Josh Peck to Host Food Network’s New Illusion Baking Show
New York, September 6 — Actor Josh Peck is stepping away from his usual comedy routine to take on a role that blends taste, trickery, and television. Food Network has unveiled its latest competition series, titled Sweet Deceit, with Peck as the host. The show will launch with back‑to‑back episodes on Monday, October 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Each episode pits teams of three against a series of hyper‑realistic confections that masquerade as ordinary objects. Crafted by world‑class sugar artists, the cakes look exactly like everyday items — from household tools to holiday décor. Contestants must locate these edible disguises in real‑world settings, then confirm their guesses by taking a bite. The team that correctly identifies the most impostors walks away with a share of the prize pool, which can reach as high as $12,000.
In a press release dated September 3, Peck commented, “Sweet Deceit has all my favorite things: food, fun, and deception.” He added, “The craftsmanship our cake artists put into their creations was unlike anything I’ve ever seen — the edible creations are unbelievable, watching teams literally put their money where their mouths are made every reveal a blast. It’s a must watch for the whole family.”
The series is divided into two thematic blocks. The opening block, Sweet Deceit: Trick or Treat, consists of eight Halloween‑themed episodes premiering October 5. Contestants will search for deceptive sweets in locations such as a genuine haunted house, a sinister movie‑set morgue, a kindergarten classroom Halloween party, and the world‑famous Magic Castle.
A second block, Sweet Deceit: Holiday, begins Monday, November 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and also features eight episodes. This festive round moves the action to a cozy cabin, a lively ice rink, and Santa’s workshop. Throughout both blocks, Peck will be joined by a rotating roster of illusion‑focused cake artists: Jose Barajas, Jonny “Jonny Cakes” Manganello, Andrew Fuller, Ashley Holt, April Julian, and Liz Marek.
The difficulty of the challenges increases from round to round as the teams attempt to spot the expertly masked desserts. Betsy Ayala, President of Food Network, praised the format, saying, “Sweet Deceit is a funny and highly visual new game show that puts a hilarious twist on the art of illusion and is the perfect addition to Food Network’s baking lineup.” She continued, “Josh Peck is the perfect host to bring humor to every reveal and fans will be amazed and shocked by what turns out to be edible as they guess alongside the teams from home.”
Produced by Lando Entertainment for Food Network, the program will be available to stream on HBO Max the day after each broadcast. Fans can follow the hasht
