The Great British Bake Off 2021

Why do they use so much sugar?

I think it starts on Netflix in the US on 9/24.

well you can find online streaming (not so legal) usually within hours after it broadcast on Ch 4.

Meet the bakers, a Met Police Detective, a Quadrilingual Client Relationship Manager, and a retired nurse and midwife.

I miss Sue and Mel.

still? they were gone 4 years ago, it's time to move on!

NEVER

Again, why do they use so much sugar? The British Isles are not isolated any more.

Stop stuffing your bodies with sugar and anger.

R4 Which is the gay contestant?

I agree with R5, they were better hosts.

But more so, I really miss Mary Berry -- Prue is too arch and too self-conscious.

Paul Hollywood is a jerk, but that's what he seems to want people to think, so whatever. Mary Berry was a wonderful counterpart to his act. Prue, not so much.

I spy someone amongst the new bakers who is going to have trouble keeping frosting out of the hair....

No cuties.

I’m not watching this, if it doesn’t have darling Mary Berry involved. It’s just another boring British show without her wit and class.

I found Sue to be incredibly annoying, so I am glad she's gone.

When it's announced that Mary Berry would not return, I was worrying the show would lose its touch, but surprisingly Prue held up really well, after just a few episodes on Ch. 4, Mary Berry was the past, I didn't' miss her at all.

I miss Mary Berry, Sue and Mel. I don't know if it was just the way the show began and I was used to them, or what, but I still miss them. Noel has finally grown on me, and Prue as well, they do a fine job. I already liked Matt Lucas and I still like him. It's good, just not the same.

As for "why do they use so much sugar" because it's a fucking BAKING SHOW.

I always think it's a bit odd that on the BBC it had three female and one male presenting, but on C4 it has 3 men and one woman. Also, it's a shame there's only one man who is approaching fanciable this year, unlike last year. I still think back longingly to the days of John and James (though John is a contestant on Strictly from tonight, so all is not lost).

I still miss Fanny Cradock & Clemens Wilmenrod.

Mary & Paul had chemistry and she brought humor. Prue and Paul may as well be on different shows. They toned down Noel after the first season, but he still seems inappropriate. He's also intrusive in ways that are less tolerable than Mel and Sue.

Damn. No hot guys to cheer on. Mel and Sue were so much better than the 2 clowns they have now.

Who doesn’t love boozy Pru?!

I love Prue and her kooky sense of style. But I definitely preferred Mel and Sue to Noel and the bald fatty. I don't find them funny at all.

I find Noel strangely very sexy, and Prue is acceptable, but I can’t stand Paul and his fat poky fingers or creepy Matt Lucas.

I love that hunky muscular Paul.

They ought to be required to cast a twink.

They used to have at least 2 and sometimes 3 twinks a season. I always rooted for them, even when they were disasters. They have had several gay cuties, including the guy with Indian background, (Tamal Ray) and the guy who's currently on the British version of dancing with the stars. John Whaite. I agree that they should always have a few, since those of us on DL know that 1/4 of their audience is made up of gay men!

well maybe they did their home work and found out their gay audience in UK are not into twinks

My bottom is getting soggy with anticipation!

Are they doing "An Extra Slice" again this year? I hope some kind person posts the links to them again!

Don’t be ridiculous, R27. We invented twinks.

flash back , David flirts with Henry Bird!

A dearth of hotties this year. The only one I really like is Chigs. (What kind of name is that, anyway?)

Xtra Slice HD clump

r32 The link is posted on another thread.

What the hell is a "malt loaf" anyway? That candied orange peel on top looked like maggots or worms.

No hotties this series, but I’ll still watch. I think Jürgen or Giuseppe are the two to beat…which means they’ll be leaving soon because I never guess right.

R8 consider taking your own advice.

Chigs is hot.

Fondant is stupid and should be immediately disqualifying.

I really don't enjoy Noel and Matt together, but Matt was fantastic as a judge on the first episode of DRAG RACE UK.

I watched Bake Off: The Professionals and wished judget Benoit Blin could replace Paul. He's better looking and has a better personality.

Sacré bleu cheese dick!

I've worked with Matt before and he's very charming and funny, but watching him I feel like he has to play a character on Bake Off, which is a shame because he's lovely how he is and it doesn't come off as well in GBBO. How he was on Drag Race is more of how he is in real life.

Chigs plays soccer with his nephews. Gay!

Jurgen supposedly has a son, but those people who (finally) answered his phone call didn't sound like they were family.

I want to get fucked by Paul Hollywood and I don't care who knows it.

Team Chigs! Who doesn’t find him at least conventionally attractive?

If Chigs needs an American sugar daddy, please point him in my direction.

What kind of nickname is Chigs?

Chigs is very sexy, and gives lots of hugs to the other guys, especially Jurgen. I think he’s not comfortable coming out, but i’d light up his oven.

Chigs has kind of a Bradley Cooper look.

Well, this is definitely the most unattractive group of bakers they've ever had.

Hot, but for the permasmirk. It’s very off putting.

Jurgen and Giuseppe are going to be hard to keep out of the final three based on the first two episodes. It's crazy how overall unattractive the cast is.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

He has a toddler body.

R52 it's not Love Island. Maybe there could be one or two younger hot people that got cast but that's not what the show is about.

Just watched the first episode. That vegan baker has the single most annoying voice/accent I have ever heard. Fingernails on a chalkboard.

[quote]Paul's body is atrociously fat. He's one big ball of dough.

I would bend his fat ass over and pound him so hard

Does it have polka-dots, Prue?

Hmph I don’t really care about the “hotness” of hosts or contestants, but I understand why that’s a big deal here.

I really do like the show’s deep focus on process and flavor and structure. There’s a lot of material science “cloaked” in the challenges, and that makes the program feel like good nonfiction media. I also admire the (relatively) dampened emphasis on the timing of each challenge. I never feel “jacked up” on constructed conflict like I remember from some US food competitions (“when we return….disaster strikes Enid’s choux-pat!”.

Jurgen’s Teutonic protectionism will be interesting to see in the showstopper challenges. The Vegan Vocal Fry is very grating, and the whipped aqua fava canned bean water sounds gross, but I can see why they have a vegan on the cast. They do seem to look at all dimensions of diversity and they do it pretty nimbly, without too much obvious tokenism.

Pru is very good, better still for her ability to step into a role so masterfully completed before by Mary Berry. Pru is actually pretty baller, a very shrewd feed entrepreneur and technically very successful as a businesswoman. And she’s so nice, and stylish, and pleasant.

Indifferent about the male comic hosts Noel and Matt, each have on and off days. I hate Noel’s leggings, high heels, tunics and jumpers. He reminds me of that ok skank from the book “I’m with the Band”, Pamela Des Barres, or a trans Chrissie Hynde. Poor Matt is so pale and dumpy. He looks like he wandered in from an open-mic set in a hospice. That sounds mean, but it’s true. Poor guy.

Fuck, that is meant to spell “food entrepreneur” above. d’oh.

Oh, I love the show and wouldn't miss it, R55. It's just that there are normally several attractive people. It IS a television show, after all. People like looking at attractive people. They certainly don't all have to be, but there are normally several.

As ever, it’s lovely to see the bakers helping each other out, as during the Biscuit Week showstopper. Very un-American.

Matt really stepped in it when he tried to insinuate that Paul is George’s dad.

George is a hot bear. I want him in me, quite deeply.

George looks so much like Paterson Joseph.

Linky Stinky, r65.

I would fuck Jurgen if he baked for me.

Its not the looks that makes the bakers hot.

Although if I was fucking Jurgen, I would probably also fuck Chigs on the side.

[quote]Matt really stepped in it when he tried to insinuate that Paul is George’s dad.

I loved Prue telling him, "This is going nowhere." She should say that more often.

That comment made me think of all the rejected jokes and bits that must have been said over the years. If they left that one in this time, the material the two of them tried this week must have been very weak.

I want to [italic] slaughter [/italic] Lizzie.

but she seems to be pulling the vegan shit off. who knows. i bet she's set for life now. 19 vegan gbbo...

Young Jurgen. Not bad.

Well, if he were your bf now, you'd be his full time eyebrow trimmer.

I could deal with that if he baked for me. I’m a bread whore.

While waiting for new episodes this season, I binged the holiday specials. Hilarious. The stakes couldn’t be more adorably low. Plus, I think it’s pretty obvious that Paul and Prue are drunk off their asses in at least two episodes.

I thought Paul was an avowed homosexualist.

Paul is too much in love with himself to love the peen.

Chigs and Crystelle are both very good-looking. I'd also argue that Rochica, Freya, and George are cute. What's missing this year is a hot little twink.

Crystelle is gorgeous -- but could her family have any trashier names? Crystelle, Corelle, and Chanelle?

Crystelle is an American. She is pretty but double majored in 2 different languages and lives at home.

Correction: Crystelle is a DLer. Except not pretty.

George looks like porn guy Tony Daniels.

Chigs is oddly handsome and sexy! He has a very serious face at times but when he smiles his face lights up. It's lovely.

Chigs is East Asian? I LOVE East Asian men! Delish!

The police detective is skating on very thin ice, as is the overly posh jolly old woman.

How do you get on this show? Is the guy who just started baking a few months before the show filmed some kind of prodigy, or have they just run out of talent in Britain? Why not give Henry another go?

Google it you lazy whore ^

This whole season is annoying me so far, except for Jurgen. Freya and the old woman are at the top of my list. Freya's hair is absolutely disgusting; does she ever wash or comb it? And, yes, her vocal fry is as grating as a Biscuit Week contestant trimming the hard edges of his gingerbread. The old woman (so-called Prue lookalike) was nice at first, but her relentless bright smile speaks to me of inner despair.

I will say for Freya, though, that her homage to the horse Winnie was beautifully executed.

Freya’s hair is a dream compared to Lizzie’s jacked up head bush. Lizzie’s accent is disgustingly overdone. We get it. You’re from Liverpool. Now go brush your hair.

She looks like a dead body that’s falling out of a rolled up carpet.

[quote]She looks like a dead body that’s falling out of a rolled up carpet.

I take great offense at that you ugly river horse!

Girls, girls, you've both got skanky, flea-ridden barnets!

Oh, and you reminded me that some of the accents are really annoying this time around. Lizzie sounds like she's voicing a Beatles cartoon.

Ugh, I can’t stand Fry-a. The way she pronounced “cappuccino” this week - “cappoocheeen” - nails on a chalkboard would be more pleasant to listen to.

[quote] How do you get on this show? Is the guy who just started baking a few months before the show filmed some kind of prodigy, or have they just run out of talent in Britain? Why not give Henry another go?

Its baking, not mastering a musical instrument.

Chigs = HUGE PENIS!

[quote] Chigs = HUGE PENIS!

Because every man that you find to be attractive has a HUGE PENIS!

r93 gave Jurgen a rusty trombone.

Guessing “Chigs” is short for one of those 20-letter Indian names like “Chigurapatnamappalli”.

r95 = tiny meat

R98 = tiny brain, tiny meat and a Hank Hill behind.

Chirag, R97. Only one letter shorter, but maybe it was the extra syllable that he found exhausting.

Do they have chiggers in the UK? Because if they do--that's kind of an unfortunate name.

Wow, r99 you just repeated what I wrote about you. Genius! Groundbreaking!

No, R101.

Why did that horse riding chick keep over exaggerating the word CAPPUCCINO? She sounds like she’s in the middle of giving birth ever time she said that word. And I’m always grossed out when they’re stirring but speaking and their hairs flying all over as they whip or whatever sans gloves. It’s insanitary then pee colored teethed Noel is standing over the food so all I think is his rank British breath spewing into their bakes. But still obsessed with the show. The american ones can’t hold a candle this. When Paul says “sponge” I get a tingle downstairs.

Can the Celeb Bakeoffs be viewed in the US?

Search the Clump. He's the only brit "celb" I've known!

Can I propose a Netflix crossover event where Freya and Lizzie do a little stint on Squid Game? A ripping round of Green Light, Red Light would fix their attitudes tout suite.

I like Freya and her vocal fry. She knows it's annoying and she doesn't care which I admire.

Chigs looks too much like Nev from Catfish for my liking.

George is very sexy. I want to sniff him all over.

Jurgen is very German, of course, but is he maybe perhaps a bit of an Aspie too? Regardless, I like him.

I love Pru even though the "I'm an old woman and unsexy to men so I'm going to wear kooky clothes and colorful accessories" cliche is boring. Next year she'll have purple streaks in her hair, etc. At least she isn't wearing a grill like Madonna...yet.

Noel and Matt: I love how this very middle-of-the-road show made by grandmas and granddads for grandmas and granddads has offbeat hosts. I can't imagine an American show doing something like that.

Can someone explain Freya’s accent? If she rides show horses, she’s got money, but she doesn’t sound posh.

I like how R109 framed Prue's fashion choice as if she had to have made it in relation to her defunct sexiness. Even an accomplished 80-year-old woman does everything in relation to her perceived sexual value!

r109 She's already done blue.

Lizzie is definitely overplaying the "kookiness". She probably thinks it's endearing.

Also, Maggie sounds nothing like Prue, given the latter is South African. Is Paul deaf?

LOL at R112

This uncultured American loves Lizzie’s accent and wants her to stay just for that.

Noel looks much cuter (and even more vampire-y) with his hair pulled out of his face.

I don’t know how the bakers resist smacking Matt when he stands there going on with an unfunny bit for eons. Irritating.

[quote]Noel looks much cuter (and even more vampire-y) with his hair pulled out of his face.

I liked his eye makeup. He's lost a bit of weight, no? Poor thing, it's hard to maintain the scrawny goth look in middle age.

Pedo alert at r54. Creepy.

r 117 you didn't have to reply to my post in the first place but you just couldn't help yourself so this is what you get. You deserve it.

Another episode starts!

I don’t have anyone on ignore but a bunch of posts are missing.

What fresh hell is this?

R121 Same. I assume someone got deleted.

I haven't watched yet, but is Noel still using his "wacky" voice to say "Get set"?

I like all of the cast this season. The German guy's voice bugs though.

R123: yes, he is.

Like fingernails on a chalkboard. But I don’t imagine he’ll change his schtick now.

I hate that voice, too.

BLOOP

Watching Bread Week presently, early through this special link above. It’s a good week. The hosts are struggling a bit, but the challenges are interesting.

Crystelle bugs me. I never trust the contestants that come in with a full face of contour and make lots of little fusses when the cameras are around.

I [italic]know[/italic] you're not including me in that category.

I never remember the winners from past seasons.

R131 Same. I'm always invested in the show when it's broadcast, but I forget it all within a few weeks.

Sigh. The second weak cast season in a row. Chigs is at least cute and George has a stupid hotness about him but it's all a pale copy of former seasons.

Freya annoys me but Lizzie is equally ghastly and I really can't understand anything she says.

I remember the one the twink won.

It seems likely that Chigs is Family.

40, attractive, unmarried, 'devoted to my nephews' and South Asian = Gay

He posted a little video on his Instagram of his recent trip to Mykonos and he used Madonna's "Holiday" as the background music....his companions were other cute 40something men and some skanky ho bag women.

Talking about the extra slice, who is that high pitched queeny sidekick? Was he high on something? He is ruining everything and he needs to go!

Agreed, R133, I can barely understand Lizzie either, and I'm pretty good with English accents. She's a Scouser (i.e., from Liverpool), if that explains anything.

I’d also like to know what kind of accent that is that Freya has. Not the vocal fry, exactly, but the actual accent and manner of speaking. It reminds me of some character from tv but I can’t place it.

Yes, no cute guys this season, but Chigs is okay.

I watched the Prue seasons before the Mary seasons, and I much prefer Prue.

Freya is from Scarborough in North Yorkshire.

Nawth Yawk shuh

Vocal fry and a Yorkshire accent...yuck! I can't stand listening to her and Lizzie - both are annoying.

[quote]Crystelle is gorgeous -- but could her family have any trashier names? Crystelle, Corelle, and Chanelle?

"Corelle"? Like the dinnerware?

[quote]both are annoying.

Unless we learn that Freya has "Pie?" tattooed inside her lip, I have to give Lizzie the edge.

All about Chigs (Chirag)

I’m guessing Lizzie is referring to the Eddie Izzard sketch, cake or death

[quote]Chigs hopes to blow the judges

Pics please.

Uninteresting group of people. How the hell does Jurgen afford to live on the water in Bournemouth?

When i close my eyes and listen to Freya, i hear Bubble from AbFab.

I’m rooting for the Italian daddy

Jurgen is probably a math genius and uses it in his career which is why his family is rich. He’s probably intrigued by the science of baking. Just like he gets a thrill out of “conquering” a tough math problem, he probably gets a thrill out of conquering a difficult baking challenge.

Just a hunch but I recognize the type.

I want George to fuck me on my back. I want to lick the sweat off his bald head as he pounds me very roughly. I want to bury my mouth in his hairy, sweaty, musky armpit and when he comes I want to hold the hairy sweaty globes of his arse.

There have been a few male contestants over the years from science or engineering backgrounds who took up baking as adults and excelled at it (the shy Indian guy a couple seasons back?).

I wish more men in the US baked. It’s cute.

r151 = the very definition of a soggy bottom.

It's dessert week!

I won't give away who won star baker tonight...let's just say it's well deserved!

I accidentally spoiled it for myself by looking at the Daily Mail site. Damn it!

The spoiler was the baker who got kicked off, not the star baker.

Omg Chistelle’s sisters are named for a perfume & unbreakable dinnerware.

Link to EP 4 - Dessert Week

How do they cast this program? They manage to find such appealing contestants. It’s hard to do that.

My own favorites seem to be Giuseppe and Chigs, because they smile so easily and really lean into these challenges.

The winner telephoning home to announce they’ve been named star baker is always touching, but this week is especially sweet and poignant. So good!

Chigs is cute as hell.

ok, tonight's winner called his/her mom! 🤔

I tend to like all the contestants so much that I can't bear to watch them leave so I wait until the next episode to see who's gone.

I don't think Chigs is cute, but everyone has different tastes. I'm on team George, though I don't think he's long for this series.

I think Chigs might be taking the third spot in the finals.

Hello! This is a baking competition, not a beauty pageant!

That's as may be, r166, but I want George's baguette, quite deeply.

Chigs is hot

I hate Prue's cartoon character jewelry, wardrobe and glasses. Not as much as I hate Noel's tights, oversized tops and hair. Paul joked about Prue and Maggie. No one mentioned that Noel and Lizzie look like siblings.

R163 I do that too. As soon as I hear who was star baker I fast forward the rest of the episode.

I didn’t see Jurgen for a while at the beginning of this week’s episode, so I was worried he got the boot. Glad he’s still around!

Video Link to Extra Slice Ep. 4

I liked Maggie, but holy hell, what a disaster this week. The judges pulled their punches on the strawberry cake, because it was just so pathetic compared to the rest.

Paul is already tired of vegan Freya, she’ll need to watch out.

Who could ever tire of desserts based on bean water?

Lizzie looks durrrrtay.

Fetlife

[quote] Lizzie looks durrrrtay.

[quote] No one mentioned that Noel and Lizzie look like siblings.

r174, Hahaha...I concur! Her hair color drives me crazy. Just awful and ugly. Why would you present yourself like that on tv? Just baffing...

baffling

I hate to say it but you know it's true: It's not uncommon for ugly people to ugly themselves up more with tattoos and piercings and weird facial hair and weird hair styles including orange. I'm not sure why they do it, but they do.

Chigs is cute enough compared to the other contestants but he'd never get a second look at the average gay bar.

What did Jurgen say about using hard water to speed up the boiling process? He seems pretty confident that his understanding of the science of baking will secure him the win.

Still love Freya, rooting for her and her awful speaking voice. Don't really care about Crystelle, won't miss Maggie (her eagerness to please and be over-the-top friendly and lovely at all times made me uncomfortable--she probably beats her kids)

[quote] she probably beats her kids

what's wrong with that, a bit spanking hurts nobody!

They never talked about or showed Maggie’s family - although maybe it was the people she was playing tennis with?

Poor Maggie. What a way to go.

Maggie was incompetent as hell.

If her baking was any indication of her job performance, her baby delivery probably had a 30% mortality rate.

She needs a guest spot on "Call the Midwife."

Maggie seems rather private. There's no information on her surname (unlike most of the other bakers) and she doesn't mention having any family.

too bad Maggie didn't win any star baker, otherwise it would be interesting to see whom she would choose to all.

She’s humiliated. Cut her some slack.

she had an awful week, her cake collapsed, and she forgot the flour which was a bit strange, but she is old and the old people do forget things, I hardly call that humiliated.

I don’t think she forgot the flour. I think there was an ingredient list and the flour was on the last page? Or something? Maybe? I dunno. I lost interest in her and her annoying rosacea.

“It turns out the direction to add flour was one line on the next page and Maggie didn't see it.”

They not only give you a list of ingredients, but they give you the ingredients in a neat little stack. The flour was not in the cupboard. It was right in front of her face. SMH.

I think Noel’s big painted ogre head came popping into the picture when Maggie’s was reading the recipe, perhaps she was traumatized

[quote] I don’t think she forgot the flour. I think there was an ingredient list and the flour was on the last page? Or something? Maybe?

R189 is a prime example of old people’s memory decline

The flour was right in front of her face. When was the last time she made a pudding that did not require flour?

What exactly do Brits mean by “dessert?”

I can’t tell what they mean dessert because they call it pudding. “What’s for pudding, mum?”

I love how this show has contestants saying, "I have no idea what in the hell I'm doing" only to have Paul say, "This is excellent, the best I've ever tasted" multiple times, each and every episode.

I don’t understand the British categories/deliniations - there’s dessert, which includes puddings, but cakes are a separate category, and pastry is also a separate category?

You seem to understand it quite well r198.

But why aren’t cakes a dessert? They are too close to bread?

Senile dementia ^

[quote] But why aren’t cakes a dessert? They are too close to bread?

Perhaps they want to include skills that are not cake, biscuit (cookie), bread nor pudding. Skills that fit into neither of those categories.

"For this challenge, you shall prepare a marzipan in the shade of Noel's teeth."

I’d send the Vegan chick home just for the hell of it.

Her vocal Frey has got to hurt.

^fry, dammit

Freya’s fry, not Freya’s Frey. Sheesh.

To Brits 'dessert' is normally just a general name for the sweet course, as is 'pudding' or 'afters'. On Bake-Off they use it to cover all the sweet things that don't have another more specific classification (cake, bread, biscuit etc).

I do not mean to be offended, but the more British nomenclature is explained, the more confusing I find it.

I will never get how they use "pudding."

Pudding is UC, darling.

Maggie - ha! We laughed when she turned over the sticky toffee pudding and out dropped something looking like animal scat.

Perhaps she was the Brit tv retard to bring awareness to dementia.

Bavarois!

R208 In British English, "pudding" is used as a generic term for dessert. While you'll see 'desserts' on a menu, we don't tend to use the term at home very much because it comes across as quite formal.

Freya's vocal fry is off the charts in this episode.

I wish the fuck that Freya would get kicked off.

Doesn’t every series have an annoying young female character?

new is up

Not an attractive bunch. Lizzie is just gross. Paul & Pru continue to lack chemistry and it sucks the life out of the show. Noel and Matt are unfunny. George the bear is the only one I actually like.

Link to tonight's episode 5 - German week

I wish instead of Prue they would bring back past contestants to judge, even on a rotating basis. Prue never has anything constructive or useful to say. At least the past bakers could commiserate and talk about what they learned. And I’d much rather see them (except for Candace or Ruby, that is) than Prue.

R219 = Mary Berry!

I like Prue! I like Merry Berry too.

Prue is boring---schoolmarm-ish despite the wacky accessories. Zero chemistry with Paul. He just seems to be phoning it in, wishing he were elsewhere. I'll bet he'd happily get rid of Noel and Matt.

Or they could bring in Paul’s past barmaid girlfriends to co-judge. I’d watch that too.

[quote] Prue is boring---schoolmarm-ish despite the wacky accessories. Zero chemistry with Paul. He just seems to be phoning it in, wishing he were elsewhere. I'll bet he'd happily get rid of Noel and Matt.

In other words, nothing about Paul has changed.

Paul had chemistry with Mary. I think she made most of the effort, but still they were interesting as a pair. he and Prue have no energy whatsoever.

[quote] Paul had chemistry with Mary

what kinda chemistry was there? grandma and uncle?

Kidding and mutual respect, Helen Keller.

It is of course now Dame Mary Berry. Paul and Mary did have a friendship outside the series, and may still do (it's not going to be mentioned on the show these days, for obvious reasons), but you never get the sense that Paul would be dropping in on Prue of an afternoon, as he did with Mary.

Dame Mary said that she learned a lot from Paul, who was a very different kind of baker, with his bread background and mostly on the job training, That someone in her 80s can talk about learning new things is pretty remakable and sign of real respect.

Mary just always seemed like some old lady home baker who wandered in. Prue seems to have an expertise.

So Mary got the job because she was a friend of Paul?

[quote]Mary just always seemed like some old lady home baker who wandered in.

But nobody could bite into the corner of a cookie quite like her.

I don't know what's more surprising: that Jurgen didn't win German week, or that they finally settled on "génoise" and not "Genoese."

Mary Berry has written dozens of cookbooks and judged countless competitions. Prue has a more corporate background although she also has written cookbooks and had cooking school. She seems very tied in with the Conservative party (her son is an MP and she was on some Tory committee) although she's originally from South Africa. Prue's also a dame. Nonetheless, she has no chemistry with Paul Hollywood and the show really sucks in its current form.

Dame Mary has been a staple of British Television for 50 years!

And, yes, that's the core of the problem with the show now....Paul and Prue have ZERO chemistry together while Paul and Mary had great chemistry!

Paul also seems like he's hella bored with the show.

I did NOT like how Paul kept snarking on poor Maggie for forgetting the flour. It was mean and it obviously upset her. OTHER contestants have forgotten an ingredient over the years (everyone who bakes on a regular basis has done this as well). If Sue and Mel were still on the show, I think they wouldn't have been happy about Paul being such a dick. Sue has already said that in the very beginning of the show, producers were trying to steer the show to being more adversarial and confrontational and Sue and Mel balked and said, "we're not interested in doing that kind of show...it's a mistake and we'll have no part of it" and the producers wisely stepped back.

Mary? Meh-ry is more like it.

Pruetastic!

I'm sorry, but forgetting the flour in a perfectly normal English pudding is not something "everyone" has done.

1973-1976 was a period of loud clothing for Mary. Unlike other people, she outgrew it.

Patchwork!

R237 It's not her old age or "dementia" that caused Maggie to forget the flour, I am pretty sure she knows how to make puddings at home, but in the tent, that pudding was a technical challenge the judges set for them, they are required to strictly follow the recipe to make the pudding, and Maggie didn't notice the flour was listed on the last line of ingredients on the second page, she read the first page but not the second page, she might even have her doubt "there was no flour?" but that's what she read on the first page, she just went for it with no flour.

Wrong person was sent home this week. Another contestant has consistently performed worse during the season and is still there.

Not knowing Mary Berry had ever done television before she seemed like a rather uninteresting old lady who was not comfortable on camera.

I would have thought Prue was the old pro. She seems a lot more relaxed and outgoing than Mary.

With Mary, Paul was clearly the main judge. With Prue it is more of a partnership.

I don't get the Mary love. If you look at the clips from the 70s she is just as awkward in her delivery as she is now. In the one with Steak and Kidney pie, she sounds completely amateur stumbling over her words.

And Steak and Kidney pie? That sounds like the weirdest most disgusting combination I could think of.

R245 Please stop, we get it you are a big Mary Berry fan but please don't spam here, this thread is about GBBO not Mary Berry. If we want to watch Mary Berry cooking, we can find them on YouTube.

Someone mentioned upthread Prue and Paul not being the closest offscreen. I think it's due to personality and generational differences. Prue and Sandy are close friends offscreen. They even did a show last year together.

I think the wrong person went home this week, too.

WHY is that ghastly old lady cop, Amanda still stinking up the tent?!?!? She's horrible and should have went home weeks ago.

Frankly, either Amanda or hunky but dim George should have left the tent before the person they booted.

And, doing German Week with an actual German on as a contestant was mean and stupid. It put him in an awkward position of it either looking like the producers were playing favorites AND it put pressure on Jurgen that really wasn't fair. You could tell he wasn't very comfortable with the situation.

The show is not nearly as good as when it was on BBC...since it moved to Channel 4 it's gone down in quality with the producers making stupid decisions.

Isn’t Paul the one who arranged to move the show off the BBC and push Mary, Sue, and Mel out? That was my impression at the time…

I think the correct person went home but that there is a lot of chaff in the contestants this year. There are five or six more contestants you know are lined up for the chopping block and shouldn’t make it to the final.

Did Noel get COVID?

I love Jurgen’s accent/voice. It’s adorable.

But girl! Trim those eyebrows!

It wasn't Paul who moved the show - he had zero say, It was the production company who went for more money.

[quote] [R245] Please stop, we get it you are a big Mary Berry fan but please don't spam here, this thread is about GBBO not Mary Berry. If we want to watch Mary Berry cooking, we can find them on YouTube.

Mary! Cut the dramatics. I posted 2 links to two of her newer series. How about you stop spamming the thread with hyperbolic nonsense.

The Mary hater criticizes her for being awkward in the 70s? Hon, that was ages ago. She's an old pro now, literally and it's nice that likes to kick back a drink once in awhile.

Was she well known? It looks like she was on a local station back in the 70s. I am not trying to be snarky, but she seems to have been picked up out of obscurity for the Baking Show, but some are talking like she was some kind of celebrity.

R254, they don't have local stations in the UK and she does done tons of tv over decades. The corporate hack, right winger Prue has do tv, as well, but she still seems to have a stick up her butt.

Big, big fan of the gentle, refined and telegenic Mary Berry. And it’s because I really enjoyed Mary in the first season’s of Bake-Off (and all her other media old and new) that I really admire Pru for stepping in so handily and maintaining the tone and quality of the Bake-Off judging process. She’s telegenic in a different way, and very honest and clear in her commentary. She’s excellent.

I do see this season’s cast as pretty evenly divided. It looks like an even split between really careful ‘process’ bakers and some charismatic home bakers whose flavors, appearance and stories are interesting, but less so than the actual « mastery » seen in the top contenders. I can see that they are trying to appeal to all viewer tastes, and that’s hard to do. It’s still a great show and worth watching. I also notice that colleagues at work who enjoy and talk about the show tend to be sweet, kind people.

[quote] WHY is that ghastly old lady cop, Amanda still stinking up the tent?!

That’s who I thought should’ve left. I’ve no idea why they keep her. Because they need a menopausal lady until the very end? She’s awful, she’s never done a good bake. The person who left has done a few excellent bakes, considering limitations.

GBBO kept Laura Adlington on far longer in one of the earlier s series, but Laura had a friendly outgoing personality & the added attraction of being obese, so GBBO got points for not “fat shaming” an obese girl by letting her go. Amanda has absolutely nothing going for her.

The judges keep mentioning that Amanda’s flavors are wonderful. Her baking technique is the issue. Paul said her showstopper this most recent episode was one of the most delicious things he’s eaten in many years, it was just messy/sloppy.

There’s clearly only one solution to this debate. Mary and Prue need to strip naked to the waist and wrestle in the mud.

Stop saying “the person who left”. Anyone reading this far into the discussion of a new episode has got to expect spoilers. I cheered when Freya left. I can’t take her voice.

This was the first week that Amanda didn't really fuck up.

She's been on the chopping block pretty much every week until this past week.

As for the moron Mary Berry hater, she's been a TV personality for decades. When the show started, SHE was the name...no one had any idea who the fuck Paul was.

Paul and Mary had great chemistry. One of the fun added treats to the BBC show was the spinoff behind the scenes show where Paul and Mary would bake things together. That show was terrific!

You wouldn't see Paul and Prue do that because Prue is just a corporate chef. She probably hasn't actually baked anything herself in 40 years.

We've NEVER seen her actually MAKE anything on the show.

[quote] The judges keep mentioning that Amanda’s flavors are wonderful. Her baking technique is the issue.

Well, it *is* the Great British Bake Off, not the Wonderful Over/UnderCooked, Too Wet/TooDry Under/Overproved Flavors Contest.

Apparently Prue is a rightwinger -- probably anti-gay and anti-everything else. She comes across as a stiff unpleasant woman as well.

I'm not the Mary Berry troll but man, I do miss her. She had chemistry with Paul. Paul and Prue act as if they've just met in each episode.

.....

I really like Noel’s green shirt this week. It’s really cool.

halloween shout out

USA!

[quote] Apparently Prue is a rightwinger -- probably anti-gay and anti-everything else. She comes across as a stiff unpleasant woman as well.

Don’t let the wacky jewelry fool you. I also hear she bets on dog fights with Michael Vick.

We learned today that Prue loves two holes filled.

And Paul love Giuseppe's meat.

The final 3 seems obvious if they continue to live up to their potential. But surprising eliminations do happen.

Chigs is hot as fuck I would lick raw cookie dough from his asshole.

[quote] Chigs is hot as fuck I would lick raw cookie dough from his asshole.

That's disgusting and a recipe for disaster!

Your flavors are off, r270, and the presentation is just a disaster.

The show's hosts and judges are obviously flat in their presentation and the hosts have no rapport with the contestants. Its obvious they are being pushed to do more off color puns and double entendres. It just doesn't work and makes a relatively adult competition show seem juvenile.

Paul and Prue are fine. Just get rid of those unfunny twats Noel and Matt.

I knew that she was young but I had no idea that Freya was 19. Good for her, she'll be missed.

Noel would be fine if he was the “weird” host and they had a sweeter host along with him. But he’s too weird to play the straight man to Matt, who comes off as socially awkward instead of funny.

Matt is an actual star, the show is fortunate to have him. Noel is fine, a quirky Brit for a quirky British telly program. Overall, these 2 are much more entertaining and interesting than those 2 women who used to be the hosts.

R277: You must be kidding. Neither of these two connect with the conetestants in any meaningful way and it hasn't gotten better with time.

R278 is right, for some reason there's no connection at all between the hosts and the contestants. With the old hosts, you had the feeling they were friends, they really cared about the contestants' work. These hosts are just trying to be funny and promote their own jokes and careers.

Hate to say it but the old Paul and Mary and Mel and Sue worked so much better.

This is crazy. Noel seems much more engaged with the contestants than either of those two nameless women did. In spite of his style, he is the warmest comic they have had

The fact that Matt is a star tells you everything that is currently wrong with the state of British comedy.

Is Matt really a star in the UK?? I only know him from Bridesmaids. I knew Noel because of Old Gregg.

R282 considering GBBO is the highest rated TV show in UK, it's safe to say both Matt and Noel are established stars, the production would not hire a nobody to host their No. 1 money maker on trial.

I think Noel is actually very good with contestants who are starting to panic. He immediately stops clowning and becomes very comforting and reassuring.

i think the bland lesbians are posting here.

uhhh if you have not googled Vicky Pollard do so now.

i don't give two shites about googling those les-beans.

cunt fuck yourself.

Yeah the two women were nice but kind of bland. Some times the guys are too much but they mostly know when to tone it down like when contestants are struggling. Most of their jokes arent that funny though but they are corny jokes.

Only idiots prefer Channel 4 GBBO to the original BBC version.

And, there are idiots on here who shouldn't even be watching if they have no idea who any of the hosts are.

R289 it's not that serious

R283: "Most popular" is meaningless in terms of quality. All kinds of crap has lead the ratings everywhere. The show sucks in its current form and this seasons contestants are a pretty uninteresting bunch.

the quarterfinal should be Jürgen, Giuseppe, Chigs and Crystelle, and Jürgen and Giuseppe will be in the final, it's hard to predict whether it's Chigs or Crystelle to join them, Chigs is more consistent but Crystelle has "wow" factors when her barking is on. If Chigs is in the final 3, I think the winner will be either Jürgen or Giuseppe, Chigs cannot challenge these two, but if it's Crystelle , she could rise on occasion and win the whole thing in the end.

GBBO is not remotely the highest rated show on British TV. That's ridiculous.

r289 -- steady on, sweetie.

What is Chigs real name , he is so damn sexy

I'll be very surprised if Jurgen wins.

R292: I agree with your prediction, but like the last couple seasons, I don't find any of these contestants to be very compelling. It isn't like the season where they had trainwreck John, cute tinkerer James, and the uptight Irishman or the season with Nadya and Tamal. Even though the production company is the same, they seem pretty lackluster in who they select. No real eccentrics or people you either love or hate. No future shoplifters or ditsy custard thieves.

They had Rowan last season, a true eccentric. And people bitched about him being on too long.

I think Jurgen has an interesting personality. I'm not a fan of the orange-haired woman, but she's quirky whether you like her or not.

The orange haired woman is annoying, not compelling and they usually stay away from fatties. They had that Aspy guy who won several years ago, but he just seemed weird and pathetic.

I think the posters writing against Noel and Matt must be American. Both of those two hosts are very famous and popular in the UK and very very British. In a way Americans wouldn't "get".

We can still hate them if we're not British. Brits have had all kinds of stupid people on tv like Mr. Bean and Benny Hill and that obvious pedophile Jimmy Savile. So have Americans.

I agree r300 and think both Noel and Matt are great.

[quote] I think Jurgen has an interesting personality. I'm not a fan of the orange-haired woman, but she's quirky whether you like her or not.

He's a math geek Germany. What's interesting about that?

Jürgen seems to have eclectic interests. He can sing 16th century Tudor ditties, and “Utopia” was the first book he read in English. Maybe he’s an insufferable bore in person, but he does seem to be more than a math geek.

R300 "do" you always "put" your words in "quotes" for no reason?

Or is that an "American" living in the UK "thing?"

Little Brittan was on HBO here in the US, as well as Doctor Who. I am surprised more people don't know Matt Lucas.

After GBBO, I don't think I'd want to. In fairness, he sometimes seems to be on a completely different show than everyone else, and I wouldn't blame him.

In the past, they usually had one contestant who seemed one anxiety attack away from a strait jacket (think Ruby). Someone like that would make this cohort more interesting.

They also used to have some interesting older women---a bit daffy or super organized, and some crusty old guys like the lighthouse keeper.

[quote] Jürgen seems to have eclectic interests. He can sing 16th century Tudor ditties, and “Utopia” was the first book he read in English. Maybe he’s an insufferable bore in person, but he does seem to be more than a math geek.

He’s a geek, with geeky interests.

I hated that miserable cunt Ruby. Was that the season with Frances? It was the worst. I think people look at past seasons with rose-colored glasses.

Even the Guardian seems to have given up on Ruby these days.

you cunts don't deserve an extra slice!

I like Jurgen. I’d absolutely be interested in him if he was about 20 years younger.

I don’t think he’ll win the competition. I think that will be Giuseppe.

Chigs is cute but not "ohmigod" cute and only a so so baker at best and no one else is very interesting or compelling.

It's a meh season this year.

Americans have had access to most British shows (at least the more successful ones) for many years either through PBS, then BBC America, and just finding stuff on YouTube. And, now with streaming there's very little we can't see.

Lots of gay people were fans of Little Britain back in the 2000s so certainly Matt Lucas is familiar to many DLers. I personally liked him ON that show but he's wasted here and actually seems like he's not having a good time doing it.

Noel Fielding was on The I.T. Crowd which was a huge cult hit in the States....at least with computer nerds who work in I.T.

Sue Perkins got her break on The Supersizers, the show where she and sexy but annoying Giles Coren lived a week in various eras of history and only ate the food of that time.

I wasn't aware of Mel until GBBO. Mary Berry I had heard of but never really watched. Paul Hollywood was a complete nobody.

Matt needs to stop sniffing round Chigs so obviously.

Must one be a British citizen to compete on the show?

Did anyone catch Noel's interaction with George during Pastry Week? He said that George's fingers looked like thick sausages and then as he walked away, Noel looked back at George over his shoulder and said, "That's why I love you."

Sorry, but that's something a gay man would think and say.

HBO did Little Britain USA. They left out the too-British-for-Americans-to-understand parts & filmed it in Wilmington, NC. David Schwimmer directed sound stage sketches.

Noel likes "stances" too. He's way bi/pan.

Noel's sexuality is something I'd rather not think about. OTOH, I wouldn't be surprised if he dressed in the most conventional way when he was away from a camera.

[quote]Little Brittan

Oh, dear.

Well it ain't Little Whales you know.

To my eye, Noel and Matt are working pretty hard to appear like they’re not working as hard to connect with the contestants, judges and the viewers. What we see is their best material, and it’s pretty unevenly funny. I think being the roaming commentators and timekeepers looks easier than it is. I bet there are a lot of real clunkers (jokes that fall flat and elicit blank stares or « get away from me » responses) in the unedited material. The question of gender and sexuality is a really awkward and messy one, and Paul goes quiet and non-responsive because that’s really his only option. I can sometimes sense Noel wincing with discomfort when a joke or comic device lands badly. I think, broadly, all comics struggle with some dimensions of ‘being funny on command’. I think it’s hard. I do agree he would look better with a haircut and less eyeliner and normal clothes in lieu of leggings and high heeled booties, but I understand that’s his glam rock irony for the cameras. I hate everything he wears except this week’s green shirt with skulls sketched into the pattern. That looked pretty cool and fit him better than those smiley face tunics. He reminds me of the lead singer from The Darkness.

Pastry week. And lots of talk about George's thick big sausage and Giuseppe's meat.

...And squirting Prue

I saw a pop-up banner from a website called The Decider with those dirty double entendres (two wholes filled, squirting) when reading the paper online this morning. That’s a shitty thing to do to Pru. She’s an elderly lady, and she doesn’t deserve a prurient meme like that. It’s a bit of a downer.

Here is the link, with a self ‘oh dear’ for misspelling ‘holes’ as ‘wholes ‘

It's back! Giuseppe's greasy locks unnerve me more each week.

They've literally told them to make Twixes. Who would do that?

Well, it turned out they were really hard, R329. Meanwhile Chigs in glasses and a plaid shirt had me hard.

Chigs is quite handsome in glasses...

Link to tonight's Episode 7 - Caramel Week

george!

talking about "caramel", if you don't have time, you can try this instant pot recipe using a can of condensed milk, yes you are actually making dulce de leche, but it tastes really good!

well I feel a bit bad for the one who had to leave tonight, yes, the first two bakes were awful and the tech challenge finished dead last (6th), but the showstopper was in top 3, shouldn't that be enough to beat the other person who was 5th in the tech challenge and 4th in the showstopper, considering the showstopper weighs more than the tech challenge. That makes me think they never really disclose how much weight each baking task is counted to determine who is the star baker and who will go home. I think the rank of the bakers should be 20% from the signature bake, 30% from the tech challenge and 50% from the showstopper. If I am right here, the person who left tonight got an ordinal "score" of 3.3 (30% x 6th + 50% x3rd) from the last two bakes, and the one who avoided the elimination actually was 3.5 (30% x 5th + 50% x 4th), behind 3.3.

The person who got the boot isn't a very strong baker and was lucky they didn't get the boot in previous weeks.

Noel wanted to eat his baklava.

I still want his big hard sausage from the previous episode.

Chigs is quite sexy -- isn't he the one who's personal video clips were about his nephew? Perhaps he's a nephew troll. He does seem rather gay. But it does seem like Giuseppe and Jurgen are far better bakers than everyone else, so Chigs has little chance to win it all (he might make the finals, however -- that seems to be between him and Crystelle (I don't care how she spells it, it's a New Jersey name).

Crystelle is Portuguese Christian Indian from Goa. Well, her family’s from Goa. She’s from London & appears wealthy,

they all screwd the "KitKat" bake, even the ones from the winner didn't look very appealing! 😐

R336 Agreed, he was lucky to get as far as he did.

I can't warm to Chigs. He pulls a sort of fake earnest face when his bakes are being critiqued that pisses me off.

Grandad Greg’s cactus was impressive! That’s going to be a twenty footer in a few years.

Chigs is so handsome and sweet. I hope he has a boyfriend and is happy and in love. He deserves it.

Crystelle may be the most attractive female contestant ever, and she has a great laugh and personality as well. She won't beat Jurgen or Giuseppe but she has been a good contestant.

[quote] they all screwd the "KitKat" bake, even the ones from the winner didn't look very appealing! 😐

You mean the caramel bake? The Twix?

r344 CHIGGS IS MINE BACK OFF

I don’t think Chigs is at all attractive and his name reminds me of blood sucking insects. Chiggers, bedbugs, mites,lice, Chagas disease… yuck

Chigs and Chrystelle would make real pretty babies.

Hopefully, with better names than Chigs and Chrystelle.

[quote] with better names than Chigs and Chrystelle.

R349 such as Chistelle, Chrystigs...

Crystelle is always acting out for the camera. Meanwhile Jurgen is amusing not even smiling at Matt’s “jokes.”

I was shocked by the elimination this week (who left and who squeaked through)! There just isn’t a lot of suspense this year with such a clear top 2 and then next rung down 2. It’s felt like since the third episode you could have guessed a rough order of elimination.

Chigs is gay and likes the sausage.

The judges did add some suspense into the mix by commenting negatively about Giuseppe’s bakes this time, but it would still be a shock if both Chigs and Crystelle made it to final 3 over him.

Sorry Lizzy but I have no hope for you. I do like her more than most of DL seems to, though. Her sense of humor works well with Noel’s.

Watch Extra Slice. Paul is on there. Cumulative scores not summative.

It’s about time George got the boot. He’s been middling to awful too often. Lizzie’s just as bad but they can only boot one off per week and they didn’t want a near-sausage party and Lizzie is this year’s fat working class female, so George was it.

"Meanwhile Jurgen is amusing not even smiling at Matt’s “jokes.”"

An overly serious German who never cracks a smile???? Unheard of! Shocking!!!!

My butt prelubes when George smiles.

lol but in all probability, guys built like George are just 4~5 inches

7 if he lost the tonnage.

[quote] An overly serious German who never cracks a smile???? Unheard of! Shocking!!!!

That’s why it makes me laugh—especially this week when he was wearing a hoodie (!!). Jurgen cutting loose.

there's a smile on insta today

I don't really get the Jurgen love but to each their own.

If I wanted to be amused but a humorless German, I'll go back to my small Nebraska hometown.

Jurgen is a void. He turns everything into a mathematical equation and produces the most logical result. I picture him rubbing his chin, looking up in the air at a cartoon cloud filled with numbers and question marks, and I expect him to make a showstopper of a shower nozzle made of cake with a marzipan lever that releases Zyklon B.

I think Jurgen is quite unhappy that Matt has German citizenship.

R363 Ssssssssssshhhhhh!

Whatever you do, don't mention the WAR!!!

R363, most of us have never been to Nebraska, so Jurgen is like no one we have ever know.

Plus most of us have some experience with classist, bizarre, entitled Brits, so we are glad for the relief from the usual contestants.

R365 When has GBBO had "classist, bizarre, entitled" contestants? The show is mostly beloved because unlike American competitive shows, the contestants are nice and look out for each other.

And, if you hate all those mysterious "classist, bizarre, entitled British" contestants, then why are you watching the show? Have you been watching all these years, in hope they cast a boring, lowkey, anal retentive German?

Thrilled your wish came true for you!

for those of us who find brit cooking shows oddly satisfying...

Chigs looks totally adorable in glasses.

I so much hope he makes it into the finals so we see more of him.

However, we did get a look at this body this week and, well, he has no butt whatsoever. You'd think with all that baking...

cunts!

Well, another elimination that wasn't the slightest bit surprising.

I thought it was a good quarterfinal...looking forward to the semifinal. Should be a doozy!

without the floozy!

"the winner gets to eat all of Crystelle's chili..."

The one who had to leave tonight had a fantastic showstopper and with finesse! That showstopper definitely beat the other person who was also on the chopping block, but as Paul said, it's about who "deserves" to be in the semifinal. So it's not just this week's three bakes, a baker's overall skill week after week played a role on who will move forward and who will go home.

then paul lied on the other show last week.

R375 on a second thought, I think Paul was trying to say if they had two bakers on the chopping block, they were equally bad or neither was good enough, they will consider a baker's track record in previous weeks as a deciding factor, one was a star baker before and also had a handshake, the other one had none of those things, the star baker will stay.

The loser's great bake was frankly ugly. Track record probably does predict how well they'll do in the future.

This week’s loser really did redeem herself with self-disclosure, but in an honest and charming way, free of any cynicism. I didn’t enjoy her much this season, but this episode revealed a sweetness and honesty that was very appealing.

Matt is also improving, with a toned down delivery of jokes. You can imagine him as a generally nice fellow.

Paul was a good sport to participate in the opening gag, as the Hulk.

Pru is simply reliable and telegenic and honest and kind. She’s excellent.

Juergen is a bit of a turd but very competent.

I felt they were were unduly harsh with Guiseppe’s show stopper. He is a very appealing presence and so modest in his comportement. He is never distracting or « performy »

Chiggs (sp?) is certainly delightful to watch, smiles very easily. He has a certain charm and sincerity. Very appealing and earnest.

Paul is from Liverpool and he doesn’t talk tard the way Lizzie does. I thought “Oh no, young people in Liverpool are now adopting a stupidly overdone accent and presenting themselves in the rags of WW2 Polish farm grandmas. Bad choice, younguns.”

Relieved to know it’s just her because she’s “special.”

Christmas special lineups announced. For the celebrity episode it's cast members from It's A Sin (haven't seen it, though I have vaguely heard of Olly Alexander) and the returning chefs are Kim-Joy, Rowan, Hermine, and Jon. I barely remember Jon, but I like the other 3. Should be fun.

[quote] cast members from It's A Sin

Ooh, this will be great!

I laughed when Lizzie casually said her dog was named Prue…I love her sense of humor.

The vegan roll with chutney has to be the ugliest thing they’ve ever cooked.

I want to be inside Chigs, deeply.

The wonky eye on Chigs is too distracting. The new glasses make it more noticable.

[Quote] The wonky eye on Chigs is too distracting.

Yes! It's so fucking sexy!

Chigs and Crystelle would make a very pretty couple.

I think Noel has a little thing for Crystelle…

[quote] think Noel has a little thing

There, I fixed it…

Chigs is just plain beautiful.

My reaction when people say Chigs is just plain beautiful or hot or fuckable.

R391, you know that dog would bury his face in Chigs’ crotch the first chance he got…just like a lot of us here

And you know that a lot of us here would bury our faces in that dog's crotch the first chance we got.

The winner from Season 3 who went all meth and roids is on Strictly come Dancing (uk Dancing with the stars) wit a male partner.

My dance card has a couple of spaces on it.

Chigs looks great from the neck up. But his legs leave a lot to be desired.

Pssst! Don’t eat the German’s sausage.

R391 Which is fine....it's all subjective.

We all don't have the same definition of "hot" or attractive.

Many people find Matt Bomer to be an ideal type of man and while I can agree that he's a pretty, he doesn't do much for me. Pretty is boring....to me.

We're all wired differently.

Noel had his best line ever about Lizzie's showstopper: (paraphrasing) "She made both a cake and a pet."

It's officiall: I'm in love with Prue. She's fantastic.

Chigs has closeted-guy energy which is a big dick-wilter.

Is it mean that I want to see Jurgen get brutally humiliated in the Quarter Final and leave the tent in tears?

I don't understand the Jurgen hate. He seems like a quietly affable bear to me.

I don't think it's fair to assert Chigs is closeted. Partners and families get a mention on the show usually, but if people are single their sexuality isn't addressed - do we know the status of Maggie, Lizzie, or even Crystelle for example? (I can't remember.) If he is gay, this may be known to his family and friends, but there's no compulsion for an ordinary person to be Twitter-out, given the toxicity of social media these days.

R401 I don't hate Jurgen...I just don't get the adoration of him by some people. He is, as you said, affable but to me, he's also rather dull.

I'm rooting for Giuseppe over Jurgen, though either is deserving. Barring a major screw-up from one of them, the real question is it Chig or Crystelle in the final?

Chigs is openly gay but single, that is why there is no mention of a partner. They don't really play up sexuality on the shows. If they have a same-sex partner they mention it matter of factly. What do you want Matt to go over "so...like the cock do ya?"

Serious, sober, scientific Germans scare me when it comes to ovens.

I don't hate Jurgen, he just seems so arrogant which is fine, I guess, to know when you're good at what you do. Kind of like Madonna, I guess.

I find Giuseppe to be a lot more likable and I like it when the likable guys win.

Chrystelle is also a lot more likable but I doubt she'll win.

I love Giuseppe‘s flavor combinations.

[Quote] Chigs is openly gay but single

Link please!

Only on DL would Jurgen be compared to Madonna.

Jurgen arrogant? You must be watching a different show. He seems very sweet and self effacing. Not a lot of personality but...arrogant? Oh please.

Some people confuse controlled competence with arrogance. To me Jurgen seems like a content, pragmatic guy who’s having fun on the show but doesn’t particularly think it’s the most important thing in life. Which is true!

R405, what's funny about your comment, even though you're totally correct, is that Matt did have a very awkward moment in his first season as host where he just blurted out to a contestant, "I'm gay!" I don't remember who he was talking with, but it was a truly a facepalm moment.

I think it will be Jurgen because he really did bake better than Giuseppe. Giuseppe fell flat a few times while jurgen pulled it off with his bakes.

Jurgen doesn't seem arrogant at all. Just unassuming and reserved. Chrystelle definitely has the most upbeat personality. She has a great laugh. Very happy with the top four.

This is the best semifinal that they've had in years. All great personalities and bakers. I hope they get a good theme...is it patisserie week?

R416 Really?

It's better than last year (which was a boring trainwreck of mediocrity probably due to Covid and the fact they all had to quarantine together) but for me, it's pretty weak cheese. They're all "nice" but no one has a star personality and none of them seem to be especially brilliant at baking.

But, for me, none of the Channel 4 casts have been as good as the last three seasons on BBC. Series 5, 6 and 7 were really well cast with terrific personalities and talented bakers.

I have a stupid question r417. How do seasons 5-7 on BBC equate to the Netflix “collections?” Are they the same?

They're nice enough people, but yeah, no personality and no truly memorable bakes.

it's just a 49 minute waste of time.

R418 Not a stupid question at all.

The original British broadcast order and the PBS broadcasts and the Netflix seasons are all numbered differently so it's very confusing.

Obviously the original British broadcast order of each individual "series" (as the Brits call their seasons of shows) is the official corrrect order but it's not one familiar to most fans today. I tend to use that order because I've been watching them for a very long time, just hunting each new episode down on YouTube after they aired in the UK.

Wikipedia is the easiest way to keep track of each series/season.

I am in love with Chigs but admit, I find Giuseppe very sexy

Chigs doesn't have much of a body but his face and smile are so utterly charming that it doesn't matter. He comes across as a genuinely sweet man,

Giuseppe also seems quite nice and is probably the most talented baker.

Jurgen is hard to read: he can come across both as self-aware or a lost mess depending on how the producers film him. His baking skills are obviously excellent but his imagination doesn't seem as vivid as Giuseppe's.

Crystelle is very attractive but she does seem to talk endlessly, which Noel made a couple of jokes about.

I suspect the men will make it into the finals. Don't be surprised if the total underdog Chigs pulls it off -- the producers will root for a stunner. But the other two are clearly, as least so far, more talented .

Prue has improved tremendously since she started. At first she wanted to be like Paul: she was harsh and cold. But she's slowly morphed into the Mary Berry role: she's much more complimentary, she always finds something nice to say, and she is so much more relaxed than when she debuted. Paul continues to be nothing but Paul,. and either you like his act or you don't. I don't.

[quote]Chigs pulls it off

Pics please.

Chigs uses too much product in his hair. And he looks like he has tiny meat.

What's the British equivalent of "Hot in Cleveland"? Because Chigs is that.

Giuseppe is probably fun in the sack. I wonder what his wife looks like. He said that she's a better baker than he is--wow.

Every time one of Matt's jokes doesn't land, I groan but then immediately think "At least we don't have to suffer through David Walliams" and I perk back up.

Chigs fucked up this technical.

I am a bit disappointed with result, but I knew the semis would be very close. It will be a fantastic final.

WOW! That's....surprising.

It's pretty even going into the final. I like when there isnt a major frontrunner in competitions.

Everyone was great, I don't know who I would have eliminated.

Don’t want to spoil the outcome for viewers who have not yet enjoyed the episode. I have really admired Giuseppe’s modesty because he is super capable in a quiet, refined way. Chiggs’ technical was punishing to see, so it was impressive to see him recover ground in the showstopper. It was SO close and there may be some disagreement as to who was sent away. Sadly, Jurgen’s showstopper looked a bit like a cafeteria offering, or maybe a budget cruise line buffet item, pale green jellylike rounded bars. I did feel for him when he had to craft a replacement cross member for his temple. Giuseppe’s puffed rice tower could have gone really badly for him because it was, by composition, a rice crispy treat. But the tiny beads of white icing had all this elegant geometry to them and visually defined the tower as sculptural in form. The Astro turf base didn’t quite work with the green entremets, but the entremets themselves looked all glossy and luxurious, with simple finial tops, really impressive uniformity. He was right about not underestimating an Italian engineer. He’s a clever baker, so appealing to observe in action. A great piece of casting, a coup.

Crystelle really upped her game, I always knew she has that WOW factor when her baking is on. The very first week in the tent, she baked a flower bouquet, the taste might not be perfect but it looked stunning! And tonight, her bake got the look and got the taste, that show stopper is a masterpiece!

link to semi final episode

The result was based on future marketability of the remaining four contestants more than baking talent and consistency. It’s television after all.

Yes, Rahul winning was all about the marketing.

Per r435’s post, unlike other reality shows, I didn’t thinks the Great British Bake-off had any interest in future marketability of the contestants since they don’t have any interest in their future earnings. Can someone confirm that’s true?

Many of them have had at least some short-term success---tv appearance, cookbooks, etc. There is probably more interest in making money now thea a in the beginning.

It's a pretty lackluster group. The showstoppers were not that impressive. The two host guys had a more subdued tone in this episode but basically were just as annoying as ever.

R438, thanks. Another question—does the show itself have an investment in future earnings? I’m thinking about shows like American Idol, where you have to sign a contract and the show takes a cut of the winner’s future earnings.

They may not make money, but they get exposure and more sponsors/viewers.

So, yes in a roundabout way.

R439 No. Britain has pretty tough rules/laws about things like that. The show doesn't even pay cash prizes because that's not allowed on public funded/owned media in the UK.

So far, the show has had one huge break out star, Nadiya Hussain and then a second tier who have had some media success (John Whaite, Liam Charles) and quite a few others who have turned their appearances on the show into being full time professional bakers/food people like Chetna Makan who has written several cookbooks and is a successful YouTuber.

I see they're looking for applicants for the next series, so another is on the way.

I must admit I'm starting to get a little bored of it. I've been watching since day one (I remember when it was a little known programme on BBC2) and there's only so many episodes they can make.

I wish they'd do one final series with Mel, Sue and Mary back.

I admit I fast forward right to the tasting/decision parts.

i love nadiya! her new show is on the clump.

R442 Yeah...This happens with all shows, scripted and "real". They start repeating themselves. There's only some many ways to tell a story.

Yet, people continue to watch the 36th seasons of Amazing Race, Survivor, RuPaul's Drag Race, etc.

People who watch these shows forever tend to be....limited. If you're still enthralled with a formulaic show after the 15th series, then you're a bit brain dead.

OK. That was certainly not what I was expecting.

I don't know, R446 - I would absolutely have predicted Jurgen's favourite opera was Berg's Wozzeck.

Somehow there was a bit of Basil Fawlty in this episode.

yerp, r448.

Going back to grad school and doing my thesis on "Cultural Themes in The Great British Bake Off."

extra slice...Allen tells Chigs to "come out swinging."

Jesus....what an annoying episode.

The "Paul Hollywood Handshake" thing is REALLY annoying now.

I did like Jurgen shutting down Noel who was prattling at him trying to be funny and engaging....and, as usual, failing.

Noel and Matt both really need to go.

And, they need a new casting director.

Chiggs is gay, right?

Yes, Jurgen shut down Noel. How did that work out for him?

R454 You do understand that Noel isn't a judge, right?

Jurgen has no sense of humor period. Glad to see him go.

I liked all this final four, and I liked seeing the three who baked with a little more heart do well this episode, but I am a bit perplexed about how this elimination happened, it’s just so unexpected!

Paul is smarmy usually that when he breaks character and is sincere, the way he did with Chigs during the showstopper, it’s really touching.

The only aspect of the show that’s getting stale for me is the sense that the bakes are less amateur because all the contestants spend weeks practicing and perfecting. I’d have them change the process by giving them less time knowing what the assignments will be for each episode.

[quote]I’d have them change the process by giving them less time knowing what the assignments will be for each episode.

Totally disagree. One of the things about this show that makes it so much more enjoyable than its American cousins is the fact that the contestants ARE able to practice for everything but the technical challenge. It allows them to show up at their best, rather than stumped by some arbitrary challenges.

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion r457.

Most of them admit that their practice sessions were failures so nice to see them do well in the challenge.

R457, I think it just came down to the showstopper, and the fact that Jurgen’s patisseries looked a little bland. I mean, it wasn’t even that they looked that bad, it’s that everyone else’s looked great. At this point and level, you’re looking at every little detail. Jurgen did great, but the other three were amazing.

I remember watching Top Chef and it was similar. The judges said that by the final rounds, everything tasted amazing, and they had to look for the smallest of things to differentiate the contestants.

I would read R450’s cultural study treatise. I find it fascinating and commendable that the show is not only a good showcase of the different types of people who grow up in the UK, but also that it’s open to people who come there from away as adults, even from places that were at war with Britain in living memory. It shows a confidence that Top Chef in the US didn’t really have until the most recent season.

R461, I believe r450 is being sarcastic. I have him blocked but checked his posts. He’s a troll.

The semi-final seems as lifeless as the rest of this season. Even the first handshake had little of the drama that these used to have. The showstoppers were underwhelming. Nothing like the celebratory concoctions they've had in the past. Noel seems more subdued but he's still generally annoying.

Come on, R463...you're just being a bitch. This has been a good season and Chrystelle's showstopper was fantastic.

The creations have not been as magnificent in scale as some previous years, but the flavors seem a lot more interesting. Chrystelle does irk me a bit with her over the top reactions to success—she’s like a GBBO Taylor Swift (“ME????????????”).

R462 is a precious pussy

Sure, r466. We’re precious pussies when we don’t want to waste our time read shit from idiot trolls. Then I guess I am one.

Oh r467, I doubt your pussy is even remotely precious.

r462 is some lezbean.

Some troll safety patrol.

Telling us NOW so she won't have to tell us THEN!

To would never eat Crystelle’s bakes. Unappetizing flavor combinations.

Yuzu, sesame seeds, tahini and coconut r470?

I would totally try Crysttelle’s food.

You must be some old geezer who’s afraid to try anything than what your long dead mother served to you in the 1940s

I agree. Crystelle's food sounds fantastic with great flavor combinations.

I wish they had declared it too close, and had a 4 person final.

Jurgen was a bore fest and made boring stuff but he deserved to be in the final.

[quote] Jurgen was a bore fest and made boring stuff but he deserved to be in the final.

No one is guaranteed to make into the final. We've seen this over and over again.

It was a bit tough to see Jurgen go after last week when Lizzie left in part because of track record. But the judges were stuck here:

Chigs and Crystelle were bottom two in terms of season-wide performance.

Chigs, Giuseppe, and Crystelle were at a draw with a handshake in the first round.

Chigs flopped in the second round, Giuseppe and Crystelle were mediocre. Jurgen was top but even his was overbaked, so it wasn’t quite an achievement.

Chigs’ and Crystelle’s third rounds were triumphs (I thought Crystelle’s was pretty ugly but the judges loved it). Giuseppe and Jurgen both did very well.

If the justification for keeping Jurgen was his season-long consistency, then it doesn’t make sense to send Giuseppe home instead of him, because Giuseppe is in the same position *and* did better than Jurgen this episode.

That leaves Chigs and Crystelle. Between the two, Crystelle had a stronger performance this episode due to the second round especially.

That leaves Chigs vs Jurgen. Does it really seem like Chigs deserved to go home instead after his raspberry bars and gorgeous apple tree? In addition, Chigs has been fairly consistent this season and shown improvement in presentation each week, it’s not like he was a Lizzie compared to Jurgen.

That’s why it was Jurgen.

I just want to see Chigs bf.

I didn’t realize before this that Chigs only started baking during Covid lockdown, that is really cool.

R473 but Jürgen got outplayed by the other 3 in the semi, he didn't do anything wrong at all but the other 3 including Giuseppe all upped their game, so the excellent bakes from Jürgen suddenly looked subpar to the judges. . I think what happened is Jürgen played safe and didn't except others would go all out for the win, his reservation cost him the final spot.

chig's tree part looked like a kindergartener made it.

I never thought Jurgen was going to win the season (he did so well early on, I had a feeling someone else would win), but I did think he would make it to the final. Oh well. I’m sure he’s fine with it. I think Giuseppe will win, but I’d love to see Chigs get it. Or Giuseppe-you know he’d be a hero to his kids.

Normally I don’t care about kids, but I liked Giuseppe’s family from what we’ve seen.

I’d watch a special on cooking with Giuseppe’s family in Italy.

R464 We all have our opinions and not all of us think this has been a bravura season.

For a lot of us, it's been a rather "meh" season. The top 3 in this season probably wouldn't have made it that far in some of the previous seasons....Chigs and Crystelle are both nice and attractive but they're the types that would have went home middle to late middle of the pack back in the "olden days".

Giuseppe and Jurgen are both engineer/precise type bakers who have precise, neat bakes and they frequently do make it pretty far most seasons though a lot of those types also get the boot in semi-finals or choke at the end.

I thought Jurgen was a bit of a bore, too but his axing did seem surprising. Both he and Giuseppe had show stoppers that were a bit too simple. Though to be fair, I thought Chigs' tree was a bit too child like and I thought Crystelle's was too fussy and frau-y. I loathed that clunky big Rice Krispies candle thing she used as the centerpiece.

R483 Exactly. There is a form of mediocrity veiled by things like neatness and earnestness this season. I like Chiggs very much but that apple tree stopper was not so strong, actually looked like a group home craft project by a colorblind stroke victim. Giuseppe is charming and a great process guy, and his ingredients are palatable, but his showstopper was a neat rice crispy cylinder on AstroTurf (yet neatly finished). Crystelle’s flavors, like miso and things like these, don’t appeal to me but maybe I’m provincial. She does have an irritating, adolescent ‘field hockey co-captain’ response to Paul’s praise that’s icky for them both. Come on. Shake the guy’s hand, but don’t collapse and sob and heave. She’s a pretty gal, but ‘bitch, please’.

Giuseppe’s tower looked like a rolled up piece of white cardboard. I can’t believe he didn’t get the boot. I never would’ve guessed “leaning tower of Pisa” from that. Maybe “leaning white cocktail shaker.”

Chigs had an outright disaster with that strawberry thing with pistachio crème mouselline pouring off his undercooked base in a big sloppy mess.

Really, I don’t think Jurgen came close to such a disaster. And at least Jurgen built his main visual focus -the temple entrance - out of gingerbread instead of Rice Krispies. it *is* a baking show, after all.

I thought Chigs should go home, but that would leave two older men in the finals against a young woman and who wants to see that? Sending Jurgen home got rid of the staid, unflappable old guy who wouldn’t provide much excitement in the finals. Crystelle, Chigs and Giuseppe all show emotion when preparing a bake - wiping imaginary sweat from their foreheads, rolling their eyes, waving their fingers and hands around in a “I feel jumpy” way, tensely squeezing their face with their hands. Jurgen doesn’t do any of that.

They keep making a point of saying Chigs only started baking last year. That, I think, is why they made sure he’s going to the finals. They want future applicants for the show to know they don’t have to have 20 years of baking behind them to get on the show. That means more possible contestants.

[quote] Jurgen's showstopper was sad. The other's contestants entremets were much more impressive.

[quote] They keep making a point of saying Chigs only started baking last year. That, I think, is why they made sure he’s going to the finals. They want future applicants for the show to know they don’t have to have 20 years of baking behind them to get on the show. That means more possible contestants.

Each season features bakers with varying degrees of experience.

I loved Chigs’s apples. They looked like a stage set from a school production of Adam & Eve, kind of basic crafts but with a spooky affect.

Crystelle constant nattering about her family is fucking annoying. Save that shit for Chopped & Cake Wars

“I chose these flavors and this design to honor my grandmother from.. Mexico, Jamaica, Greece, the Middle East, Philippines, Africa, Thailand.”

You don’t hear any of them say “I chose fish and lye in honor of my Swedish grandmother” ... or “I’m using cockles, mussels, cabbage and potatoes in honor of my Irish heritage.”

They’ve absolutely had contestants cite Irish influences, especially on savory breads. Do you even watch this show?

I was very surprised at the judges' reaction to Chigs's showstopper. It didn't look any better than Jürgen's. His tree was the very definition of "basic," and the color of the apples was not what it should have been. The apples looked messy, too. Giuseppe's entremets may have looked and tasted perfect, but that color was garish. I'm not saying these weren't excellent efforts that I could never reproduce myself; I'm just saying that, going by previous standards, the judges could have been a lot pickier.

Chrystelle's showstopper was really beautiful and creative. I have no criticism of it.

The judges get to eat them.

The Derry girls episode was satire., R490

crystelle's pussy and chig's ass and giuseppe's long italian dong, r92?

They’ve also had challenges based on Irish and Swedish traditional bakes, idiot bigot at R489

Sure, I remember when Lars baked surstromming into an ugnspannkaka topped with saltlakrits ganache in honor of his Swedish grandmother.

[quote] Chrystelle's showstopper was really beautiful and creative.

R491 and tasty! once she finished, I knew right away that flavor combination would be absolutely delicious.

I really wanted to try her black sesame bars because I love yuzu. Those looked awesome.

When you're commenting on the showstoppers and their appearance, don't forget that taste is 50% of the competition. Chigs' showstopper looked good but perhaps not great, but the judges also said that it tasted amazing. Jurgen's apparently did not taste quite as good -- I think home viewers miss out on that part of the judging because, obviously, we don't have any idea how the bake tasted.

I loved it when Jurgen shut down Noel -- it's so tense trying to make a perfect bake, and all Matt and Noel seem to want to do is disrupt and confuse in order to show off their rather childish sense of humor. Normally I love Brit humor but neither Noel or Matt seem in the slightest bit funny. Ever.

I eagerly await the invention of tasteevision.

Noel and Matt are clunky and lame when it comes to interacting with the bakers. They frequently cringe when they approach them.

Mel and Sue were brilliant at that interaction...I think they were better at knowing when it was a good time to interact. That and they weren't trying so hard to be "zany".

I think you’re right r501. I actually like both Noel and Matt a lot, but I prefer them in pre-rehearsed sketches, not banter.

I like noting about Noel and Matt.

^Nothing, dammit

I am currently re-watching the earlier seasons. There were plenty of awkward interactions between the bakers and Mel and Sue.

Everyone seems to be overlooking the inside of Chig's apples. That was what I thought was so impressive. With the stem, they dupicated the illusion of appleness.

I suspect we would all like to get a good look inside Chig's apples.

I've never actually read of any of the contestants actually complaining about the presenters, though. Obviously its part of the deal and they know perfectly well what's involved when they apply. There will be way more we don't see from cameramen, directors etc who are probably more intrusive. Plus, we only see a few edited minutes of anything up to 5 hour bakes. Mel and Sue reportedly would intervene if a contestant was getting really stressed, by swearing so any film couldn't be used (though since the programme moved from the BBC to Channel 4 they keep much more swearing in and beep it).

What a strange final...the nerves were on full display tonight.

Tonight's tech. challenge is very interesting, there was virtually no instruction at all, just an order, bake "this" and use your imagination! Two of them actually got it right but unfortunately one overbaked, so the 3rd baker who was "clueless" finished 2nd, I was a bit surprised about the ranks, but I guess "overbaking" is a big no no to the judges, to them it's like the basic in the baking, you should not make that mistake!

No spoiling, but I thought the ending was richly satisfying. There was some unusual tension, but it didn’t feel as cheaply constructed for the cameras as we saw in all the cooking competitions in the States (“When we return…disaster strikes!”). I will say that some of the feedback offered, particularly Paul’s, felt strangely arbitrary. And the technical challenge felt mean and implausibly vague. Our family winters in Sicily, so I had a hard time being objective over Giuseppe’s flavors. But I know there are viewers who were as delighted by Crystalle’s exotic flavors. Chiggs’s savory component in the showstopper, the chicken and leek tartlet, looked delicious, and the crispy playing cards with the fruit centers and “punched out” hearts were really sweet and playful, like the guy himself. A hugely appealing final cast. Peru’s commentary about the winner was so observant and poignant and respectful. She is a great lady, a really cool and smart cookie.

D’oh, that’s meant to spell “Chiggs’ “ and “Pru”, not Peru.

All my worldly charms for an edit function….

yep. overbaking is a "no", but raw is "NO", that's why you lost!

When this show started years ago, it was a baking competition. Since then, it has become a brand and an industry. A number of winners and finalists have developed high-profile careers in the UK. That's part of what the thing is now. A media machine.

And Jurgen just did not not fit with current reality of the show. He would be death as a guest on a morning chat show pushing a new book of recipes. The old fool needed to start by trimming his eyebrows. He's just a complete disaster, in terms of media. If not gotten rid of, he would damage the GBBO brand.

I was surprised they had a German baker on the show and not at all surprised that they axed him before the final. World War II was not so long ago that it has been forgotten.

R514 Italy was also in that war...and on the same side as the Germans sooooooo....that theory may not be too strong.

As for media branding, GBBO has had exactly ONE big star emerge, Nadiya and a couple others who have gone on other media work. A few of them have managed to create baking/food based careers for themselves but it's not very global or corporate. Especially since the show doesn't profit off their post show careers.

I'm sorry, R515, but did Italian planes bomb the UK throughout 1940 and 1941, destroy a million British homes and kill 40,000 British citizens? No. The British experience of Italy in World War 2 is altogether different than the British experience of Germany. The memories are, too.

NadIya may be the biggest success yet, but she is far from alone. And when Bake Off bakers are getting attention the Great British Bake Off is always mentioned in conjunction with their names. The show now has a very different interest in who wins the competition then it did when it began.

Please see r364 and r448 and shut up about the war already!

Whatever you do, don’t mention the war.

R516 If those memories are so raw, then why cast a German on the show in the first place? Your theory is ridiculous. Also: many of the winners are nice, normal, boring people some of them quite frumpy and not necessarily that telegenic.

Nadiya is THE superstar to come out of GBBO....no one else even comes close. She has regular series and specials on BBC, and cookbooks, and products. She's a full fledged entertainment personality with a large following. Liam Charles has become a regular host/judge for other baking shows produced by the same producers of GBBO but he's primarily a presenter; he's not anywhere close to having the power/clout of Nadiya.

Then, there's a couple others who do some TV presenting here and there and several have done cookbooks and some write food/baking columsn for media outlets.

Though she wasn't a winner or runner up, Chetna Makan is a successful YouTuber. And, the annoying John Whaite currently wowing us on Strictly Come Dancing but as he's not on there for his baking skills, who cares?

Naydia is on the clump.

The Clump? Is that anything to do with the Car Clamp Club, sweetie?

sure, cunt.

lol, HDclump, the not so legal website which usually has GBBO episode available for free streaming within hours of Ch. 4 broadcasting!

I had been rooting for the winner through most of the series, but I liked all of the finalists well enough that I'd have been fine with any of them winning. I do think that the raw foccacia was the deciding factor. I think that baker had been the front runner til then.

[quote]Our family winters in Sicily, so I had a hard time being objective over Giuseppe’s flavors.

Bitch please.

Superb result. I’m the poster who found Chrystelle annoying throughout but I felt awful for her over that focaccia—I fuck up just like that under pressure, like the hand of doom just comes down on me and there’s nothing I can do.

The little epilogue at the end made me tear up, but i laughed that Giuseppe took his trophy and moved back to Italy! I’ll absolutely buy his family cookbook.

Jurgen losing at the semi-final stage was fair, he pulled an old Top Chef move that gets cheftestants kicked off that show—trying to do just well enough to make it through to the next round but not putting all his effort in to win. Because, just by chance, the other three contestants all excelled that week, Jurgen’s “good enough” effort fell short.

[quote]cheftestants

A new word to chill the heart.

My bottom just got even soggier!

Shirtless photos of Chigs, please!

[quote]D’oh, that’s meant to spell “Chiggs’ “ and “Pru”, not Peru.

And they're both still wrong.

It's CHIGS

And PRUE

last extra slice up except for the PRUde ragging the clump.

[quote]I wasn't aware of Mel until GBBO. Mary Berry I had heard of but never really watched. Paul Hollywood was a complete nobody.

Possibly inappropriate to bring this up within hours of Mr. Sondheim's passing, but Mel was in the recent revival of "Company" in London (the one with the female "Bobbie.")

Still waiting for proof of the upthread comment that Chigs is "openly gay."

Crystelle seems to have a very successful career with Goldman Sachs -- why does she still live with her family?

mary looks enbalmed!

i bet she has an agent. she came off well on the extra slice and i thought, "she's got IT." then you posted this. we will see more.

Crystelle and her sisters are like a fairy tale story. They’re all glammed up with that big hair and all living at home, waiting for their princes to come.

Can Crystelle leave the cardamom alone? Jesus

Chigs' hair looked better on the show than it did on Extra Slice.

r535, Her family is Indian/Goan. Her family is probably very traditional/waiting on marriage. I didn't realize the sisters were still living at home.

OH MY GAWD!

Please fucking fire Noel and Matt! So damn unfunny!!!!

I wanted to reach through the screen and fucking throttle Noel when he was running around trying to do schtick with that spatuala.

They are not great. Separately or together. I can tolerate them, but only barely.

R533 Thanks....already well aware of the lovely Mel being in the West End Company!

R535 and others In many cultures, family members of different generations routinely live together. It's really only relatively recently that NOT living with family became the norm in the West. And, to be realistic, many people in the US live in multi-generational households.

It's not really true that multi-generation family living was normal in the west until modern times - people who research medieval family life pretty much always find that children leave and start up on their own - often even the eldest, who might expect to inherit (in some areas), moves out and then either moves back or else stays in his new life and just sells or rents out his inheritance. It's always very varied and in any case.

It was common in the US up until WWII. It's still somewhat common in Europe because of the high cost of housing, even among non-immigrants.

My ears are bleeding thinking about the Lizzie/Freya road trip.

SPOILER ALERT for those who haven't seen the finale.

Chigs was robbed. Totally.

All three did just okay in bake #1.

Guiseppe totally bombed out of the technical.

Crystelle totally bombed out on the showstopper.

Only Chigs was consistent throughout the finale.

And yet....

Chigs' technical wasn't great.

You could also make the argument that Crystelle was robbed. She came in first in the technical, and her showstopper was great except for one element.

Guido was creative, technical, and consistent throughout.

And remarkably moved by his win r551.

He seems like a genuinely nice man.

i can't spell Giuseppe...lol

Yes, he seems nice. Smooth arms. Does he just have a huge hairy bush?

[quote]I wanted to reach through the screen and fucking throttle Noel when he was running around trying to do schtick with that spatuala.

Noel and Matt are the Jeff Probst of Bake Off.

I don’t think the people stanning Chigs & Crystelle in that link know that Crystelle is catholic. Or at least Christian. Her family is from Goa which was a trading city run by the Portuguese for 400 years. She wore a cross in one episode. Lots of Indian Christians in Goa. I can understand her still living with her family — their house is in London. That’s got to be expensive. May as well save money while living with your sisters and having mum take care of you.

She did the chest cross thing on the finale, i think. she did do it.

is she waiting to bake a new baby jebus in her womb?

I was looking at Crystelle pouring all that oil in her focaccia and Paul walked by, looked at what she was doing and scowled.

I love zaatar, so I was sitting there gazing at it until Paul cut into it. That was an all-time flop, it was her main element and it was just totally all wrong and inedible. I felt awful for her. I wouldn’t have been able to stay so composed.

It’s just bread r559

R548 you conveniently forgot to mention the belgian buns from Chigs looked nothing like a "bun". Chigs may be a genius since he has only been baking for about a year, but without step by step instructions, he struggled and got the shape all wrong. This is where the experience would help, Giuseppe and Crystelle know what a bun should look like and how to bake them even without the instructions,

Chigs was also wearing something around his neck and he kissed it once. Didn't look like a cross, however.

i thought i saw a pearl.

really

Chigs’ necklace looked like stylized evil eye jewelry, I have a pendant like that.

a preal and maybe red? dongle on the other. i thought it was odd as 2 things and not three drew my eye to it. but 3 and it would have looked like prue's.

9:21 a bit before too. must be a family thing.

re: Chig's necklace

[quote]Does he just have a huge hairy bush?

Giuseppe is a 45 year old heterosexual Italian. His bush will absolutely be huge, thick and musky.

I'd love to give Chigs a "pearl necklace."

It's always fun to watch the US version and then watch the UK version to see where they had to edit in "Baking Show" for "Bake-Off." They never edit the contestants' references, but for the intro and some of the proclamations from Noel and Matt, they almost always do.

BTW, does "Great" modify "British" or "Bake-Off [Baking Show]?" I always wondered if it meant the show was great, or if "Great British" was meant to be the adjectival form of "Great Britain."

His necklace is from the london Eagle. He kisses it because it still tastes like Franco.

i think it's pearl for sperm and ruby for egg. from parents' families' respectively.

The least interesting season so far and it's a pretty disappointing finish. carrot cake in a final round? Not much you can really do there. A routine "bun" (we'd call it a "Danish" perhaps. A lazy choice and taking out the instructions seems like a week way to make it difficult. The showstoppers were just ok.

The Chigs love just baffles me. He's a middle aged guy with strabismus and a large collection of eyeglasses--not hawt. Paul just seemed to be phoning it.

[quote]His necklace is from the london Eagle. He kisses it because it still tastes like Franco.

The Generalissimo?

I think Crystelle might have won if it hadn't been for the disaster of a foccacia. I always thought that Giuseppe had a strong shot simply because growing up around a chef probably meant he'd have a sense of how fix mistakes and what would happen in different circumstances. His showstopper was significantly more sophisticated than Chig's. Chig was being complimented on a sugar cookie with some jam stuck in it. Giuseppe came in last in the technical, but not by much--his only mistake was overbaking, but otherwise his buns looked better than everyone else's. Despite it being too warm, I think he actually won the carrot cake round.

Crystelle and her sisters Corelle and Chanelle need to become a country-western girl group.

Grumblings.

The article repeats itself over and over at R576. Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas do not translate well to American audiences, at least in their GBBO roles. Brits get their humour, Americans do not. I'm an American living in the UK, btw.

I get their humour just fine r577.

I'm an American living in America, btw.

I am sick of Paul Hollywood and his damn handshakes. His time has passed...there must be other UK bakers with personalities who can take his place. I think the show needs a host/s revamp. The bakers and format are fine - we just need some new judges.

R576 coming from a typical American who thinks everything is about them, GBBO is made for UK audience, if you don't like it, go watch your own FOOD NETWORK.

[quote]Please fucking fire Noel and Matt! So damn unfunny!!!!

What I love about Noel is that he is tender and supportive with the bakers moreso than Matt who is all about the bants. In that respect they offer a good balance.

I get the humor of Noel and Matt. They’re just not good on *this* particular show.

Noel and Matt are not perfect. But can anyone remember anything about the lesbian couple who used to do it? What are their names? Did they ever do anything funny? I honestly cannot remember a thing about them....which says something.

The lesbian couple was certainly not warm with the contestants--so Noel is a big improvement there.

r583 They were not a lesbian couple. Only Sue is a lesbian. (So is Sandi, but of course she was paired with Noel, who is also not a lesbian.)

I forgot there was a crossover. Those two women were so equally forgettable and equally cold that I assumed they had to be a pair.

It's unlikely that everyone in the UK likes Noel. Life and culture don't work that way. I'm sure there are plenty of Brits who detest Noel and Matt or at least recognize that they often seem to be on another show.

Are you certain Noel is not a lesbian?

I do miss Sue and Mel. There was a warmth there. Also they had a guy do the voiceoverers which made it a little different (instead of a presenter it was someone we didn't know, like a narrator). I liked Sandi much more than Noel. I tried to give Matt a chance and once in a while he's good, but they both seem to engaging in a race to see who can be the goofiest and most juvenile. But I wonder if that is due t them, or the producers, or both? Also, stop with the insults when sending out Paul and Prue during the technical. Just dismisss them without being cutesy, or worse, cringey.

Sue and Mel were great! And, had great warmth and chemistry with most of the contestants. The tent seemed fun and happy with them in it.

Now, it's just sad, pathetic Noel and poor Matt (who seems really miserable with this gig) trying so desperately to be "funny".

Sue and Mel were also the ones who laid down the law in the very beginning with the producers who were trying to make it more like "reality TV" with fake dramas and tears and nonsense and they apparently told the producers "we're not interested in doing that kind of show and won't" and the idiot producers backed down.

Prue, Paul, and Matt have all been on "An Extra Slice" this season, but not Noel.

[quote]Are you certain Noel is not a lesbian?

He's not, but he plays one on TV.

Either Noel or Matt paired with someone else could be great, but the combination of the two just does not work.

You guys can not watch, you know.

Or we can continue to watch and whine. Freedom!

I wouldn't be surprised if they announce new hosts very soon. I thought that Sandy and Noel were actually working very well. The current set of hosts is really not funny or accommodating. I wouldn't be surprised about Prue being replaced either. Not because she is a bad judge (I think she is doing quite well, actually), but she is not the youngest anymore and she may not see the need for yet another season.

Do the hosts always need to be funny? I mean is it a rule that they need to be comedians? If they have a great rapport with the contestants I can forego the funny. Just be a good host.

Btw: Still no news on a bf for Chigs? I don't get a gay vibe, but he does get me the aura of an eternal bachelor.

Seacrest! Seacrest!

Ellen’s not busy.

I continue to like Noel. (I spoke up for him previously in this thread, I think.) I do find him funny. I like his weird warmth and supportiveness, and I liked the spatula business. Notice that the only one who kissed it (Giuseppe) won? And he did it with such good comedic instinct. He telegraphed, as Noel approached with it, that he knew what was happening and had already made up his mind, "Hell YEAH, I'm going to kiss the goddam spatula for luck!"

It is dry humor and a bit panto. The Brits do love it.

They should get rid of Noel and have the other half of little Brittan.