Noel Fielding feared he’d die on Apple TV show set before it was axed. (Image: Channel 4)
Comedian and TV presenter has revealed a heart-stopping moment while filming his series, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin. The 51-year-old, who also served as an executive producer, confessed that the most nerve-wracking scene involved his character, Dirk Turpin, being hanged.
Despite knowing safety precautions were in place, Fielding 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.
“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.”
He added to the Metro: “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.”
The comments, made alongside co-star Hugh Bonneville, 61, came before the show was cancelled following Fielding’s departure from production, .
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Noel Fielding’s Apple TV show was axed mid-filming. (Image: Getty)
The unexpected departure of Noel from the project has reportedly sent ripples through the production team.
An insider told The Times: “Noel has said that he can’t film anymore and so there was no choice but to stop. It’s not a decision that was taken lightly and they wouldn’t have got to this extreme result if every possible solution hadn’t been exhausted.
“People have been very concerned about Noel’s wellbeing and given him time to recover but there are also significant repercussions. Some people are furious.”
Since the show’s cancellation, The Mighty Boosh star’s spokesperson 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.”
There were fears about Noel’s future on Bake Off. (Image: Channel 4)
Noel’s sudden exit is said to have sparked fears about on which usually begins filming in April.
A source claimed that Bake Off producers were making backup plans, telling the Daily Mail: “All those involved understand this is a health matter, but contingencies have to be put in place.”
Noel’s agent has now firmly dismissed the concerns, 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.”
Noel joined the show when it moved to Channel 4 in 2017. He has shared the screen with Sandi Toksvig, Matt Lucas and Alison Hammond, reports .