Three weeks ago, some hot new bombshells bakers entered the villa tent, when the Great British Bake-Off began its 17th season. If you’re looking to binge a brand-new show (or need a refresh), this article is for you. From themes to tents to tarts, we’re here to explain everything you need to know about GBBO. On your marks, get set, read!
What is The Great British Bake Off?
The Great British Bake Off (also known as The Great British Baking Show to us Americans) is a British reality baking competition show. The GBBO airs one season per year (or as the Brits call them, series), since the competition itself occurs annually. The competition runs for 10 weeks, with each season having ten episodes total (one for each week). The show is filmed in Welford Park in Berkshire, England, with all the actual baking occurring in a large white tent set up in the park. Also, don’t worry: the bakers aren’t there the whole week. Filming only occurs during the weekends (so the bakers can work, see their families, and practice baking in between).
Who is involved in The Great British Bake-Off?
Each season features 12 contestants. All of these contestants are technically amateur bakers (unlike in some American shows featuring professionals, such as Chopped). However, these bakers are still incredibly talented. And the show’s competitive nature allows their best and brightest creations to shine (seriously, check out Series 7, when Candice Brown made a pub out of gingerbread!).
The judges, however, are professionals. This year, it’s Paul Hollywood (yes, that’s his real name), who’s been a judge for the show since 2010, and newcomer Nigella Lawson, who has been a very successful food writer and TV cook (and also, famous mispronouncer of “microwave”). The show also features two emcees. This year, it’s Noel Fielding, who’s been with the show since 2017, and Alison Hammond, who’s been with the show since 2023. The emcees sometimes ask questions and get to know the bakers a little better (on the audience’s behalf), but they’re also there for general cheer, encouragement, and supporting the bakers through challenging moments. It’s actually quite wholesome.
What do they bake on The Great British Bake-Off?
Basically anything and everything, if I’m being honest, but there is a theme for each week. Themes change every year, as seen in Series 6’s Victorian Week (beloved), Series 13’s Mexican Week (slightly more controversial, hasn’t made a comeback), or Series 17’s Audience Choice Week (which debuted this year). But there are also some mainstays: Cake Week, Bread Week, Patisserie Week, and Biscuit Week (for our American viewers, no, they’re not making biscuits like at Popeye’s — they’re making cookies).
Each week’s episode has a theme, but that episode itself is split into three parts: Signature, Technical, and Showstopper. Each section is meant to highlight the baker’s different skills.
The Signature is to show off the baker’s best tried-and-true recipes (for example, if I was a contestant during Biscuit Week, I’d make my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe). This year, one of the contestants made a Basque cheesecake so good it earned the famous Hollywood Handshake, a handshake from Paul Hollywood, a judge known for his high standards (the handshakes are a rare and renowned symbol of approval).
The Technical is to challenge the bakers’ technical skills, and it usually means every baker is tasked with creating the same recipe. They receive the recipe the day of filming, so no preparation or practice beforehand. Technical challenges from past seasons have included Jaffa cakes (a popular British snack cake) and pita bread.
The Showstopper is the chance to show off your skills, which basically means pulling out all the stops. The goal is to create a finished product that both tastes great and looks great, which means presentation, flavor profile, and creativity are all high-priority for this challenge. It’s no wonder it’s the final challenge of the episode, and it’s introduced viewers to famous creations such as the ramen cake of Series 8 (a banana-flavored cake that looked like an actual bowl of ramen, chopsticks and all) and Series 10’s chocolate-and-coconut lamb made almost entirely out of biscuits.
How is the winner selected?
Each week, the judges eliminate one baker from the competition based on who performed most poorly during that episode. One baker is also named “Star Baker,” if they performed especially well that week. This system continues until there are three bakers left for the final episode, where they then compete against each other for the final honor of being that season’s winner.
The winner’s prize for each GBBO season is an engraved cake stand (no money, unfortunately but the honor of being one of the best bakers in England is a pretty good replacement).
Where to watch The Great British Bake-Off?
You can watch the Great British Bake-Off on Netflix (where it’s listed as the Great British Baking Show). New episodes drop weekly on Fridays.
Why should I watch The Great British Bake-Off?
Unlike American shows, whose high-stress atmospheres will raise the stakes and the audience’s blood pressure, the Great British Bake-Off is equal parts wholesome and delicious. From the pastel colors to the sweet treats to the fact that the contestants actually help each other, it’s a nice way to escape the troubles of the real world and cheer on the UK’s (and possibly the world’s) most talented home bakers. I know I’ll be catching up on the newest season later today. Why don’t you join me?