Great British Bake Off Returns September 13

Crap, forgot the link.

When does it show up on Netflix?

I want Sandro in me quite deeply.

Starts on Netflix this Friday (9/16.) Apparently they delayed the UK airing because of Her Majesty's demise, but it looks like Netflix is still sticking to the original schedule.

It was not delayed and the common reaction was that it was a welcome distraction in a time of national grief.

Any of them as attractive as John Whaite, winner of Season Three?

Looks like top left is wearing a kilt.

This is perfectly timed for my COVID invalid phase. Canceling all my already-canceled plans.

God damn. Sandro! I like the pink haired cashier too.

I had to stop watching it because of Noel. The pic in r1's link seems to indicate he's had fillers, which are terrifying.

Matt lost a bunch of weight. Noel looked fine. A little more filled out, but he looked anorexic before

I was surprised by how much weight Matt lost. Good for him cause he was quite big.

I only watch it for Noel.

Is the dwarfy guy’s wife trans?

Sandro is handsome, but what virile young man works as a manny? Very curious career choice.

Janusz is a ray of sunshine...love his smile. I also like the Malaysian girl and the pink-haired cashier so far.

I want to see James wrestle Sandro to the floor and then rail his ass for an hour. I like it when things aren’t what they seem.

That long, tender bear hug between Janusz and Sandro… mmm

Now we’ll never find out if dwarfy guy’s wife is transwoman. There was only that brief, split second she was onscreen, making a sarcastic remark to what appeared to be their learning challenged son.

I don’t think there’s a TV show with a more unattractive cast.

I haven't seen GBBO since the big split from BBC (or was it ITV?)... Noel looks like Sandman - creepy. Nice to see Matt has a gig after Dr. Who. Don't care about the female host (because of my affection for Mary Berry) and Paul Hollywood? So over him (but with Mary he did shine).

Looks like the production company has ticked off all of the necessary boxes for 2022... woman in head scarf (check!), one, two, (possibly three?) brown-skinned bakers (check! - BONUS points for immigrant stories!!), homosexual (check!! at least I think so - 3rd from left, back row), quirky or "needs to be medicated" Granny (check!!! see pink-wigged female - center, back row).

I wonder if Mr. Back Row, 1st on left is Scots or if he's starting to transition - one can't be too sure, don't want to be judgmental... if it's a transition (ding! ding! ding! for SUPRE RELAVANCE).

BTW - I hope Paul travels in the off season to some far off and private location where he fucks all the time. He seems to be the kind of straight guy who needs a lot of pussy.

Still love Pru. I want to taste the boozy cakes!!!!

Kinda hate the youngest contestant though she seems nice. Really love Malaysian gal, grocery cashier, Sandro, and Janiusz (of course).

The nuclear scientist seems over it? Like he wants to go home?

Ugh, Rebs. Every year this show has to have a Rebs. She’s fine, whatever but we need more Sandros, fewer Rebs.

[quote] Don't care about the female host (because of my affection for Mary Berry) and Paul Hollywood?

I am NOT a host!

First "Extra Slice" of the new season/series.

The DL Anti-Woke Brigade has spoken - GBBO is too diverse and thereby CANCELLED effective immediately.

And spoiler alert from someone who actually watched the episode: the guy in the kilt is a Scot. In fact he and the other Scot know each other.

With each season of GBBO I realize I prefer Bake Off : The Professionals. I tire of Prue, Paul, Noel and Matt.

The only thing is GBBO have better looking male contestants like Sandro this season and Chigs last season.

Where do I present for Paul?

WHERE?

The other Scot does not seem to approve of Kilt Man, stopping just short of an eyeroll

The sadist in me hopes that a challenge involving ice cream was held during that epic 104° heat wave.

I put off watching The Great British Menu on Prime that features Pru as one of the judges. I just finished watching season one and it's actually pretty compelling. I'm happy that the new season of GBBO is starting soon.

R30, it’s already streaming on Netflix.

Just saw the second episode. Sorry to see the contestant go. The winner of the episode didn't make an impression at all imho (other than getting the handshake).

Noel: “Off you pop.”

Two handshakes already. Pace yourself, Paul.

Please tell me that Sandro has an OnlyFans or a sex tape.

I still can't believe Sandro is a full time nanny. I'll think he'll go far because he's good with flavors. Paul needs to chill with handshakes.

OK, here's the rub:

Abdul: YUM. James: what is his deal? kilts? tattoos? he lives in the middle of nowhere? SAD. Janusz: he got cocky REAL quick. top or bottom? Kevin: Yum, but also, so bitchy! and always on about church... Sandro: DOUBLE YUM

Carole: Fabulous. Dawn: Ugh. Maisam: mysterious. handsome. Maxy: those BAPS. milf, personified. Rebs: meh. Syabira: adorable, and the only one whose food I want to eat.

why must they put fruit in everything? as an American, I have NEVER eaten a cake with raspberry or passionfruit, yet in every freaking episode...

Rebs seems like a cunt. In the second episode, she basically snapped her fingers saying "need some help over here!" like the contestants are supposed to help her.

Love pink haired Carol. Sandro is like some role playing baker porn dream come true. Kevin seems like a total dork, but there is something sexy about him, like in a kinky way. James is sexy, too.

I think Syabira is the dark horse this season, but then I always think that about the contestant who uses foreign flavors from his or her original country.

If I was with Sandro I'd want it to be bred week every week

R38, Girl!!! I almost choked that bitch through the tv screen!! Who the fuck are you demanding people to help you finish your bake? I want her out next week and that is all!

R37, I had the same question about the fascination with rose and rosewater? It's almost always too much and ruins the flavor.

Flower flavors are a huge risk. So is using banana, one of Paul's favorite flavors, unless you really know what you're doing. He's dinged people for using artificial banana on more than one occasion. Also be careful with too much alcohol, which he hates.

r37, I grew up in Chicago in the mid 60's to mid 80's and as a child, my favorite cake was a chocolate raspberry cake. But my parents did tend to have European tastes.

r37 American baking is for fat fraus who subside on buttercream and hydrogenated oils. Fruit is delicious and good for you.

What's wrong with fruit in cakes? My favorite birthday cake from when I was a kid had an amazing pineapple filling...it was so good!!!

Strawberry shortcake? Pineapple upside downcake? Cakes with fruit are plenty popular in America r37. Fruit has always been a winning combination with desserts.

I’ve had sufficient of Rebs and her terrible lip liner contouring.

Using artificial flavoring on this show is the equivalent of using premade bread products on Top Chef - Paul will know and he will ding you for it!

[quote]I’ve had sufficient of Rebs and her terrible lip liner contouring.

Not to mention her weirdly off-putting eyebrows.

[quote]Using artificial flavoring on this show is the equivalent of using premade bread products on Top Chef - Paul will know and he will ding you for it!

I wonder if he can really tell or if he figures it out while wandering around and visiting with the bakers while they're preparing. Or if the production staff alerts him to the fact that someone ordered artificial flavorings.

Artificial banana flavoring tastes artificial- too sweet, too banana-y.

Paul is watching and looks at the ingredients on the benches...and they also do the walkthrough and ask about the bakes/ingredients. He can surely taste artificial flavouring...that's his job, innit?

Rebs wants to make you all jealous.

an irish gurl must do what she can r48.

"An Extra Slice" for week 2.

I have sufficient.

What kind of name is "Rebs"?

Rebecca, but edgy

There was not one mask in that show stopper that didn’t look like it was baked by a ten year old.

Is the scary host Noel a tranny?

[quote] Paul is watching and looks at the ingredients on the benches...

Like in the latest episode, where he saw lard on Carol's table and warned her that it would make her mask soft and most likely not stand upright (which was a requirement for the challenge), but Carol used it anyway and her mask broke just as Paul predicted.

They never listen to Paul when he gives them clues on how the bake may turn out...very few over the years change their recipe and listen to his advice.

r61, I think it's also too late for them to change things. I don't think they are allowed to switch ingredients, once the challenge started.

That Reddit thread is funny:

Question: “Are Rebs and Sandro dating???”

The Entire World Responds: “HE’S GAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!”

Usual order of exit: the disaster, and then the pretty but useless one my one (Rebs, the pale Scot. Etc…).

Reba only on because: she pretty white woman/entitled Karen demanding help from well, the help / homos / older people.

Just cos she looks like that whore off Bridgerton Season One. And Sort out your lip line !!!!

Rebs is Irish, nor Scots

For some reason they showed Will raise his hand and I thought, he has the hands of a child! At first I thought he was a little person but after a while it just seemed he was a little bit shorter maybe than average. But his hands made me think of Kristen Wiig’s Dooneese character from SNL with the baby doll hands.

[quote] Is the scary host Noel a tranny?

Leave sexy Noel alone!

he keeps the cornish oversize wool sweater industry in business.

Well, I certainly don't intend to.

I'd fuck Noel too.

where is gaybaker's of and dirty twitter?

Noel has been a femmy guy for ages. He mocks himself in, "The Mighty Boosh" (1998-2009)-the running joke is that people mistake him for a woman.

I like the show i don’t like the hosts though. I call them the granny and the tranny.

A British friend told me "Noel Fielding is like that creepy uncle who thinks he's cool because he's in an Oasis cover band, and spends half of Christmas vaping behind the house."

This show would be infinitely better with a sexy host for eyecandy. Fat daddy blue eyes is not enough.

Junior Bake Off on Netflix is surprisingly enjoyable and the kids are very endearing - a couple of them get more precocious as the season progresses, but I really enjoyed it. Of course, Netflix USA only has one season - Season 7 from 2020.

I am binge-watching all 3 episodes, that 3D biscuit mask showstopper was impressive, almost all of them did an excellent job on the design, except the kindergarten mosaic from Janusz, I don't see the merit of being clever from Paul.

Smörgåstårta? Yum! Leave it to Great British Bake Off for introducing me to delicious things I've never heard of before.

There should be some sort of delivery service (Amazon?) where you can order the creations baked on the show for the ones too lazy to bake them at home.

I so want to try those delicious dishes from sweet Syabira.

I’ve been hanging for a Kouign-amann since a few seasons back.

"An Extra Slice" for Week 3. Make sure to catch Paul admitting that he used to wear a caftan!

I have become obsessed with Tom Allen

[quote]I have become obsessed with Tom Allen

I thought I was the only one.

Rebs needed a little bit of “Me Time” away from the tent. Hmm. I wonder if one of the male contestants could get away with that .

Abdul was also missing this week.

It's quite possible that both Rebs and Abdul tested positive for Covid.

So we know for sure that Sandro and Janusz are gay ... but what about Abdul and James?

James? Looks and sounds like a Poofter.

I don't remember leaving the room, but how do we know Sandro is gay? Not doubting the poster above, just not remembering. (Janusz, I remember.)

It’s pretty obvious the bakers get instructed to try certain things. James told .Paul “I like strong bread, so I’m using 14% spelt bread.” Paul expressed suprust (surprise/digust) and leaves. James then says, “Is 14% too much spelt? I have no idea.”

And it really seems like he has no idea what 14% spelt flour tastes like. Like they told him, “We want yiu to do 14% spelt flour. It’s strong.”

[quote]It was pretty tough coming out as gay in East London, but Sandro wasn’t put off. The community champion, Youtuber, and celebrity cake maker is determined to widen his impact and raise awareness of talent within the BAME LGBT+ community.

Also, you know, able to use my eyes.

Possibly r92, but I can't link to your eyes.

Sandro reminds me of some other contestants from the past, they started very strong and did consistently well throughout but rarely did those people win the final trophy, I think the issue with them is they are already excellent bakers, they know how to bake but they are less likely to take risk, they maintain a high standard but their bakes lack the "surprise" factor, some less experienced bakers learned and progressed in the tent, and they are not afraid to try new things, the judges like that, they will favor the bakers who grow in the tent, not those excellent but "stagnant" bakers.

[quote]those excellent but "stagnant" bakers

I'll have you know I smell very, very fresh r94.

R95 you are more than welcome to present the proof 🤗

That older lady with the short hair who got the handshake but always says “I have no idea what I’m doing” will probably win

All of those German sandwiches sounded like they would taste nasty - Brits enjoy some weird flavour combinations

Swedish.

Sandro. I want him inside me quite deeply

R99 He’s a buttercookie face though. One of the reasons this season sucks is no eye candy like Peter or Henry.

It’s obvious they cast this show with a checklist. Straight bloke with little experience, fat lass that has no finesse, young attractive POC lass that talks a lot, old dear lady that will cry a lot , young baker that will get cut early for not having experience, etc It’s one of the reasons the show is getting repetitive and the ugly hosts have passed their expiration date, they just annoy me.

R88 Is he the one with the hideous racoon tattoo? He for sure has the look and voice of a poofty bottom.

R102 - in his introduction clip on the first episode, James is seen in his home preparing for a costume party with another man (in a drag) by his side, and they seem, well, quite chummy.

I just realized James instagram is the big gay baker. Where is he “big”though ? He looks kind of hot in this photo.

Big as in tall:

Henry, I swear.

[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.]

So now we have James, Sandro, and Janusz. Still no verdict on Abdul?

So there is a Great British Bake Off but I remember watching a show called the Great British Baking Show where they had different contestants and hosts. Anyone remember this?

r109 It's the same show. They're not allowed to use the name "Bake-Off" in the US (since it belongs to Pillsbury), so all of the episodes shown in the US use "Baking Show." The original hosts were Sue and Mel, and Mary Berry and Paul were the judges. When they switched from the BBC to Channel 4 (in the UK), only Paul stayed on. First Sandy and Noel were the hosts, and Prue took Mary's place. Now Matt has replaced Sandy.

[quote]The original hosts were Sue and Mel

And I miss them, they did a better job than Noel and Matt.

I think Noel and Matt do just fine.

I wasnt watching the show when it was airing with Sue and Mel on it but having watched those seasons since I dont get the overwhelming love for them on here. They are fine but I enjoy the current hosts just as much.

Noel and Matt are good at bringing the cringe. They are each funny about once a season. Two unattractive unfunny hosts clowning around every episode is too much.

R113 When they hosted the show had a more documentary style, and they gave us the history of cakes, bread etc, which was nice. Also Paul was a very hot daddy bear back then.

I love Matt Lucas.

The ones who haven't seen the first season miss out on the greatest full frontal nudity ever.

Is unavailable nudity actually real nudity?

Here we go again, Sue, Mel and Marry Berry, they have moved on 7 years ago, so should you!

The first few seasons of the show were about the national pride of Great Britain's cooking and baking (which was severely mocked and dismissed by bringing up Fish 'N Chips and Haggis in the past) providing all those segments where the female hosts visit places and people of interest regarding GB's vast history in baking and cooking. At least, it changed my perception of England being more than just Fish 'n Chips, English Breakfast, and Haggis.

R104 how many gays did they have this year? 3 known ones?

This recent talk made me want to watch the first two seasons which are on the Roku Channel app. The first season season was like a documentary of a baking competition but the second season is basically the current format. I really hope they bring back the history segments of what the contestants are baking during technicals with the “food historians” some of them were really interesting. Rob from season 2 was hot as hell!! More like him please.

It's Mexican Week and double elimination!!!

R100 but there were two season 5 shows.

What male contestant on GBBO has been straight?

This season’s cast is kind of stupid. Chile pepper in a tres leches cakes? What the fuck. Tres leches is already Mexican you don’t need to make it as Mexican as possible.

I very much doubt the average Brit has ever eaten any remotely authentic Mexican food. If they are going to have ethnic themed weeks, it's better to stick with cuisines that aren't completely alien to them.

Lol, how many Mexicans live in England? The Mexican food in England and the rest of Europe is paltry compared to America, particularly compared to places like Texas and California. This episode was always going to be cringe to an American audience.

r126, it's like the ill-fated Japanese themed episode.

The Japanese themed week was insulting. Buns (which are Chinese), no Japanese ingredients, absolutely nothing Japanese on the show. Paul went to Japan and tasted the food, but the producers did no research.

Yeah, Noel and Matt's bit wondering if Mexico is a real country or imaginary like Narnia was cringeworthy from an American perspective since it's so often regarded as a barely legitimate country by so many here. It did make me wonder about the average British attitude toward Mexico.

R125 the two off the top of my head are Richard the builder from season 5 (balding, dimples, always had a pencil behind his ear) and Paul the prison guard who made the epic Bread Lion a few seasons after.

I remember them because I thought they were both kind of cute in an average-guy way.

Sealsi was probably straight as well. He was so relaxed and cute on the show. And those two young guys- Liam and Jamie- straight.

extra slice is insulting as well

rebs and james were eliminated

James Morton is straight.

lol, that's because we are familiar with Mexico and Mexican food so we know how awful this episode was, with this in mind, we should not be surprised when GBBO features the bakery week from regions/countries outside of the UK, those bakings and challenges for Germany or Greek etc are superficial at best, and very likely they got it wrong and it came out insulting to the regions/countries they try to showcase to its tv audience.

R130 They may have originated in China but steamed buns are a huge part of Japanese cuisine. What surprised me was that none of them tried to make mochi or used Melon flavors. The Japanese are obsessed with melon.

What were tacos doing on a baking show?

The problems with the Mexico episode were. 1. They should have made the contestants “bake” tamales instead of Tacos. 2. They should have banned the use of chili pepper in any dessert. Mexicans love hot spicy food but not in their fucking desserts. 3. The hosts get more annoying each episode.

Fun fact: "frijoles refritos" does NOT mean "refried beans." The prefix "re-" in Spanish implies "more," or "extra" -- not "again" as in English.

So is the jury still out on Abdul, orientation-wise? I think he's very cute.

they made those fancy looking pan dulce with elaborate ingredients, a staple food came out overcomplicated , I have no appetite to taste any of them, how about some simple ones like puerquitos?

The technical was an odd choice r137. Tacos are a cooking challenge not a baking challenges, it doesn't feel like Bake Off watching them argue over how well people cooked their steak. I would have guessed it would be flan.

I turned to my other half about ten minutes in and said, this is my last season. It never changes and the two hosts are worse than ever, if that's possible.

I live in southern California where pan dulce is everywhere, and I've never seen anything as elaborate as some of the stuff they made on this show. Maybe they have them at upscale Mexican bakeries, but definitely not in most stores.

A friend I grew up with in California movied to England and every time she visited California she made a beeline for Mexican restaurants.

She said there was one Mexican restaurant in the city she lived in and it made Taco Bell look like fine Mexican dining.

This was about 20 years ago, but I doubt "Brexit" Britain has improved the overall quality of its Mexican cuisine.

r142 lol it's a cooking competition too, how many times have we watched game pies, shepherd's pies, savory pies...

Pies you still have to bake, the contestants didn't even turn on their oven for this technical r146. And given it is a technical so they couldn't pick what they wanted to do or practice, it's just testing how well they know how to season and cook a piece of beef.

Besides the ludicrous notion of having them make pico de gallo and all — tortillas, which were the real challenge, are not baked! This is a baking show.

If they had to make savory traditional Mexican food, why not enchiladas with homemade tortillas, and Paul and Prue grading them on how well they were rolled, if they weren't split, etc?

I still like it

But, some of the antics are getting stale. The Paul Hollywood handshake is a little ridiculous

it's a mindless cooking show, not shakespeare.

pablium.

"pablium."

Is that the British way of saying pablum? Like aluminium and wanking?

Don't pretend you don't know why those last two go together, you filthy, disgusting, devil Britons!

it's 4am

Longtime California resident (not a native) here. That episode... was awful in its cringey wrongness. That said, if you asked me to bake, say, Afghani or Indonesian dishes I would be just as clueless.

Man, "tack-os" hits the ear hard. This from a people who say 'dahnse' instead of 'dance' (to rhyme with 'pants'). Take the 'a' from 'dahnse' and move it to 'taco'! Also: tacos should not be the size of your head, gracias.

Sorry to see James go, although I won't miss his nervous, gurgling laugh at the end of nearly statement out of his mouth. And how much earlier does Sandro have to get up in the morning to do all that razoring, shaping and general head grooming? V. handsome man, but that's gotta be exhausting.

He may very well have help r153.

Rebs may be the most annoying Baking Show contestant of all time.

I don't like Rebs, but she didn't annoy me as much as Ruby Tandoh. Glad she's gone though.

Sometimes, one wonders how certain contestants made it to the show.

r155 Her eyebrows were the most annoying thing about her.

No one has been more annoying than Rahul and how Pru was up his ass the whole series.

Native Californian--and the Mexican episode was hilariously awful. Think they should have skipped the tacos--since no one, including the judges, seems to actually know how to make them or what they should be like and gone for one of the many wonderful cookies, though corn is the basic grain, so I suppose they wanted to work with that, but tacos are more a matter of know-how than anything, they're not hard, per se.

The dragonfruit one was strange--I've never seen a dragonfruit in Mexican food.

Funny thing about Mexican flavors is that both chocolate and vanilla are native to Mexico and most of the Mexican desserts I've had are pretty mild in flavor. I have had chocolate and chile together--but mostly in mole and the chile is more of a background flavor. There were a lot of missed opportunities--horchata, tamarindo, watermelon, pineapple, mango, papaya--pretty much everything, but dragonfruit . . .

After this week’s and last week’s episodes - this show is on its last legs.

Prue Leith drowned kittens as a child.

I don't care what explanation she gives and I loathe cats.

She. Killed. Kittens.

I'll never watch again.

You have to admit it would make for an interesting technical challenge r162.

Drowning extra kittens used to be pretty standard practice. Times have changed and animals are treated differently. Remember, this was before cats were fixed as a matter of course. A yearly batch of kittens is a lot of kittens.

Rewatching series 6. Paul is still the hottest daddy to be on this show. I couldn’t tell if he was family or not , any idea?

R165 Paul, and his bread lion, made me cum.

R166 I’d let Paul glaze my buns anytime.

Prue's mother made her do it as a child of 11. She's a victim, too.

Janusz's accent is annoying. I never say that about accented English, but his nasal twisting of vowels is too much to be borne in the long run. I'm glad Maisam is gone, too, because of her voice. Plaintive droning =/= appealing.

I don't think Carole deserved to stay over Rebs. They both should have gone. I liked Carole, but she hasn't risen to many challenges so far.

I agree totally that the taco challenge was irrelevant to a baking show and should not have been asked of them.

Let the kitten people and the taco people be mad. There’s always Young Sheldon or Dancing With Stars for them to enjoy.

Carole just had a bad week, she’ll be back.

If you watch What We Do In The Shadows, Janusz sounds JUST like Nadja.

It's funny, I've been around Polish people and they do tend to be nasal, but I've never noticed an accent quite like that. It does remind me of a certain type of voice I hear on spam phone calls sometimes. I wonder if he's from somewhere in the southwest of Poland, nearer the Balkans, which is where I always imagine those spam people come from.

Anyway, he seems like a good guy despite those vowels.

Why didn't they do Mexican Wedding Cookies? I friggin' love those.

R172 they don't bake for your fat ass snack purse!

oops. the Mexican week was panned by the viewers at home!

Well, last night's episode (Dessert week) was great and made up for Mexico week...And a fantastic win for star baker this week!!!

Pretty obvious who will make the finals unless one of them falters.

I'm thinking Maxy, Sandro, and New Jurgen (Janusz), with maybe Dawn instead of Sandro. What about you, R176?

R177 Same Dawn or Syabira have the best chance of breaking up that final 3. But they both have so far made a lot more mistakes than those 3.

And I think the winner is Maxy or Janusz. I'm rooting for Maxy. I know it shouldn't matter but it's been years since a woman has won.

I actually forgot about Syabira, R177. She could be up there, too. There's something very quietly confident and consistent about the way she works, and I think she has a lot of good cards up her sleeves. However, I could see her or Dishy Sandro having a bad week and getting eliminated.

Maxy is just so bland. She seems nice and inoffensive, but I just can't connect with her. Syabira, Carol (with her pink hair), or Dawn (with her missing tooth on the side) on the other hand, they seem to have personalities which come through during the episodes.

Sandro with that world globe showstopper is quite the daredevil.

I appreciate the show for showing what amateur bakers can do when they are being pushed to the limit. I mean, I have trouble following the recipe on a cheesecake cake-mix box (what you mean I have to add cream cheese, sour cream and eggs? Where the fuck are they in this box???? I have to buy them separately? I have to go back to the supermarket?*cue Homer Simpson groan*).

I want to look up James kilt to see if he's wearing it in correct fashion.

It’s usually a cute show.

Paul: " You remind me of my mum."

Dawn: " I'm only a few years older than you."

Burn.

r184, I have no idea why he thought that comment would go over well...but her response was funny. Maybe her personality reminds him of his mum, but he should've been much clearer...

lol, Janusz made a rainbow cake inside an already "flamboyant" cake, I actually think his showstopper looks amazing, it's professionally done! But I guess Sandro's multilayered globe is technically challenging and he nailed it, and his cake tastes fantastic, it's more impressive to the judges.

R184 Is it though? He’s a hot but bloated daddy and she’s a frumpy grandma.

I want to take a sharpie marker and fill in Sandro’s bald patches.

Just as long as it is a big, fat sharpie, r188.

Sandro was looking extra hot and sexy this week. I wanted him for dessert...

I've been watching the show too long; I have to look away every time they cut to Paul expounding on something. His hand gestures are showy and yet nonsensical, bearing little relation to what he's saying. Granted, I've never liked him, so it was bound to coalesce into some petty annoyance or other.

I agree that the person who was sent home was the right choice, as was the Star Baker.

Sandro is feeling himself. That’s nice to see.

[quote]Sandro is feeling himself.

Many, many, many of us would be glad to assist.

So is Janusz.

I loved that Dawn called Paul out on that 184. He is trying to treat her as a older woman and she is like bitch you are no spring chicken we are contemporaries.

What is a 184? Some metric bullshit?

A metric? Oh dear, no. I was referring to r184 but I forgot to put the R.

Alright r197.

BUT DON'T YOU EVER FUCKING LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN!

Sandro has a drill and goggles...I can't!!! He looks amazing!!!

And the eyeliner...

I want him quite deeply.

R199 He’s a soggy bottom (just like you) sorry.

Meant to reply to saggy bottom @ r201

dawn is gone!

C'mon r204...you didn't need to reveal that info...most of the viewers in this thread are in N. America and didn't watch live last night. I saw the show, but posted a pix ☝️of Sandro looking hot.

As well you should r205.

Is Sandro gay?

S’mores? Really? Are these the sad last days of the show?

Watch Paul refer to the graham cracker as the s’more and the rest as the filling.

Digestive biscuits r209.

I want asian girl gone only because I don’t wanna see her bad skin anymore.

Yeah, those whiteheads on her upper lip at the end of the episode did not inspire me to eat her lantern.

This show is losing its steam.

The latest season is lackluster

The s'mores challenge was ridiculous. Paul looked stupid pronouncing on what the marshmallows should be like, because he was totally wrong.

What he was asking for was basically a Mallomar; the point of marshmallows in real s'mores is that they are melty and gooey, not two-inch high round sitting straight up like soldiers. And ganache? LOL. He really needs to stop making laws about things he doesn't actually know about.

[quote]Is Sandro gay?

Is the Pope Argentinian?

Abdul looked cute in his orange astronaut jump suit. Still no word on his orientation?

R216 He seems gay to me.

He could have at least had the decency to call his dish “inspired by” s’mores. S’mores use Graham crackers which apparently aren’t a thing in the UK. And they use Hershey bars. And yes, the marshmallow is roasted until it’s goo and then spread or smushed between the cracker and the candy. Ganache? Oh, please.

This season does suck it feels like 7-8 of last season’s bakers could easily win this one. I miss Chigs too.

It doesn't have to be a Hershey bar, but it does have to be a chocolate bar. And the marshmallow should be toasted and melting inside. The chocolate marshmallow ratio was completely off. It was all bizarre.

Plus modern American marshmallows aren't usually made with egg whites. GBBO went off the rails.

Well, in my s’more career, brief though it was, it HAD to be Hershey.

dawn was a bit saucy about her exit on extra slice.

R222 The bitch should have kept her mouth shut about Paul’s age.

Crickets? I’m not going to eat them. You eat them.

Same here, R221. It had to be Hershey and the marshmallows had to have some black on the outside and be hot enough inside to serve as oozing napalm on the lips of the impatient.

Love Janusz taking a piss out of Noel, dressing like him for the Halloween episode.

“Sad life!” Abdul says really funny things.

In the Battle for Best Gay Baker, will it be San or Jan? I’d guess Jan but San is doing really well still.

Sandro’s globe cake looked messy and the centers weren’t well defined. That’s a surprise win.

No Maxy love?

Maxy will win.

What do s,mores have to doo with Halloween?

Maxy has been steadily impressive. I think Syabira has a good chance, too, if she takes the chances she's known for and pulls all them off, but Maxy really seems to have "winner" written all over her. She's got the temperament, talent, and good judgment for it. Sandro is also up there. I think Jan could flame out (no pun intended) in the semis.

Maxie is good, but boring. Syabira has more charisma and she is more of a risk taker. I hope she wins.

Maxy's apple cake looked and apparently tasted delicious. She didn't overcomplicate the assignment, nor did she turn in anything boring. She's very talented.

Why is anyone in a tizzy about the show not using authentic ingredients or recipes? It's a British interpretation of the dishes, which means: inauthentic and inferior. Their ethnic challenges should tip you off.

I can't find any recipes from this season's bakers. Usually a few of them are online shortly after the episode.

They are saving it all for their “baking books” , do people even buy them?

Next up: Thanksgiving Week!

Since there is no Thanksgiving in Britain, speculate how, because Paul Hollywood has visited the US, the show is going to pervert and American Thanksgiving. Perhaps pumpkin pie made with rosewater? Passion fruit pie? Blood pudding stuffing?

I'm starting to suspect that Paul Hollywood vacations on the show's dime and calls it research (and does anything but proper research on these trips). See that Mexico disaster.

They need new hosts. Paul and Pru are tired and boring and look like their phoning it in

Don’t get me started on that dumb Paul handshake

Oh please r241. Please get started on that dumb Paul handshake.

R238 was joking, dear R239. Custard is next.

Is Pru a transvestite?

It would seem not, though I don't see anything about her that would prompt that question.

[quote] the Bake Off judge was also a secret mistress for 13 years to the husband of her mother’s best friend, Rayne Kruger.

[quote]Prue and Rayne eventually tied the knot in 1974 and were together until his death in 2002, the couple have two children together.

It’s 2022, they need to update the show, replace the “Paul Handshake” with the “Paul Dryhump”

Could it be a wet hump?

My partner's a Brit. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving. We wait for Christmas and he always has to order Marks and Sparks' Christmas puddings and Christmas cakes.

(Brits don’t celebrate Thanksgiving which is why “Thanksgiving Week” is a joke)

Ha, I was working in London during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2015, and the company gave the whole crew a Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant in Covent Garden. It was terrible. But by the gods, the best Indian food that I've had is in London.

For Thanksgiving, that's the wrong kind of Indian food.

I hope they do a Thanksgiving episode. The holiday is so easy. I loathe Christmas and empty gift giving gestures.

It's custard week and it seems like the bakers are using the oven less and less as the weeks go by. I thought this was a baking show. Anyway, a good duel for starbaker this week...as usual the judges play favourites with whom they send home this week.

Yes, I am a fan of the one who was saved, but it was very unfair.

Every time I hear Janusz, I am reminded of Schwoz.

Anyone in the US who wants to watch it on Wednesday instead of waiting til Friday can watch it here:

Yeah a certain someone should have been eliminated this week. Its food so if one tastes amazing and the other tastes bad that should count more than looks.

I get more turned on by Sandro each week. I could put his entire eclair in my mouth and swallow the cream that pours out.

Well, R 258, in the words of Pru: " The longer you have it in your mouth, the nicer it is."

I am surprised no one has mentioned, it's the custard week, and there was one baker who basically had very little to none custard in the showstopper, that baker should be in the bottom two and I think most people would have no problem for that baker to be sent home for lacking of the custard in the cake, it's required here!

The judging for has been so haphazard for the past few years ...once they lock in their favorites it's hard to get rid of them even with a bad bake or bakes...Rahul is the poster boy for overlooked disasters.

Janusz had a good run so far, he got good critiques for his first two dishes, only the third one was a misfire regarding taste.

I am surprised how Abdul has managed to stay in the competition so far. His dishes don't seem to stand out as much as the others. I guess he will be next to be eliminated for a minor issue.

I think Abdul is cute but....he needs to go.

And, he can't go to finals since he missed a whole week!

He's also been strictly middle of the pack since Week One. He's never really sucked but he's never really managed to shine either.

I love Kevin's accent ("Aye!") and the idea of adding herbals to custard is interesting.

That custard really must have been something. Prue said she was going to remember it forever. Spoiler (though the show has been on Netflix for two days now): He should have been spared! You-Know-Whosz has had more misses than hits overall, and for a Showstopper cake that sounded really bad, he's running out of excuses. I predicted he would flame out in the semis, but I think it's going to be in the quarter-final. I liked the little wink he shared with Sandro, though.

When Sandro hissed at Janusz and Janusz hissed back — love it!

That poached custard floating in custard… who on earth would want to eat that?? Let’s get back to baking, please.

Agree r266

Plus, the fucking ice cream challenge. Ugh.

Didn't they do ile flottante before in one of the earlier seasons when Mary Berry was there? I distinctly remember watching it be made somewhere but it was all in one big dish instead of individual servings.

Also, why aren't they docking Janusz for doing the drip technique EVERY time he makes a cake? He has literally done it four times so far. He does it well, but, come on, it's repetitive. He should have been the one to go this time.

Agree with all y'all last three posters. I know they've made ice cream before on the show, but hardly anything about this episode had anything to do with baking. And ile flottante sounds like pablum. I love creamy desserts, but white fluff floating in white liquid must be insipid.

I thought for sure they were going to tell J to lay off the dripping. I don't even think it looks good; it's too studied and unnatural.

I remember Mary's because they looked like exceptionally smooth, glistening, healthy human kidneys all lined up on a rectangular plate.

If kidneys were bright white, that is.

I wanted to kick someone when the hosts referred to ice cream cones as their “bakes.”

Found them.

One thing I'm glad for in this current nonbaking phase of GBBO is that no one says "I'm going in" when putting things in the oven or using the phrase "bake it off."

[quote]When Sandro hissed at Janusz and Janusz hissed back — love it!

They seem rather young to be eldergays.

Hissing has no age restriction.

When a gay hisses at you, the only proper response for a gay is to hiss right back

I want to be friends with them

maxi is gone!

And fuck you, too, for spoiling it.

Do you get pleasure doing this, R277? Do you tell little kids there is no Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or tooth fairy?

What a jerk!

This was a terrible quarter final...at this stage of the competition the bakers should be getting better, but they're not with the exception of Syabira. Just really bad bakes. Patisserie week is next week let's hope they can get their shit together.

Let's not.

Uh oh

I want Sandro and Janusz in me, quite deeply.

I want a collective of gays to be a Hiss of Gays.

R283 The red faced little porker, really? The only thing he tops is pizza.

This cast sucks. Usually I am really into it by this point and have a clear favorite but this season , who cares they all suck.

The editors were complete Dataloungers to asian girl this week.” It has too many bubbles” then a close up of her face.

The problem is that the showrunners are desperate to keep the show new and fresh by introducing these new things that feel out of place.

Sure, if the show would remain the same format just with different contestants, the complains would be that it's boring, but what makes the show so pleasant is that it's feel-good comfort entertainment. As the article in r282 points out, the contestants are still the best, pleasant and appealing. They make the show, not the gimmicky challenges. It's the desperate stunts that ruin the episodes.

Janusz, planning is bakes: "I need 24 tops and 12 bottoms."

Tom Allen, on "An Extra Slice" (paraphrasing): "It sounds like Janusz was packing for a trip ... or maybe he was planning my birthday party."

Sandro is clearly auditioning for something--or someone--by wearing those leather trousers. Good on Noel for giving them a shout out, ensuring them some air time.

And how HOMOPHOBIC of the camerawoman to swoop in on Sandro's calf and not his ass to show us the trousers! Who does she think is watching this show, straight men????

If I was a billionaire, I'd snap up Sandro to be my on-call 24/7 Baking Man. Yes, he'd have to get naked but nothing too humiliating beyond that, I promise.

In his speech today, Obama gave a shout-out to the Great British Bake Off, telling people to get their relatives to the polls and interrupt them watching the Bake Off or football games.

They need to switch things up next season, group challenges for really big impressive bakes, an all stars season or battle of the seasons with groups competing made of members of same season.

r291 If he actually called it "Bake Off," he'll be getting a stern warning from Pillsbury's attorneys.

Sandro's a bit full of himself for my taste.

I'm surprised the DL Anti-Tattoo League hasn't weighed in on him.

This cast looked stronger and more skilled a few weeks ago. Still, I always enjoy watching.

The jokes about Paul Hollywood land flat, though. Noel’s in particular, seem odd and awkward, “cringey”. But I think Matt and Noel have a hard time thinking of things to do and say. It’s interesting when the bakers tune them out.

I was sad and a little surprised the see Maxi go, but I think Sandro’s technical saved him. Yet only narrowly. Pru seemed to hold his face and say “You’re a verrry lucky boy”. She was right.

I do like the cast, and I do almost every season. It must be a real bitch to choose these contestants. They really must screen for temperament and empathy. No one has every been sharp or dismissive of the others, at least as I can recall. Paul seems a little grudging in his praise for Januz at times.

Abdul is performing well, and he is also an amiable presence on the cast.

praise allah!

I really liked Maxy, and her bakes were more traditional than those of the others, but executed perfectly. Until this week. A shame.

Janusz is an incredibly nice and fun guy, but he never takes any risks in his baking. Sandro on the other hand takes risks, and usually they pay off. The whole thing with Abdul flying under the radar makes me think that he will be in the final three after all with Syabira and Sandro. I wouldn't say he sort of playing the long game, but it really baffles me how he is still in the competition without ever having won star baker.

I was just thinking of topics/ingredients they haven't featured yet, and I thought 'honey'. Have they ever had Honey Week?

Roku has the first seven seasons of GBBO streaming free, if anyone wants to remind themselves of why this show became a phenomenon. The first season is prototypal, with many elements in place, but still looking for its personality.

Thank goodness, this season of 'The Canadian Bake Off' hasn't taken a nosedive like the British version...the judges are great and the bakers are really creative!!! I am enjoying this season immensely!!!

A few seasons ago a baker won without winning star baker once. I think he was gay as well.

[quote] The tenth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 27 August 2019. On 29 October 2019, David Atherton was announced as the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2019, becoming the first winner never to have won Star Baker during the competition.

And indeed he was (and seemingly still is) gay, R303.

I’m relatively new to GBBO- do they ever tell us (the audience) what experience, if any, the contestants have with formal training? “Jenny is a barrister who loves dogs.” Ok, but did she also spend 7 years in culinary school learning how to do all of this? Just curious.

R303, David won series 10, because the front runner Steph who had won Star Baker at least 3 times fell apart during the final. It was shocking how bad she choked.

r305, it's my understanding that they are all amateur bakers.

Sandro had a registered business called Sandro's Cakery until 2017. He changed his social media from that name to SandroBakes prior to Bake Off.

The show's response was to say that he's eligible because baking isn't his livelihood (present tense) without ever addressing what he did in the past.

[quote]Sandro had a registered business called Sandro's Cakery until 2017.

Maybe they were a different kind of "cakes" he was selling.

Brits, do NOT spoil the episode for us in the US this week.

Wouldn't it be considered cheating if Sandro had a baking business?

stay off the thread.

R311, it seems that way to me, unless they’ve made a change the rules and they’re only excluding people whose main taxable income at the time of the show is derived from commercial baking.

I guess that would explain his desperation for a handshake. He must have been furious that he was left out while the amateurs were getting them.

Where are they now?

fatty pollack is ghanoush!

and they baked spaghetti.

R315, You didn't need to spoil the semifinals!! I'm still surprised at who got through...

Hate spoilers? Then stay off threads about competion shows.

Solved that problem for ya!

Or better yet, place the POS who spoil it on "ignore".

R317, I watched it live, so I'm not talking about myself.

Was Anoush part gypsy or something? His bakes must be terrible tasting because they looked great and they just seemed to hate him.

Seriously?

Now that Abdul's in the finals, we simply MUST know more about his personal life!

I guess Shybira has to win? She’s been so consistent with her crazy flavors.

She does seem like the front runner.

Is it just me or is she going to have a nervous breakdown if she doesn't win? She seems to have very thin skin. She gets a quivering lip and tears up at the first hint of them not loving her bakes.

I'm sorta over her.

I want to be spit-roasted by Abdul and Tamal.

That double helix showstopper was impressive.

What finale favorites will be a part of the challenge? How about fondant fancies?

We haven't had enough marzipan.

Why no posts about the finale? Odd. Although it was underwhelming and ended with the person I figured would win from about week two or three forward.

Yea,I wasn’t surprised at the winner either

A very lackluster season all in all

The winner was not a surprise.

I wish they'd get back to emphasizing precision instead of "stunt bakes."

And for God's sake, sack Noel and Matt. Or at least Noel. The half of the episode without him was a relief.

Only a finale with Sandro popping out of a cake in the altogether could have saved this season.

This was a very underwhelming season, both the contestants and the cakes. Except for Sandro. Nothing wowed me.

My favorite part of the season was the three second clip of Juergen at the end. I loved Jurgen and Giuseppe and Chibs.

They didn’t mention that Sandro dropped the third level of his sculpture.

I've been touting the Canadian Bake Off in this thread...it is head and shoulders above the British Bake Off. This year's group are so talented!!!! At this stage it could be anyone who can win on Sunday night...at least I can watch a satisfying final on Sunday.

Yeah - very underwhelming finale - nobody really knocked it out of the park.

I do think that Sandro’s lemon & plum jam cake sounded like it would taste the best.

Syabara’s black pepper & tarragon cake sounds awful -

Sandro couldn’t hold it together at the end there. Sorry but not sexy.

It was a VERY lackluster finale...they all sucked!

I liked all three of them but they didn't bring the drama and they didn't really show much talent. Even Syabira admitted she hadn't practiced her bake.

It was a very likeable season though...the only person I couldn't stand they got rid of early.

I think the producers are flailing...too many gimmicks this season.

And, I agree with R333...it was a relief to have a Noel break! And, Matt was much funnier and looser without Noel being around!

This show needs a change up.

1) for next season get two new hosts. They aren't a good fit with each other and I'm frankly sick of Noel. And, this is not the best showcase of Matt's talents.

2) the producers need to start thinking about new judges. Paul seems bored and has been phoning it in for several seasons now...he needs to go. And Prue is just a boring corporate food person with loud taste in jewelry.

On to the new holiday season!

The showstoppers were all strangely messy looking. The judges had to base their decision on the bakers’ earlier performances because it looked like this episode’s challenges were inconclusive.

I did enjoy the contestants, though, and Pru is a very nice judge who is honest and kind. She’s really good.

The hosts have a tough job, and almost get in the way at times. It’s funny when the bakers gently shoo them away.

It’s a very good show, though. I will watch another season.

It was a weird season--random challenges, like tacos, and bakers who wouldn't have made it past the quarter finals in earlier seasons. . All the final bakes were sloppy looking, they didn't even have the tidy look of winners like Nancy, let alone some of the more elegant, skilled bakers.

R340

You mean his tears? If a guy cries, he can not be sexy? That would be sad. (Not him...you.)

Or do you really mean he was no longer sexy because he screwed up his final bakes?

The contestants were expected to produce perfection in a very short period of time--in a windy tent with freaky pale Brits breathing in their ears. I think that the show needs to choose whether they want to stress out the contestants with incredibly difficult tasks or if they want beautiful results but clearly based on this season, they can't have both. According to the posters in this thread, the audience wants perfect results so it's back to the basics if they want to keep the ratings up.

I think they’ve just run out of extremely talented amateur bakers in Britain. It’s not that big a country.

All-star season next with Henry!

[quote]I think they’ve just run out of extremely talented amateur bakers in Britain. It’s not that big a country.

67 million is a pretty decent sized pool of people. There will always be new bakers inspired by watching the show as well. I have a feeling they are casting more for personality and diversity than talent as time goes on...would like to see the pendulum swing back a bit.

The producers have been getting in the way of the show by introducing ridiculous challenges and circumstances. First of all, do away with all of these "foreign" challenges. It's obvious that neither the producers nor the hosts know anything outside Europe and just embarrass themselves ( Pru not knowing that peanut butter and fruit go together or the embarrassing Japanese week with Chinese and Korean ingredients).

Next, get rid of Noel who just creeps everybody out and is incapable of asking proper questions to the contestants as he hovers over them.

Stick to what the show is supposed to be about and not try to be clever and imaginative, which would work if the production staff would put some time in proper research.

That being said, be sure to catch the Extra Slice interaction between Sandro and Tom Allen.

BRING BACK SUE AND MEL!

NO, PLEASE DON"T!

RuPaul could have done a whole hour chatting with Sandro about his “Inner Saboteur”

R351

One thousand times this. Thank you.

You are welcome.

I want Sandro to fill me with custard.

Sandro seems to be the exception to DL's Maiden Aunt "Tattoos are APPALLING!" brigade. I find him a bit full of himself.

I had no idea that Syabira was a scientist. Quite a smart woman.

Is Abdul gay?

The finale showed us that Abdul is not gay. He's married (or partnered) with a gingery woman and has a child.

I don't understand how Sandro made it to the finals. I could elaborate, but there are several reasons and I'm feeling lazy. What am I missing?

The only logical and definite finalist was Syabira. Whether Sandro should have been in the final is debatable. Janusz should have been a finalist.

Abdul shouldn't have been, because everything he did was very basic and simple, which is usually called out by the judges. That they didn't call out his simple creations illustrates how much the show is produced and manipulated now.

I feel that they show us only what they want us to see, and that the results are pretty much set almost from the beginning. The choice of contestants is certainly manipulated to have "one of each type."

That they continue to show Noel's idiocy is also telling, but what it's trying to tell us, I don't know. Every single thing that he does or says is cringe worthy. Maybe he has a long term contract, or maybe the producers don't give a shit about quality.

It's certainly not the show it used to be. For many of us, that is a huge disappointment. Not earth shattering, of course, it's just a TV show. But it used to be special. Now it feels like an assembly line.

Sandro seemed snide about everyone getting handshakes or star baker, he wasn’t authentic in cheering his fellow bakers on. Abdul was a decent guy , nice and likeable but he didn’t have the WOW factor with his bakes. Sibyra was goofy as all hell , weird ass flavors and always sweaty. It grossed me out watching her hair falling while she mixed her recipes. Her zits were so gross and all I thought of was the zits bursting with puss going into her cakes. I know I’m not in the DL norm but I love Noel and Matt together. They’re both creepy looking and seem uncomfortable in their own skin but they bounce off each others weirdness which makes it work. Noel always has a sly sexual double entendre and Matt gets almost giddy when he’s watching the bakers mixing their batters.

I like Noel, too, R362. I like Matt, but that kind of goes without saying ("Little Britain"). Noel was new to me via GBBO, though I'd heard of him. I enjoy his weirdness and the funny things he says, like how he used to draw a face on a tool and make the bakers kiss it.

Did you notice the look on Matt's face when Sandro said, "Yes, I want it badly. .. . What are we talking about, again?" I'm surprised he had nothing to say!

Sandro would have been eliminated for his sloppiness in any other season. Maxie should have been one of the finalists. She was a better version of Abdul (sticking mostly to the classics but doing them well) and just had that bad week. That was the week that Sandro was on the chopping block, too, and I think the judges made the wrong choice.

Maxie, Syrabira, and Janusz were the top three. Syabira was the best, glad she won.

I thought it was underwhelming because I can’t remember a finale where ALL of the final bakes were ehh…

They were messy and boring and now I can’t remember the highlights of the season - I only remember messy and boring.

Agree with everything r

I agree with everything r362 said…

Maxy had one bad week, but just about everything she'd done to that point had been excellent. She also had charisma.

[quote]The finale showed us that Abdul is not gay. He's married (or partnered) with a gingery woman and has a child.

Where did you get that from? They never mentioned a relationship with anyone. They showed him dancing with a woman and partying with friends--nothing more. And certainly no child. And he never mentioned anything about this (nor did he wear a wedding ring) at any time during the entire season.

So many articles like this one.

Who won? Sabina the naked snake charmer?

Maxie, Sybara and Janusz would have made for a much better final--the winner would really have been up in the air.

“Look at me, I’m an American, I eat eggplant!”

That was kinda funny

[quote] “Look at me, I’m an American, I eat eggplant!”

So making fun of the way Americans speak is "kinda funny", yet doing the same on Mexican weak is racist. How so?

I didn’t say anything about “Mexican week” (as you call it) but go off—you seem really angry, let that anger out! Tell me that I type fat, it’ll make you feel better about your life.

R368, didn't you watch the updates at the end of the show? It's all implied.

r375 Yes, I saw them -- there was no implication of that AT ALL.

The eggplant joke was ad-libbed and was making light of differences between American and English words and accents. The Mexican bit was planned with props and costumes and played on stereotypes

R376, I thought I saw him standing alone with a woman and a child and the caption said he was now baking "for small people." Maybe it was someone else or I mistook the meaning.

I saw Matt blush(for him with his super pale skin) when Sandro made the sexual innuendo comment. Noel and Matt work well together. I like how they appreciate each other comedy and roll with it not counting how many worlds each gets to say.

LOL at the idea of Matt and Noel working well together.

They're a TERRIBLE comedy team! They have zero chemistry with each other.

Matt was actuallly loose and funny when he was working without Noel for half of the finale.

The problem with these two is, Noel is a stand up comedian who works best by himself (and yes I'm aware he's acted and done group stuff but his strength is stand up.) Matt is a sketch guy who works best playing characters in a sketch format; he's not actually that funny when he's just being "him". (And, many funny people aren't that funny if they're not playing a character; not everyone is good at being 'on' all the time.)

And, yeah, comedy is very subjective but....if you think these two are a brilliantly funny team, you're delusional.

It's also why Paul and Prue aren't as good as Paul and Mary Berry.

Paul and Mary Berry had great chemistry together! Paul was the cheeky son to Mary's twinkling mum. They seemed to be having great fun with one another.

Paul and Prue have very little chemistry with each other.

Prue is not as knowledgeable as Mary. They were just looking for a dignified old lady.

Sandro got sloppy in the last couple of episodes. He tried to accomplish too much in the challenges and ambition got in the way of quality.

Agree r371. There is a reason both Sandro and Abdul only managed to pull off star baker once. It was never really in doubt to me that Sybaria would win.

Not that I am upset, she is a likable person and a deserving winner.

The “Dottering Nan/Naughty Schoolboy” vibe between Merry Berry and Paul was cringey and creepy. In other words, VERY British. I like Merry but I don’t miss her on the show.

We just finished Custard week here in Australia.

Janusz and Sandro give that same energy of those two hyper competitive dudes last season, the Italian and the German. .

It really shocked me when they did the introduction to the finalists at the start how much worse the bakes have looked as the season went on, and how completely unappetizing they looked by the end. I missed the days where you were wowed by how something was presented and looked, versus just being relieved it stayed standing upright.

And for all three to utterly fail the final technical is a problem with the production, imo. If I understood, two of them did boil the gelatin, so that should not have been the overall issue.

Boring and not letting the contestants shine, which is the fun part to me.

Good example of the producers fucking up the show; when Paul talks about the gelatin having to be boiled, it was obvious that the bakers were being set up.

Why? Why set them up to fail? For a gotcha?

What does that prove? Does knowing that VEGETARIAN gelatin needs to be boiled really prove anything about baking ability?

Was Paul's commentary filmed after it was discovered that Sandro didn't know the secret handshake?

One more reason people are tired of this version of a formerly wonderful show.

The brownie challenge was another example. The 90 minutes they allotted to bake was not enough time, since brownies usually have to cool for 2 hours or more. It didn’t stop them from hammering away the contestants and suggesting none of them could make a simple brownie.

Seeing bakers struggle is part of the appeal of the show. They purposely design challenges that are nearly impossible to complete in the time allotted because it causes drama.

With Mary, you really believed the hosts would attempt/ make waft they are asking the contestants to do, though, and with enough organization and know how they could approximate it. That is all lost now, and they actually sacrifice drama now because everyone just fails.

Good opinion piece.

[quote]Sandro seemed snide about everyone getting handshakes or star baker, he wasn’t authentic in cheering his fellow bakers on.

He was incredulous that home bakers were beating him, and he did a horrible job of hiding it.

There are so many losing contestants from previous seasons that would have won if they were on this year like Richard the builder, Tamal and Ian.

[quote]I thought it was underwhelming because I can’t remember a finale where ALL of the final bakes were ehh…

The final in 2013 when Frances Quinn beat Ruby Tandoh and Kimberley Wilson was worse. 3 dreadful wedding cakes. They were competent bakers (not so much Ruby) but had an absolute mare in the final showstopper.

R395, I'm still mad Ruby made it to the 2013 final...always looking like she was about to burst into tears after every challenge...just ugh!!!!

'Sourdough whitewalker', a perfect description of Paul.

Sandro is self absorbed and nasty, he couldn’t even hide his feelings of jealously when others got Star Baker or Hollywood Handshakes. He went overboard to impress but he fucked himself because he’s not that talented to pull all of it off. Sybrias acne was cringe worthy and I gagged when she had her hair falling as she mixed and her acne face all greasy over the bakes. Gross.

R235 yet you still watch

R142 “Flan” means something completely different in UK English - so your comment will fall flat with the producers of the show

S’mores are also a US thing. We don’t have the weather to sit outside toasting shit

R250 Have you been to a Vegas restaurant? Heart attacks on plates!

R348 You don’t read (books) do you?

I became obsessed with The Great British Menu over lockdown. The creativity of the chefs made me weep. And they’re not home cooks, many have (multiple) Michelin stars.

This season definitely has the lousiest bakers. Some of them are pathetic. They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel now.

Viewer: The dishes look like shit!

Pru: The flavors are EXCELLENT!

Viewer, crossing his arms and pouting: They still look like shit!

One of these days, entertainment will invent a "DLC" type of content where viewers (legit subscribers) receive extra content, like being able to actually taste stuff from shows like The Great British Bake Off.

I'm watching the final now. I'm guessing Sandro wins because he's a poor refugee from Angola....

For some reason, up until that point I though Sandro was Brazilian.

Sandro gives his boyfriend a flower whenever he sees him.

Sandro even brought Tom Allen flowers on the finale of An Extra Slice. Tom seemed genuinely flustered. It was cute.

Sandro said his ethnicity is Brazilian, so that was my assumption too.

His mom speaks Portuguese, soooo yes?

....

They're from Angola. Angola was a Portuguese colony. His mother is pale cafe au lait so he has mixed African/Portuguese heritage presumably.

Matt Lucas gone...

Paul Hollywood needs to go as well...he's well past his sell by date. New judges please!!!!

Be real r413 Paul Hollywood is the show. They aren't getting rid of him, has been the one constant and the figure people associate with the franchise.

Matt isn’t the greatest host but if one of the two needs to leave, I’d vote for Noel to hit the road.

Just DON’T hire David Walliams!!!!!

I honestly think they need a female host. With Noel and Matt it was missing that, and you could feel it.

i bet matt has a clit.

Dear god, they both suck, but couldn't the slimy weird one that thinks he's the funniest man on earth GO?

Please?

I actually laughed out loud at Matt probably once an episode which isn’t too shabby, so I’ll miss him.

Yeah, Matt could be a little strange, but not grating the way Noel is. A woman would be nice. No Noel would be even nicer.

Eh, what am I saying, the show is stale.

Strange, I adore Noel and abhor Matt. Perhaps it's my affection for The Mighty Boosh that is affecting that.

After this season I consider it [bold]The Great British Fuck Off[/bold]

I like Matt in other things, but not this. And not Noel. Their antics are just ridiculous. I miss Mel and Sue.

Sybaria was one-note. They never should’ve let her get away with a chicken satay macaron. That was ridiculous. Her while schtick was Malaysian and ….it is the Great [italic] British [/italic] Bake Off. Not the Great Malaysian Meat Cookie

All of the “Thank God Matt Is Gone” garbage that I’m reading online (not necessarily on DL) is pissing me off. He wasn’t THAT terrible as a host of this show and he’s a talented, likable guy.

He’ll be fine, I know, just had to stick up for my fellow gay here.

[quote]all those segments where the female hosts visit places and people of interest regarding GB's vast history in baking and cooking

I liked those segments; they picked obscure things like "The National Loaf" and you learned something about the UK.

I watched the show recently after a long hiatus & it has gotten stale. They pick contestants that check a certain box - nothing wrong with diversity, but it's just really predictable - and Paul just seems bored, going through the motions.

It won't happen because I guess it's turned into a cash cow, but the show needs a reboot, not just switching out hosts or dressing Noel in more pink sweaters.