The Great British Bake Off
We put forward the case to defend some of our favourite works of art. This week, Bridget Jones sticks up for The Great British Bake Off.
Sachertorte, bakewell and scones. Oh my. Much like wonderful world of Oz, The Great British Bake Off isa classic, a charmer, a gentle reminder that bells, whistles and bloody murder are not always needed to keep audiences interested.
Some cold-hearted (and fullstomached) viewers might scoff at the thought GBBO even comes close to quality entertainment. After all, it’s just a fancy, rent-a-gazebo full of middleaged mummies whipping up lamingtons and banana cakes. Right?
Wrong, my pastry-loving friends. This is a show that walks the fine line - often trodden over by other reality shows - of being completely and utterly pointless (you know, a show
It is humanity on a plate and never fails to draw a tear.
about people baking cakes) and documenting the pride of personal triumphs and the lows of utter failure. Young mix with old, working class with English toffs, men and women, different ethnicities all coming together in the name of friendly competition and crumpets. It is humanity on a plate - and never fails to draw a tear.
It’s a hotbed for controversy, too. It’s no secret GBBO has been through the wringer. In 2016, the BBC lost the broadcast rights to rivals, Channel 4. But the move was costly.
The biggest casualty of her undying loyalty was Queen Lady Dame Mary Berry. (Please note, the titles of Queen, Lady and Dame are purely speculative of what the 82-year-old deserves. To date, she has not been recognised for her saucy innuendos and love of liquor-flavoured baked goods.) Berry, along with hosts Mel and Sue, didn’t (or couldn’t) make the move from the BBC, leaving long-time judge Paul Hollywood the sole survivor.
He’s been joined by Sue Perkins on the new judging panel, with the unusual combination of Sandi Toksvig and gothy-comedian Noel Fielding as hosts. It has always combined procedure with a little humour - and that looks like it’s not changing any time soon, despite some low-ish ratings for this new recipe.
But its longevity should be a reflection on how wonderful GBBO really is. After all, the BBC also commissioned TheGreat British Sewing Bee and The Great Pottery Throw Down in the wake of its popularity. There are versions of the show in Australia, Brazil, Israel, the States and more. And it ha reminded us all of the joy that can come from pottering away in the kitchen.
Quite simply put, The Great British Bake Off is one of the nicest hours of television each week. And sometimes, that’s exactly what’s needed in the world.