Is anyone else watching The Great British Baking Show?

I've liked it better than the U.S. version a couple of years ago, but not by much.

It bothered me that they obviously cut corners to let the teen girl stay in far longer than she deserved.

It would be a better show for me if they focused more on the baking and less on the drama.

Are we talking about the same show? What drama?I love this show because of the LACK of manufactured drama. No screaming, feuding, cat fights, etc - just nice people baking beautiful things.

Have to say, other than Iain's ice cream issue, it's drastically more drama free than a US show.

Tonight is the finale. I've already seen this season on BBC, so I know who wins, but who do you all think will take home the platter? (That's what they win, a cake platter)

Also, if you've never watched this show before, you should know that each week, the slate is wiped clean. The result is based on that week's dishes, not on how well they did cumulatively through the series.

Great show, drama free and I want Paul Hollywood!

OMG I love this show so much. It's so sweet and the people are kind to each other. It's totally gay-friendly (gay host, gay contestants). And no deliberate debasement or embarrassment of the contestants. Just good bakers trying to do their best work.

And I take issue with the 'no drama' description. I find it very dramatic. I was almost bawling when the 17 year old girl was eliminated last week.

I know, I know... I'll "Mary" myself away.

Just a platter? What did the American version offer?

I wonder why the food competition shows have such disparate awards. $10K on Chopped, up to $20K on Guy's Grocery Games, but only a "golden whisk" on Duff 'til Dawn (baking and cake decorating) and nothing on Beat Bobby Flay. (Yes, I'm new to watching the Food Network.)

Love this show. For the last four shows the right people have went home. I guess there was controversy early in the season. Richard for the win

R6 yes, a crystal cake platter/stand. No cash, no show on the cooking channel, just a platter. Sounds austere, but frankly, I think that's why there's none of the catfighting drama that you find on US reality shows.

I'm fine with any of them winning I suppose. I think I have some 'taste issues' with Luis. I'm guessing it will be Richard or Nancy. Richard would have to be the favorite going in, of course.

I was disappointed when Chetna went home, I thought she was going to win it. And she was the cutest little thing.

I LOVE Chetna, R10! I thought her flavors were so interesting. But I can't argue with the judge's decision -- she did have a pretty bad couple of bakes.

These pledge breaks are annoying. They couldn't get anyone other than that Chef's Life woman? She talks like she's a stroke victim.

Yes, I love this show! I cannot explain it, but I do.

Find the original British uncut versions online. They are so much better than the truncated crap PBS is showing.

Better yet, find Extra Slice, the GBBO recap show with Jo Brand.

Primewire.ag has it, get a good adblocker and watch it.

I love that show R15. Jo Brand is so funny on it.

I still don't think that Nancy "nailed" it. She did ok, so did Luis.

I liked "Extra Slice" last season, Jo Brand was a hoot. The Bake Off definitely has less manufactured drama than its American counterparts in reality tv. When does the new season start? I mean the regular season, not the Comic Relief Bake Off.

Confession: I also watch the Great British Sewing Bee (new season currently airing). I want to marry Patrick Grant or have hot, meaningless sex with him in a steam room, whichever comes first.

Haven't watched the sewing show, but last year BBC had a Hair show and it was fantastic. They had one lady on there who did the most amazing hairstyles.

I'm R1 who mentioned the drama. I didn't mean between contestants, except when Richard snarked after Kate was sent home that now only the good bakers were left. No idea whether he meant to direct that at her, but they seemed quite friendly so I doubt it.

The drama here is all about cakes not rising and icing sliding off and whether their products are over or underbaked.

I think Richard will win. He's been the most consistent baker and winner during the competition. All three of the remaining bakers are strong.

In the U.S. show the winner disappointed many viewers. I don't think that's possible with the contestants here.

I could not care less about sewing R18, yet I am absolutely addicted to that show and especially gorgeous Patrick Grant. I really like the two straight male contestants this season.

Oh and next season probably won't start until September, they film during the early summer I think

R12 where are you watching? I haven't noticed anyone from a Chefs life. I'm in Nc.

I'm in Indiana. It's pledge drive time and they interrupted every 10 to 15 minutes with a pledge pleas with Vivian "I'M A CHEF" talking about how she's humbled by all the great bakers on the show.

Did she bring that god awful pig's appendix crap she keeps trying to get people to eat on her show and keeps having to throw it all away, R24?

They all need dental work.

Isn't all English food basically terrible tasting, though? That's all I can think about when watching this. You know that most of those things they come up with taste awful. I do agree it's an entertaining show, though it was really hard to watch that nerdy one with the buttery teeth.

The bake off is available in downloadable torrents. There's no reason to put up with pledge break hell.

Agreed on all counts, R21. Like the Greyjoys, I Do Not Sew. I just watch for Patrick.

LOL R25 I've never watched her show. The incessant "I'M Vivian. And I'M a chef" commercial on Create is enough for me.

You mean this guy, R27?

Yes, R30. Those teeth were hard to look at because I couldn't help but picture the bleeding gums that probably go with them.

At least they point the right way, R31. More or less.

Diana was cunty to Iain, sabotaging by taking his product out of the freezer.

She didn't return. "Health issues". Did they "fire" her?

Surprised how good looking Luis was as a young man. More so that he was married...to a woman. He pinged. Pang?

Paul Hollywood of GBBO on the T.V. in this leaked dick pic.

LOL R34. Too bad it wasn't this

Mary Berry is my god now.

I have to say, did anyone notice that Paul usually treated Richard with scorn every time he asked Richard what he was baking? I expected both of them to rip off their clothes, start grunting and beating their chests at any moment.

[quote]Surprised how good looking Luis was as a young man. More so that he was married...to a woman. He pinged.

British men always confuse the hell out of my gaydar. They all seem gay.

BTW, Paul Hollywood is sexy as hell.

Yes they interrupted here too. Odd she would be in IN and not NC for the pledge drive.

I love this show. I watched it via torrents a few months ago and am watching it again on my local PBS station. I say "on your mark, get set, BAKE!" in a goofy voice along with the hosts.

Some of those bakes are so complicated, then they're asked to make simple doughnuts.

[quote]Odd she would be in IN and not NC for the pledge drive

I think that's because she SWORE she would never return.

But since her parents forced her to upen her own resterant in Eastern North Carolina....

I don't go out of my way to watch it, but yes, it's lovely. I never get the appeal of cooking shows - I want to smell and taste that stuff - but this show is just perfect. The presentations are exquisite, it has an unforced, easy pace without over the top editing and hosts and judges with smarts and personality. So, yes, good job, England.

They must all make a lot of cake poops

I assumed Paul Hollywood was gay. Just found out that not only is he married to a woman, he was caught cheating on his wife...with a woman!

He also apparently hosted another show called "Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds." Will they show that one on PBS without changing the title?

R44, there was a U.S. version of this show a couple of years ago. The woman with whom Paul Hollywood was cheating was judging the show alongside him.

Wait--Baking was pre-empted yesterday for PBS' traditional dreadful fundraising programming in NYC. Not the case elsewhere?

Love Sue Perkins, the lesbian host of GBBO. She is quite funny in the British version much of which is cut out by PBS.

Not preempted in my market R46, just interrupted twice and heavily edited from the original British version.

And last night was the season finale, R46.

I like her too, R47. She and the other woman who go around during the baking do a good job, especially after Paul Hollywood is always so doubtful the bakers can do what they're trying.

Loved this show so much and I miss it already! Such professionalism and all the contestants were absolutely charming. I want to move to England because the people are so much nicer there (or so it seems).

That being said, the finale was not shown on most PBS channels in the NYC-metro area, which pissed a lot of people off, including myself. However, it's now up online at the URL below.

Finally, Paul Hollywood looks like he smells really good.

I saw it once and loved it. I couldn't turn it off, as I was expecting something "big" was building. But there wasn't. Which makes it interesting.

Oh, shit. My listings only showed Suze Fucking Orman and one of those "My Music" shows all afternoon on Channel 13. Assholes.

Since we are talking about British baking could someone tell me what a "fairy cake" is or a "Victoria sponge"?

Obviously, one is a sponge cake but what makes it "Victoria" as opposed to regular sponge cake?

So much better than the American baking shows. Less drama, folks are nicer to each other and I love that they bake outside.

Most commonly,R54, a 'Victoria Sponge' is a two layer sponge cake with raspberry jam and whipped cream in between the layers.

R53, I know a few markets didn't air the show until Mondays or Tuesdays. Check your local listings, that may be the case for you.

Can any of them fart on cue like Ina Garten?

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R59, it didn't hurt his career so why would it have hurt hers? She wasn't the married one.

I think it did hurt his career. He wanted to conquer American television like Gordon Ramsey did...

If the show had been a big hit in the US, they probably would have renewed it, but they used Paul as a convenient excuse for not bringing it back.

I think he would have been a great judge on The Taste or some show like that. They just did a whole series on the FN for a children's baking competition and I would much rather have seen Paul as a judge then Dirty Duff.

R61, they may have used Paul as an excuse but the U.S. version sucked anyway.

Foxworthy was extraneous; he had no reason for being there.

The obnoxious guy who won was never the best baker on the show. I wouldn't watch again for that reason alone.

R60, usually a woman who knowingly hooks up with a married man is deemed a homewrecker and hated for it. I'm thinking her reputation has definitely taken a hit. However, she isn't/wasn't super well-known, so it seems no one really cared that much. That said, I think her food network show ran years ago..not currently. I doubt they'd give her another one after that fiasco.

I know, R63. I've never figured that one out. He's the one who made vows to someone else.

R64, yep, the old double standard. It's always the woman who "stole" the husband or lured him into the affair. The husband can't think for himself when his dick is hard!!

R62. Totally agree. Francine and Darlene were not only better bakers, but consistently good. One of them should have won.

I adore the GBBO. It's SCRUMMY!

I have no objection to GBBO's winner this year. You can tell when a baker has a genuine feel for it and this one did.

Some American company with the name "Hollywood" tried to sue Paul Hollywood for using the name. He came back at them with 300 years of his family tree, always called Hollywood. The company shut up and went away.

People watching it on PBS probably don't know that the uncut version has interstitial clips of the two female hosts visiting bakeries, factories and speaking to food historians who shed light on some of the obscure baked goods on the show. Too bad that was cut; it's very interesting.

I agree, Kimberly should have won. Frances' designs were fantastic but she was criticised for her actual baking every week and was only saved by someone being worst.

Michael Sheen was adorable in last week's (UK) episode, and who knew he was such a good baker?

R63 Marcela has a show airing now on the Food Network---it's a weekly format sort of like The Chew and I think it's been pretty successful.

Cohosts include Katie Lee, Jeff Mauro (love, love, love), Geoffrey Zakarian and Sunny Anderson.

R58 actually, on the recap show they aired in the UK, Extra Slice, they had an outtake of Richard farting.

Alas, I couldn't find it on YouTube. It's on Primewire.ag though

Fascinating, R73. Is he the only one who does that?

Love this show... I DVR it. We in the NYC area were blocked on Sunday because of a PBS fund drive. Sorry to hear Chetna went home. Watching previous episodes on youtube. Hollywood's hot and Mary Berry is a doll. Both hosts are a hoot.

R72, I stand corrected. I'm shocked because 1. She's annoying and quite boring, and 2. The affair with Paul Hollywood. His American TV reputation is shattered, while she gets her own TV show. I guess no one really did care about her or her part in it.

R76, I like to watch baking shows. I don't care who the baker is fucking.

I only watched the first two seasons. There seemed to be fewer fanciable gay(ish) boys after that.

The baby gay that won season 3 was delicious

The news about Paul's affair with Marcela actually made viewing the series more interesting for me. The news had already come out about Paul being busted during filming before the show even aired, I think.

The little scenes where Paul would share his baked goods with her, sitting at a little table while he discussed the various complexities of baking the treat were more fun when I imagined what the two of them had been up to.

I missed this weeks British episode and am going to have to scramble to find a way to watch it (even though I already know who went home thanks to reading this thread....)

Just download it, R80.

R80 it should be on PBS.com or on the PBS app

It's in a link in this thread. You have to work to miss it.

I watch it religiously. Love it.

Don't care for that big wide hipped bull dyke Sue Perkins at all.

The British bakers are much better bakers than the home cooks they had on the American version. Most of the recipes the Americans used were just a step above Paula Deen.

Interesting that PBS cut out the bakery visits by the hosts which explained what some of these obscure baked goods were that they were asked to prepare. It all makes sense now.

Luis is total closet case. No way in hell is he straight. I have a feeling all of the men on this show are closet cases, even Richard. Straight guys don't bake.

[quote]Straight guys don't bake.

How lovely.

Here's John from the first series being cheeky.

#1

The could have eased up on the airbrushing. He's hardly an old hag.

Bad airbrushing. It looks like he has a prosthetic arm.

I think he's right to hide his face.

[quote]Since we are talking about British baking could someone tell me what a "fairy cake" is?

It is what is known as a cupcake in the US and increasingly here,too. More on the smaller side than what cupcakes have become these days.

I know them as queen cakes. No joke.

R3 is that the guy who won series 3? John Whaite?

Sorry, my question is directed to R88.

The Ambien just kicked in...

Nancy/Luis/Richard/Chetna are all fabulous cooks. I don't think anyone in the previous season--with the exception of Kimberly--would have been competitve with them.

Yes, that's John Whaite (Waite?).

R96 I knew he was a hot little slut. Just knew it. That shy boy facade didn't fool me.

If anyone is interested, BBC iPlayer has The Great Comic Relief Bake Off, in which Brit celebrities compete to raise money for Comic Relief.

Break out your geoblocker, they even have Extra Slice for it!

Heads up to those who missed episodes due to the recent stretch of begging by their local PBS station, TGBBS returns to the schedule tomorrow, 3/22.

FYI - I'm in NYC.

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Is Ruby gay? Anyone know?

I'm hoping hoping hoping someone posts posts posts the info info info, R103.

It really is a marvelous show - with professionalism, wit, humanity, and healthy competitiveness - and skill among the bakers.

It puts American knock-offs and other competition shows to shame. Why are Americans (I'm one) often so low that they follow the crazed Japanese model for shows, rather than the British, where you can enjoy yourself and actually pick up information?

Never mind. I know why.

Sorry about the triple post, although this is a genuine DL glitch and not my doing.

I can't believe these dl reviews for this show. Someone should send them to the BBC.

I completely agree, R105. I love this show. The contestants are nice, interesting, diverse and, mostly, very talented bakers. The challenges aren't crazy but can be VERY challenging -- some of the technical bakes are mind-blowing: making filo pastry from scratch in just a few hours? eek! But their results are often impressive.

And the hosts are kind and charming and even funny.

The judges are tough but never nasty or cruel.

And I love how people's gayness is just a completely unremarkable thing. It's not hidden, it's just completely accepted.

The show makes me love Great Britain.

>>>>> Never mind. I know why.

Please tell us, dollface.

I don't remember Ruby acting like she was interested in Paul, I remember it as Paul always leering at her and I (kind of) felt sorry for her because it was very blatant in a couple of epsiodes.

Didn't anybody watch this year? Love this show. Also made me interested in watching the Great British Sewing Bee, with the handsome Patrick Grant as one of the judges.

I watched it once this season. I'm trying to stay off sweets, so I didn't watch again. It doesn't take much for me to decide to whip out the KitchenAid.

I watched this year, R111. including the final bake last night. I can't say I always agree with the judging, but at least it isn't as bad as the US version. I thought the three finalists all deserved to be there.

I have to say it mystifies me that someone comes in dead last in the technical challenge, the chocolate souffle, and is chosen star baker for the week.

Love how the contestants all support each other instead of the contrived drama they show on shitfests like Top chef. And I would have been okay with any of the last three winning.

The Spelling Bee show is equally low key. I don't know how I would make it, though, having Patrick Grant around all the time. He is so incredibly handsome and suave.

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R115, my PBS station has little featurettes at the end of each episode about food history.

do they pack fudge on the show?

For the record, the search on Datalounge sucks and Muriel should be ashamed. I found this through Google but typing in Datalounge and "Great British Baking Show"