Great British Bake Off still rising to the telly challenge

Nothing says all’s right with the world quite like the return of the Great British Bake Off to our TV screens. The new series starts tonight and brings with it the intrigue, suspense, drama and entertainment of any reality show – but with the added reassurance that it’s ultimately about baking, so it’ll all be OK with a cup of tea and a sit-down.

Personally, I can’t bear the stress of people trying to launch a new business or a new relationship in front of a TV audience, but baking a cake is about my ideal level of jeopardy.

We have the thrill of getting to know the contestants as the series goes on (if they don’t get voted off too soon) and, again, you know they’re probably going to be pretty nice people on the whole

because … well, because they’re people who like baking cakes.

We are, of course, entering the season of good telly coming back on and my regular reader knows how giddy I’ve been about the return of Peaky Blinders, but there’s a lot to be said for feel good, gentle TV – such as Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, the epitome of slow TV.

In the way that you don’t have to be a cook to enjoy Bake Off, this programme requires no knowledge of fishing on behalf of the viewer. It’s just a gentle meander with a couple of television comics of a certain age, both recovering from serious heart surgery, travelling to some picturesque spots and doing a bit of fishing and much inconsequential chatting.

I know there’s been a backlash against shows which send celebs on all-expenses-paid self-indulgent trips for viewers’ entertainment, but when it works, it works. I love it in the way I love Gardeners Question Time on Radio 4, despite knowing nothing about gardening. It’s just comforting somehow.

Unlike Peaky Blinders. I’ve had to record the first couple of episodes to watch later, but I’m aware it’s not exactly viewing that leaves you feeling all’s right with the world.

In fact, it’s probably the opposite of slow TV. Bring it on.

Baking a cake is about my ideal level of jeopardy