Here's How To Get Cast On The Great British Baking Show
"The Great British Baking Show," otherwise known as "Bake Off," is a long-running British favorite and a new American obsession. Taking cooking back to its roots, the program minimizes the flash and glitz and simply gets back to the flour. Known for the show's peaceful nature and team-spirited competition, this cooking series follows the British motto of "Keep Calm and Carry On," despite baked Alaska attempts that end up in the garbage bin and pinched custards. Contestants embody the skill of amateur cooks working with a passion for food and a well-deserved sense of accomplishment, yet successful contestants can go on to bigger things, too, such as the rising star Nadya Hussain — The Guardian calls her "the best-loved winner in the history of the series," now a published author and host of her own series, "Nadiya Bakes."
The burning question many home cooks have, however, is how to join this hit lineup of amateur cooks. The first criterion, is that the contestant must truly be an amateur (via Tellymix). Rules state that entrants may not be professional cooks in any capacity, including work as a baker, chef, or other professional culinary role. Applicants may not have received a professional cooking certification within the last 10 years. And that's not all.
You must be British to bake off
British baking contestants must also be British, which includes the entire United Kingdom as well as the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (via The Sun). (Don't despair, Americans; you still have a chance to try out for spin-offs like "The Great American Baking Show," which debuted in 2015) (via IMDB).
Additional requirements for British contestants including being over the age of 16 and available to film during the entire run of the show's filming. The film crew will confirm if you are chosen. Additionally, you cannot be associated with this film crew in any way as the employee or immediate family member of the Channel 4 or LOVE productions.
Then comes the bakery. Contestants must submit a four- to five-page application to the official GBBO website detailing their cooking skills and technique, as well as send in pictures of many of their multiple baking successes. Past contestants have shared that they then further followed up in phone questionnaires, prepared bakes, and a blind technical skills test. After that, hurry up and wait, says Series 5 contestant Jordan Cox. He told The Telegraph in 2014, "I had to wait so long to find out that I was on the show, it was at least six weeks after the final audition, which in TV land is a very long time."
Lucky contestants then appear on our televisions after the film crew is done, inspiring us with new baking and challenges, and we can't wait for more.