show, which streams in the U.S. on Netflix, in 2017 as a replacement for Mary Berry. Fellow judge Paul Hollywood has been with the show since it launched in 2010.

Are you looking forward to the new season of The Great British Baking Show?