Holiday Baking Championship viewers have barely had time to accept Carla Hall’s exit from the judges’ table. She was replaced by Kardea Brown for Season 12. Now, the Season 13 premiere revealed the surprise exit of another beloved judge. Keep reading to find out how the Food Network show addressed the unexpected departure.
Beloved Judge Quietly Leaves Holiday Baking Championship
Holiday Baking Championship returned on Monday, November 2. The Food Network’s baking competition marks the beginning of the holiday season. Jesse Palmer returned as host, as did the sweets and treats made by the contestants.
However, a beloved judge was missing. Chef Molly Yeh joined Kardea Brown and Duff Goldman. However, longtime judge Nancy Fuller was missing. Her departure came as a shock to viewers. She’d been a mainstay since the beginning.
Fans took to Reddit to vent about the unexpected surprise:
- “Losing Nancy is a kick in the balls again. First Carla Hall and now Nancy is gone!”
- “I’m sad Nancy is gone but we still have Jesse and Duff!”
- “It’s not Christmas without Nancy”
- “Not having Nancy is wrong.”
- “No Nancy on holiday baking championship. Bad choice on the Food Network part.”
- “Bring back Nancy”
Despite her unexplained absence, Nancy Fuller was still there in spirit.
Duff Goldman Honors Beloved Judge
Nancy Fuller delighted viewers with her unique way of praising an especially delicious sweet treat. The beloved Holiday Baking Championship did a signature “conductor” hand motion to signify that the food was music to her mouth.
Fellow judge Duff Goldman honored Nancy Fuller by performing the “conductor” gesture after taking a bite of contestant Christina Schumacher’s black forest cake. “Nancy, that’s for you!” he said. “You would love this. There’s booze, there’s nothing acidic, this is so good!”
As viewers know, Nancy Fuller’s favorite cakes and treats were ones infused with alcohol. It was another of her signature judging styles. So, where is she?
Nancy Fuller is still active on social media in the wake of her Holiday Baking Championship absence. She recently posted a photo of a table filled with Halloween candy. She wanted to know how everyone else’s Halloween was. However, the comment section was flooded with questions about the Food Network show and why she wasn’t on Season 13.
Nancy Fuller never addressed any questions about her unexpected departure. However, that didn’t stop fans from speculating that the network pushed her out. However, it could be a temporary absence. Maybe she will return in the future.
In the meantime, viewers were also unhappy with the return of the team format. However, Jesse Palmer said it was only for the first few episodes.
Share your thoughts on Nancy Fuller’s surprise Holiday Baking Championship exit in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger