GBBO Snowflakes

[rackhampearl]

Preparing for a flaming here but it has to be said. Is it just me or are the contestants on GBBO become more emotional each year? A little bit of criticism from Paul and Prue and it looks like they're gonna have a melt down. I get it's a competition and you want to win of course but it's really not that serious. It's bleeding baking for Christ sake. They're acting rather childish imo. Thoughts?

I really like Sandi and Noel.

For me, I like to watch it and think "Oh, I could make that!". I mean I never would, but I like to be inspired by the bakes and techniques.

This series was awful. Paul Hollywood needs to leave. It’s all become very X factor and he’s the ‘nasty simon’. All the emphasis on a Paul Hollywood handshake was embarrassing.

One thing that got me was the heat. I know challenges are probably thought out months before but people were unfairly judged when something had melted. It was the hottest summer on record and I don’t feel anyone was given any leeway on it.

A pita bread for the final technical challenge was and then Prue said ‘oh it’s a bit chargrilled’. Well of course it bloody was, it was cooked on an open fire!!!

When bake off started I purchased all of the books that came after each series and I still use them now. What could I ever bake from this series? It was all too out there. I agree with pp that it needs to be stuff that we want to make at home.

I completely agree with pp. The clear aim of a lot of the tasks was failure, seemingly forgetting that the typical viewer likes to be wowed by amazing baking. It now has this nasty undercurrent of 'let's break them!'. I want it to be a bit of harmless mouthwatering escapism, not a teatime battle royal!

The showstoppers were crap, as pp said it was like some children would make at nursery with play doh, totally unappealing. Briony should have been in the final, and would have won.
It’s definitely lost a lot of charm and laughs.

I agree with Lollypop, I have a book from an previous season and I use it.

This season? Fuck no.

@Meteormedow - your post made me laugh out my tea! 100% spot on - even my DC have said they won't watch again. We want to see baking, if we wanted false emotion we would watch X factor - which we hate!

Whoever mentioned him earlier, Jumper James was my favourite ever contestant!! He was robbed although it was a good season that year. He was actually robbed, too. On average, the person who wins the most technicals wins. He won the most technical EVER but didn't win!!!!

My next favourite is Howard. I love him. I possibly Insta stalk him. I feel like the standard actually levelled out a couple of seasons ago and has actually dropped, if anything.

Lemon drizzle cupcake to the first person who posts a pic of the winning cake.

Apparently if someone on the BBC series was crying, Mel or Sue would stand never to them and swear so the footage couldn't be used.

Howard was a great guy.

I was amazed at the creativity of Frances Quinn.

The "Hollywood Handshake" bollocks is cringey as fuck. Especially this year. The expression on Paul's face as he bestows his "gift" on the recipient is teeth clenchingly embarrassing and badly acted.
At the beginning it was a lovely show which had great, usable bakes (I also have a few books) and was very genuine. Now it seems very set up/acted.

Oatsbeansbarley I loved Frances Quinn's bakes too!

Who was the guy who did the lion in bread week a couple of years ago? I loved that.

Jumper James was my favourite ever contestant!!

Jumper James is now a proper doctor in a hospital in Glasgow. I was totally star struck the day I saw him in the canteen. Howard was fab too. I also liked Jo who won ages ago, she was a mum totally lacking in confidence and the Bake Off brought her out of her shell.

Nadiya is just fabulous on all levels and has done so much to raise awareness of mental health issues. Love her to bits.

In fact, I think that's the main problem with the bake off. They're looking for another Nadiya and aren't going to ever find one.

Bit just a Hollywood handshake anymore either. There is the prue pat now too.

The lion bread was great, but I seem to remember it was the Scottish guy who liked everything really plain, so he didn't last very long.

I don't know what food Rahul's cook book will feature.

I would buy Kim-Joy's cookbook, if I could learn how to make super-cute cat cupcakes.

Jumper James was my favourite ever contestant!!

Yeah me too, he was delish.

I'm probably old enough to be his mother mind.

There’s something really strange/unusual about Kim Joy’s face I just can’t put my finger on when I’ve been watching, I don’t know if it’s the shape of her mouth or her nose but it’s really arresting and I wish I could figure out what it is that makes her look so unusual to me.

For me, I like to watch it and think "Oh, I could make that!". I mean I never would, but I like to be inspired by the bakes and techniques

I think this is it. Can't remember the contestant now, but someone once made a ginger key lime pie that PH said was the best he ever tasted. I still have ambitions to make that pie it'll probably never happen, but I continue to kid myself

There's more magic in an everyday thing made exceptionally well than something outlandish. Like a sodding biscuit chandelier.

Agreed, Laurie. I'd much rather see them do impressive cakes and amazing pies rather than landscapes and chandeliers. (Although I did love KimJoy's winter biscuits).

It's too much style over substance. But with no style.

The winning cake.
It looks mouldy.

Oops sorry, it's actually this one. My comments stand.

We’ve really enjoyed it this year but I can’t understand why the judges have been so mean. Of course someone needs to leave, that’s fine. But when someone has spent 5 hours cooking for you you don’t need to be rude. I’m not surprised they get tearful, I would.

@Oysterbabe Rahul's doesn’t look mouldy to me in the slightest, it’s very clever. They all were. But it was a really crap challenge for a final showstopper. Choux buns simply don’t look yummy sprayed grey.
Thinking back to beautiful cakes from previous finals, it was a shame.

It’s come a long way since the first series and not necessarily for the better.