US actress Teri Hatcher has said being crowned Star Baker on The Great Celebrity Bake Off is “up there with every award I’ve ever won”.

However, viewers of the charity episode of the show for Stand Up To Cancer, were more amused with the efforts of comedian Alan Carr, whose final cake inspired by children’s TV show Rainbow left a lot to be desired.

Desperate Housewives star Hatcher won the approval of judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood for her rainbow showstopper cake, her near-perfect custard tart in the technical challenge and her savoury muffins in the first round.

Leith said that she “hardly put a foot wrong” throughout the challenges, and Hollywood added: “She had the whole package, she was Star Baker by quite a margin.”

Hatcher, who has won several Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe, said: “Winning this Star Baker apron is definitely up there with every award I’ve ever won.”

As well as Carr, Hatcher fended off competition from comic Aisling Bea and Paralympian Kadeena Cox.

Carr struggled throughout the competition, but most notably with his final bake – a rainbow cake based on the TV show of the same name, complete with icing figures of characters Zippy, Bungle and George.

While working on the cake, Carr joked that the look he was going for was “war crimes” when asked by host Sandi Toksvig.

He fell to the floor in hysterics at the condition of his creation, which looked somewhat limp and far from perfect.

“I’ve never cried on telly before!” he said.

Presenter Noel Fielding joked: “It looks like a melted Barbara Cartland.”

Things came to a hilarious climax in the Bake Off tent when Hollywood tasted the cake and said: “You really shouldn’t be able to snap the sponge.”

Carr retorted: “You’re just being picky now!”

Viewers shared their amusement at the TV star’s attempts, with one tweeting that the cake was “effing hilarious”.

One fan wrote: “Watching alan carr trying to bake, giving up with tears of laughter and sticking a marzipan zippy from rainbow on top of his cake because he took the theme too literally has been a true highlight.”

Another said: “If Alan Carr doesn’t win, I’m leaving the country.

“I can’t breathe from laughing so hard at his rainbow cake #GBBO.”

“Tonight’s Bake Off has reconfirmed how much I love Alan Carr #GBBO,” one viewer added.

Hatcher joins previous celebrity winners Harry Hill, Perri Kiely, Ruth Davidson and Melanie Sykes for the latest run of charity episodes of the Bake Off on Channel 4.