Bake off - the most BORING programme in the world

[BrendaandEddie]

Yup - i liked it, I really did. But this series - DULLISIMO
recipes odd and crap, personalities DULL and the minute the contestants started talking to camera.....

BOG OFF BAKE OFF

AIBU

I never watched it before this series, as have DC with food allergies and don't like watching cookery programmes where they cook stuff I can't make. But for some reason I keep watching this one, it must be on at a different time/channel to normal and I keep catching it. DD asked last night "Is this on every night?" I said, no, it just feels like it.

I am perplexed by quite a bit of it, in particular:

1. Mel and Sue are terrible. Never in my life have I seen two people so pleased with themselves. They genuinely think they are hilarious while being buttock-clenchingly unfunny. How the hell did they get the job?

1. Why have they allowed a large silverback gorilla on set? Surely this is unhygienic and possibly dangerous?

1. Why make a TV programme in which something is created which needs four out of five senses to enjoy (touch the texture, taste, smell and sight) yet the viewers can only look at the product and be told how nice it smells, looks and tastes?

Couldn't care less who wins and last night we were all a little confused when what we thought was one bloke turned out to be two different ones. At least that added a bit of drama.

I think the people complaining that the contestants are too nice are missing the point rather. There's a huge gulf between GBBO / Sewing Bee which is nice people behaving nicely to each other and doing incredible clever things under such tight time constraints that they occasionally screw up whilst nice experts critique their work and nice comedic ladies say helpful and supportive things. And OTOH Big Brother/IACGMOOH etc which I don't watch, but where I believe the intent is to watch people who are not all nice and sometimes behave quite badly.

Yes ^^ nice gentle people making cakes and watching ovens isnt boring its gentle and well nice which is fine

i do resent paying the licence for this crap, the bbc need a twee channel where they can put bake off, auction shows and countryfile and call the midwife type shows.

oh wait that would only leave tennis...

southeastastra - don't even get me started on the BBC Wimbledon coverage!

I love GBBO.

Strictly on the other hand with Z lister wannabees painted orange and twirling around a dance floor. Total snooze.

It's horses for courses, innit?

The sum total of my tv viewing is GBBO, the sewing bee, strictly (which I do not find bitchy at all - to the PP who said it was a bitchfest, no, you are mistaken there, it is quite the opposite, very supportive contestants, though I agree most of them are not exactly 'celebrities') and Wimbledon. As others have said, it is the warm comforting regularity of seeing nice people produce nice food (cake week is only one week out of each series) that is the attraction. And yes, sometimes gasping in awe at the skill of some bakers, and other times smiling smugly because you know you would do a better job.

I can't stand the reality tv that involves bitchiness. My dd sometimes splurges during the holidays on Come Dine with me and the format is both repetitive and dull in the extreme. Ill mannered oiks behaving badly. Where is the pleasure in watching that? The very fact that they are encouraged to poke around the host's bedroom says it all. No-one does that in real life, do they?

southeastastra bbc-twee. I would watch that!

I have an incredibly innovative solution to your issue OP.
Change the channel? Don't watch it?

I know it's ground breaking but might be worth a try

I actually hardly watch TV at all. However i like Masterchef and i like GBBO.

Bake Off - I enjoy the fact that the contestants are just people, on telly for a bit, doing their cooking. They triumph, or they fail. I don't want to see the format 'tweaked'. What will they do? Pitch them against each other in a kitchen a la Wife Swap or something?

I record it and watch it next day, sitting down with a cupper (and maybe a cake) when DDs having her nap. It's gentle, inspiring, sometimes amusing, and yes, i like to like who i like and mutter about the contestants who annoy. Older DDs watch it too. Teens and 20s.

I hate all the made up, manufactured shite of Xfactor, BgT, Big Brother etc, and have shunned it all! It's all fixed anyway. God forbid every TV programme ends up like those. Fake, patronising and mind numbingly predictable.

It's the first time I've ever watched it and I must say I'm gripped though never watch it in real time and usually watch it over two days on watch again with a cup of tea when DS gets in from school (he loves it!) Can't stand Mel and Sue though and don't understand for the life of me what the point of them is? Would much, much rather have more Mary Berry - they are so unfunny, know nothing about baking and add absolutely nothing to the show.

Eponas just saw your post and completely agree.

I love it, it's the only thing me, DH, DD10 and Ds6 all like.
I don't watch any other reality TV and I'm not sure why I like GBBO so much, I find Paul Hollywood annoying. But for some reason I do like it so I would argue YABU

I love Mel and Sue.
I enjoy the GBBO. I think they do tell you where people have gone wrong, how to make it 'work' and why it failed. I like that it is just about the baking and not the off screen drama.
I also think the BBC is bloody brilliant,well worth every penny.

I'd say if you find it boring then don't watch it. I find televised sport incredibly boring but others don't, and all the channels still insist on showing it. For me Bake Off is just a gentle entertaining hour of TV with pleasant contestants, which occasionally gives me some inspiration to make something. This is only the second series I've seen so can't compare to the earlier ones.

Please tell me why you like Mel and Sue. What am I missing?

I have to say we watched the first episode of the series and were like, "Okay, that's this year's clever, nervy young girl; this year's WI lady; this year's dishy young doctor; this year's token ethnic person......" and so on.

So yes, it is very formulaic, but all our family snuggle up to watch it and I adore Mel and Sue.

I am currently training DS(9) up for Junior Bake Off, though I suspect he is a bit too common. Their contestant mix is very formuaic too, though quite heavy on the very middle class, extremely overconfident little boys.

I like GBBO. I enjoy baking and seeing what others can make. I don't like cupcakes or shoes, and I'm most definitely not "bubbleh!". I really like all the remaining contestants. Apart from Ian (or Humblebrag as my family call him).

It doesn't take itself too seriously, unlike most the ITV talent shows.

Similarly, I like Strictly. Happy, easy viewing. Though that might change this year seeing as Peter Andre is on it

YANBU - Its dull as dishwater. But what else is there to watch at that timeslot on a Weds night? Naff all. Hence why I endure it.

I love it myself but not interested in baking and couldn't eat a cupcake.

I like that it's slow paced with gentle humour and not much about the contestants or their egos.

I like the Jo Brand programme on a Friday too.

I see someone has already mentioned the slow TV phenomenon and the hours long programme featuring a barge travelling along a canal. I watched a bit of that and felt I was being mentally massaged.

I agree that GBBO is in this vein. Soothing TV. Hence the outrage last year when they tried to inject it with a bit of faux drama.

I enjoyed the raised pies last night, but actually fell asleep during last week's episode.
Great British Menu is also pretty dire this year. Far too many cliches around jam and Jerusalem and most of the food has been pretty unappetising, although the shepherd's pie last night looked very tasty.
Also all the contestants this year seem to be trying to win the weirdest hairstyle competition.

'Its dull as dishwater. But what else is there to watch at that timeslot on a Weds night? Naff all. Hence why I endure it.'

Ummmm, switch the TV off?

Pedant I preferred the showstopper this week, I think the right person got star baker after that

I always find weeks revolving around bread and pies a bit less interesting, but thats because I prefer sweet things myself.

I love Tamal. I can identify with someone who has a memorable sandwich in their life.