The Problem GBBO Fans Have With The Show's Challenges
The latest season of the "Great British Baking Show" has ruffled feathers, to say the least. Only four episodes in and we've seen contestants skipping weeks because of illness and people calling out behavior seen as racist. Week three saw no one go home, but there was a double elimination in week four.
If you're thinking that this season has gone off the rails, it's not the first time people have seemed to feel that way. Back in 2018, prior to Season 9, Judge Paul Hollywood told The Guardian, "This year we have gone back to basics on a couple because we were getting a bit over-complicated. We want to encourage the viewers to bake. And it's worked, thus far. Everyone's got the baking bug, at some level." However, many agree that sentiment appears to have been lost in the subsequent years.
During Season 10, The Atlantic lamented that GBBO's technical challenges were once about a baker's skill of mastering an everyday baked good instead of "a meandering tour through Europe's most arcane pastries." This season has seen complex technical challenges including pizza and tacos which many are starting to question – is it still a baking show when the contestants aren't baking?
Fans have taken to social media to express their disdain. One person on Reddit even asked, "Has GBBO jumped the shark?"
The Great British Baking Show or Cooking Show?
The Spectator speculated that "The Great British Baking Show" captured its American audience through its stark contrast to the money-driven competitions in the U.S. It also argued that part of the appeal was friendly contestants who were willing to help their neighbor rather than displaying an "I didn't come here to make friends" mindset. However, this season has displayed some changes that viewers have taken issue with.
"Mexican Week" saw the elimination of Rebs and James. The episode's technical challenge was making tacos from scratch – something that required no elements to be baked (via Twisted). Contestants were unfamiliar with many of the ingredients in certain foods, such as pico de gallo. People took to social media to complain. Twitter user @richardosman made a post stating, "You'd be gutted to be kicked out of Bake Off because you couldn't make guacamole." Another user, @ceryshu67648227, wondered, "Am I the only one getting sick of there being more cooking on BAKE off [than] baking?" And a very disappointed @steakuccino complained, "Mexican Week is a travesty. Tacos are not baking. The contestants are obviously doing their best but the producers should be ashamed."
Some people on Reddit felt that Paul Hollywood was the problem. But others agreed with the statement that "whoever is behind the editing and writing is trying to make this like a Food Network show and it is NOT working."