Prue’s first Bake Off tip: record it to skip the ads
Prue Leith has advised fans of The Great British Bake Off to record the Channel 4 show and watch it later, fast-forwarding through the advertising. The prospect of the show being interrupted by 15 minutes of commercial breaks per episode is off-putting for some viewers used to watching it on the BBC. Leith takes over from Mary Berry when the show returns next week. At an advance screening of the first episode, she cheerfully torpedoed Channel 4’s hopes of persuading as many viewers as possible to tune in at 8pm. Leith said: “I want to comfort some people who might think … ‘I don’t want to have the ads’. You don’t have to watch it in real time, do you?” Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s chief executive, said: “We are a commercial broadcaster and we do need to pay for shows like Bake Off.”
‘We’re all newbies here, apart from Ol’ Blue Eyes’
The Great British Bake Off Channel 4
The big question with The Great British Bake Off’s
much-lamented move to Channel 4 was whether the marquee magic would remain intact.
During its seven series on the BBC, the contest had risen like a well-proved loaf to become Britain’s most watched television show. But now that makers Love Productions had “followed the dough” to a rival channel, losing three-quarters of the show’s stars in the process, would Bake Off still taste as sweet? On the evidence of its first new-look episode, the answer was a resounding yes. This was the same flavoursome confection, lent added spice by one of the new signings in particular. New presenting duo Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding arrived in a rainbow-striped hot air balloon and struck up instant chemistry. Fielding stole the show with his impish wit and sheer cheek, even eating a marigold in one surreal sequence.
The giddiness seemed to be infectious. Judge Paul Hollywood, the only one of the show’s four founding figureheads to make the switch – as Fielding told the bakers: “We’re all newbies here, apart from Ol’ Blue Eyes” – gave out not one but two of his coveted “Hollywood handshakes”.
At his side, where Mary Berry used to stand, was Berry’s friend Prue Leith. Resplendent in a red jacket, signature specs and statement jewellery, Leith fulfilled her vow to be “firm but fair”.
The other ingredients, reassuringly, remained the same. The white marquee was still pitched in the grounds of Welford Park. Bakers battled it out over the familiar three rounds. The running time was expanded to 75 minutes to accommodate the ad breaks, so we still got a full hour of in-tent action.
Despite the departure of innuendoflinging duo Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, the double entendre count remained high. “Exposed bottoms” replaced soggy ones and one baker grappled with an unfortunate phallic creation.
This year’s batch of 12 contestants – never quite a baker’s dozen – includes two female Merseysiders from opposite ends of the age spectrum in amateur blacksmith Kate, 29, and grandmother Flo – at 71, the oldest ever contestant. Both stood out for their baking ability and engaging personalities, while fellow Scouser Hollywood teased them affectionately about their accents.
This year’s youngest baker, 19-yearold Liam from Hackney, was endearingly goofy. Steven, a 34-yearold Will Young lookalike from Watford, already looked a strong contender for the title.
The contest kicked off, as always, with Cake Week. First came the task of making a family-size fruitcake for the Signature Bake round. There was tension, there were tears and one nervous hopeful forgot to turn her oven on. Next up, Leith set her debut Technical Challenge: a dozen chocolate mini-rolls. Trembling fingers and fiddly assembly proved a messy combination.
Finally came the fiendish Showstopper challenge of an “illusion cake”.
Cunning designs and clever construction led to some gaspinducingly stunning results. The standard of this year’s field looks like the highest yet.
In happy conclusion, dough devotees can rest easy. Mary, Mel and Sue might be gone but the show’s recipe remains as winning as ever. Good bake.