The One Thing You Won't See On Great British Bake Off This Season

While Great British Bake Off fans recently got a bit of good news, as the show is currently back to filming after a COVID-19-related hiatus, the pandemic has resulted in a huge change for regular viewers of this baking competition — at least as far as Paul Hollywood's precious handshakes go.

If there's one thing contestants on GBBO covet nearly as much as the grand prize, it's one of Paul Hollywood's legendary handshakes. These handshakes are gifted after Hollywood deems a bake extraordinarily well done, and they're not something you see often if you watch the show — you might not see one at all during an episode.  

According to Delish, an insider has shared that due to the coronavirus and the precautions the show has put into place (in hopes of keeping everyone virus-free), these handshakes will be notably absent in the upcoming season of the show that's known in the U.S. as the Great British Baking Show. Apparently, the show's producers thought it wouldn't look appropriate due to the state of the world today and have asked the formidable baking judge to avoid reaching across the baking stations for the time being.

What will replace the 'Hollywood Handshake' on GBBO?

According to the Daily Mail, Hollywood started handing out handshakes during the show's third season, and while they were pretty scarce back in those early days (he awarded one single handshake each in season 3 and season 4), he has bestowed more of them as of late, as he shook hands seven different times in season 8. This is still fewer than one per episode, though, so they remain a pretty special accomplishment for those who receive one.

What isn't known at this time, though, is what Hollywood will do to signify that a baker has created something truly magnificent. Only time will tell, but once the show welcomes viewers back into that beautifully-decorated white tent filled with a dozen or so bakers hoping to be crowned the winner after 10 weeks of creative (and stressful) competitions, everyone will see the new iteration of that famous Hollywood Handshake.