Meet The Brand New Hosts Of The Great Australian Bake Off
Although the "Bake Off" series' names vary from country to country, the "Great [add country] Bake Off" franchise can be seen in 35 countries. In the U.S. and Canada, the series is called "The Great American/Canadian Baking Show" since the term "bake-off" is a trademark owned by Pillsbury. Since GBBO's first episode aired in 2010, viewers have loved watching amateur bakers under the bunting-draped tent set in an English garden made to look like an English village fête (fair or festival).
Produced by Love Productions, the "Bake Off" franchise has created over 1,500 episodes featuring 1,300 bakers. According to The Guardian, when "The Best Baker" aired in Morocco in 2021, the first episode of this regional "Bake Off" series received an impressive 40% audience share. Riding this momentum, "The Great Celebrity Bake Off," "The Great Junior Bake Off," and special holiday and masterclass episodes have been produced.
Currently in production on its 6th season, "The Great Australian Bake Off" follows the same formula as the BBC original. A dozen bakers compete in three challenges per episode; a signature bake, a technical bake, and a show-stopper. Judges are persnickety as they examine the baked goods, crowning a "Baker of the Week," and sending one sad baker home. While the format is the same, original judges and hosts Maggie Beer, Matt Moran, Claire Hooper, and Mel Buttle have exited the show, leaving all new judges and hosts for season 6.
New hosts and judges for GABO
According to TV Blackbox, filming began in Sydney this week for "The Great Australian Bake Off" with new judges Rachel Khoo and Darren Purchese and hosts Natalie Tran and Cal Wilson.
Rachel Khoo is a producer, presenter, podcaster, culinary consultant, and author of six cookbooks. As a pastry student at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Khoo followed her passion, embarking on a culinary career that has led her to professional kitchens worldwide. With experience judging cooking competitions, Khoo joins the team bringing her multicultural experiences and eagerness to taste all the cakes.
Darren Purchese is well known in Australia for the extravagant confections he makes at his Burch and Purchese Sweet Studio. Purchese was trained at some of the most prestigious restaurants in the U.K., like The Savoy in London, is a restaurateur, and has penned five cookbooks. According to So Good Magazine, Purchese's creations are full of surprises. He describes his style: "I have created an extravagant and colorful universe in which I make versions of my creations in all possible formats."
Known for her observational style of humor, Natalie Tran is a comedian, writer, director, and popular YouTuber with 1.8 million subscribers. Fellow comedian Cal Wilson can be seen on several TV shows or touring with her sold-out stand-up shows, which have been filmed for Netflix. Wilson's engaging style of comedy draws on the audience's stories which should make for some interesting commentary on GABO. GABO will premiere on FOXTEL in 2023.