Overnight fame is an integral part of participating in “The Great British Bake Off,” and for some, the spotlight remains even after the show. To see if the final 12 contestants are capable of coping with sudden global attention, they are required to meet with the show’s psychologist prior to filming.

"The Bake Off Effect," a term coined to describe the sudden surge in sales of products used on the show, has firmly taken root in Britain. This demand for niche ingredients used in the show is prompting British supermarkets to appoint people who watch the show to predict “buying trends.”

The audition process for “The Bake Off” 2022 involves completing a long application form, a phone interview, in-person interviews, a screen test, and sample bakes. Contestants cannot have been a professional baker, chef, cook, or have had any cooking qualifications in the past 10 years.

Contestants of all ages, professions, body types, sexualities, and ethnicities have been represented in all 12 seasons. The show's diversity represents Britain's cultural reality and pays homage to the fact that the producers don’t focus on any negative rhetoric.

Neither Paul Hollywood nor Prue Leith ever bake any of the technical challenge examples, which are instead baked by the show’s home economics team. The team also reviews contestants’ recipes, sources ingredients and equipment, and cooks Paul Hollywood’s breakfast.