Victoria Pendleton is swapping gold medals for golden crusts as she takes part in a special Bake Off series, along with actress Jane Horrocks and impressionist Alistair McGowan.

They are among 16 stars aiming to rise to the challenge, who also include Dancing In Ice judge Jason Gardiner, Desert Island Discs host Kirsty Young and Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes.

The kitchen hopefuls will be seen in four programmes for The Great Sport Relief Bake Off to be screened later this month on BBC Two with four taking part each night.

Cyclist Victoria's fellow Olympian Greg Rutherford is also in the series along with her 2012 Strictly Come Dancing co-competitor Michael Vaughan under the watchful eyes of judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.

Others taking part are s ingers Michael Ball and Jamelia, actresses Doon Mackichan and Samantha Bond, the former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton and Bonnie Wright, who has played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter films.

Completing the line-up are writer and broadcaster Emma Freud - wife of Comic Relief boss Richard Curtis - and Johnny Vaughan.

The shows, featuring signature, technical and showstopper dishes, will be screened over four consecutive evenings from Monday, January 13, at the end of which a star baker will be crowned.

Regular presenter Sue Perkins will be without her usual sidekick Mel Giedroyc, but will be joined by guest hosts Omid Djalili, Ed Byrne and Jo Brand.

The series will also follow Olympic gold-winning boxer Nicola Adams as she visits Comic Relief-funded projects in South Africa.

Helen Skelton admitted she is "absolutely rubbish at baking". She said: "All my friends and family laugh at anything I do in the kitchen, so I thought this might be a chance to redeem myself. I wished I'd practised more beforehand.

"When they said to me 'you've got to make a pizza' I thought they meant just put the toppings on a pizza - I didn't realise they meant make the dough and everything."

The fundraising Sport Relief weekend takes place from March 21 to 23 with members of the public invited to run, swim or cycle in the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Games, with events at the former Olympic venue in east London, now renamed Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Those interested can visit sportrelief.com for entry details.