The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
A NEW BATCH OF BAKERS IN THE BIG TENT
Expect plenty of fun and drama as the fan favourite returns, Gemma Dunn reports
Last autumn fans rejoiced as The Great British Bake Off returned under exceptional circumstances and this year is no different. For much like before, all those involved in the popular Channel 4 show, which sees passionate amateur bakers compete to be crowned the UK’s best, were obliged to test and self-isolate before entering into a Covidfree bubble. In this case, a six-week stay at the luxurious Down Hall Hotel.
A long time away from family, maybe. But if its predecessor is anything to go by (a whopping average of 9.2 million viewers tuned in to witness Peter Sawkins triumph last November), its imminent 12th series will be well worth the extra measures.
“We were in a lovely hotel, getting really good food, I had my dog with me, and we’re eating cake for a living – so you can hardly complain about the job!” quips Prue Leith, 81, who returns to co-judge the hit show alongside veteran Paul Hollywood.
“There was also yoga, meditating, tennis and pizza nights,” says Hollywood, 55. “Prue taught floristry skills; I taught a load of people how to use nunchucks…”
Also partaking in the “fun” are returning co-hosts Noel Fielding (who allegedly threw a bubble-secure indie festival) and Matt Lucas. All this in addition to the top-tier baking, of course.
So what can the judges tell us about the latest batch set to enter the famous white tent? “I think the youngest one was 19 and the oldest one nearly 70 – 69, so the usual mix,” Leith reveals. “Not one baker is like the other, I don’t know how the production company manage to do it! I mean, I know that the first requirement is that they have to be fantastic bakers, but then they are just so interesting and so nice.”
“The standard this year is certainly the highest I’ve ever encountered,” Hollywood adds. “I think the semi-final was harder (to judge), to pick the three for the final!”
“We did have very good bakers in the final,” Leith agrees, “If I had to choose one episode that I would say you have to watch, it’s the semi-final. They were so good that we had no idea who was going to win!”
No disasters of note that would tip the scales, then. “There was a bit of a collapsing going on…,” offers celebrity chef, Hollywood.
“And there was the most over-flavoured bake I’ve ever had on Bake Off,” Leith recalls. “It was unbelievably ill-judged, and it was surprising because it came from a baker who was so good with flavour. It can happen to anyone. But, and I know it sounds an odd thing to say, I actually prefer it when some of them are not so good as it’s much easier to judge if you have a few disasters.
“There was one moment, which was one of my signatures right towards the start of the competition, and I thought, ‘This is a good
thing to do for a technical’, but in fact, they did it too well, and we were faced with 12 notquite-identical but damn-near-perfect bakes. Well, how do you judge 12? It’s impossible; you have to rate them one to 12, and number one and number 12 are hardly any different.”
“So they’re a skilled bunch – but just what challenges can fans expect to see?
“Well, we have alternative ingredient week,” Hollywood begins tentatively, last year having set a total of 30 different tasks. “But you’ll see how well Matt and Noel interpreted how I felt about it before it started…”
“We’re both classically trained, me a cook, him a baker, so we tend to be approving of what we’re used to – the classic way to do things,” Leith explains.
“I have always liked gluten-free cakes, for example, because gluten-free cakes could be flourless cakes like a chocolate roulade or
something. But where I think my prejudice shows is I was surprised that they could do so many amazing bakes with substitute ingredients you know, using, erm…” “Butter?” Hollywood interrupts. “Well to cook without butter would seem to me to be impossible, but actually it’s perfectly possible and the bakers prove it!” Leith adds.
From butter-free cakes to damehood, it’s certainly been a summer to remember for Leith, who was among a host of stars recognised on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June, notably for her services to food, broadcasting, and charity.
“When it was announced that I was a dame, Paul went out and bought me some
really fancy champagne, and we had a party at about three o’clock in the afternoon,” Leith reveals.
Do they feel a stronger bond, having bubbled up for the last couple of years?
“I feel I know these three guys better than I did Mel, Sue and Mary, for instance,” Hollywood confides.
“You know sometimes you can sit in the same room as a really close friend and not say anything for about half an hour and feel quite comfortable with that…
“(Whereas) if you feel you have to fill that space with voices, then you know that’s because you’re slightly uneasy about something.”
“So it’s more like family then?” Leith asks. “Yeah it is,” finishes Hollywood.
“A really weird dysfunctional family.”
The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday September 21.