Cake on the wish list at TV3’s autumn launch

TV3's autumn launch to the advertising industry (and likely sponsors) in late June stole some of the thunder from the station's launch to the media yesterday – although there were some new announcements. Lilly Higgins, a food writer and blogger, who writes a weekly "Give me Five" recipe column for The Irish Times, is taking over from Biddy White Lennon as one of the judges on The Great Irish Bake Off.

Higgins will be joining pastry chef Paul Kelly from the Merrion Hotel, who since 2013, when TV3 snapped up the Irish rights for the The Great British Bake-Off format, has shown himself to be possibly the kindest judge in cake making history. Anna Nolan is back as presenter.

Filming is set to start in a tent in the grounds of Tinakilly House in Wicklow in the coming weeks, with the programme back later in the autumn. Odlums is back as sponsor for the series which is made by Sideline productions.

TV3 has also acquired Wishlist, a BBC/Victory Television UK format (distributed by Sony). In the UK, the lottery draws take place during the gameshow and for its version of Wishlist, which airs in January, TV3 has taken on Brian Ormond as presenter. A familiar face on RTÉ, he hosted the National Lottery's The Big Money Game. Choosing him as host might be a not-so-subtle hint that TV3's own wishlist includes muscling in on the lottery TV action.