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 tried to give it a chance after it moved to C4, but this series was the end for me. Too X-Factor style now. I really don't like Pru and utterly despise Paul. Noel is annoying and distracting.

Apart from the first programme after it moved to C4 I haven't watched it as I dislike both presenters and not keen on the judges. However, it's obvious that C4 would try to jazz it up a bit but sounds like to the detriment of the baking.

I see the ratings were 7.8m for the final down from 8.3m last year and a big drop from the 12.5m when it was on the BBC.

Thank you for that link knitted.

We can see what the show was, and should still be. I like that they eliminated two bakers in each of the first two weeks - much less cruel than kicking one out (I'd like to see the first week being a "free" week re: eliminations to tie people a chance to get over nerves)

We all knew that Rahul was going to win after he was saved from the chop after a frankly sub-par week of baking a couple of weeks back.

No spoiler involved.

He's a good baker, but he certainly wasn't the best or most consistent.

Lion bread was Prison Governor Paul. He was fab! The flavourless Scotsman was Norman. Norman did have a memorable experiment with lavender though!

I know they have to chop into things to taste them but does anyone else reckon that PH occasionally cuts with malice? He chopped ruthlessly into the lion bread and also brutally bisected Howard's Picasso Sun loaf. He seems to really enjoy being overly destructive!!

Thanks oysterbabe, im afraid I'm out of cupcakes so please have this instead

I did not watch any of it. I wonder though if there is only a certain number of series that most competitive shows can do before they lose their original value and appeal. The Apprentice, even Strictly Come Dancing, come to mind.

I like watching it and I thought Rahul was pretty good, but they do make a really big deal out of the fact that they judge each week on its own merits, not on the bakers’ overall performance, in which case there was no way Rahul should have got through two weeks ago as he had three terrible bakes and burned everything. Maybe it wouldn’t have been inclusive enough to have three women in the final?

I wasn’t a particular Manon fan but when she got dumped in favour of Rahul she looked well peeved, and I can’t say I blame her.

I was really disappointed this year. The standard of baking has gone down generally, but that's probably at least partly due to them asking contestants to make increasingly obscure stuff that nobody wants to eat! That and blatantly not giving the bakers enough time for dough to prove then complaining that they're underproved. Well, duh!

Doughnuts for a signature challenge in the final puzzled me. A few years ago, 2014 I think, they were doing doughnuts much earlier in the competition and the bakes produced were of a higher standard all round. In this whole competition this year there were only a handful of bakes decorated to the standard you might expect. And what on earth was that fire pit technical about? Nuts.

Maybe there's just a finite amount of exceptional bakers in the country and GBBO has exceeded it.

I do think the tasks were particularly uninspiring. No memorable showstoppers even.

Maybe there's just a finite amount of exceptional bakers in the country and GBBO has exceeded it.

I actually think it's the opposite. I think there are too many amazing bakers, so they are finding ways to trip them up to make things more dramatic.

Perhaps they think it would be boring to have everyone do well. I remember last year a baker complained that what they had been asked to bake would usually take 2 days. Paul just smirked and shrugged.

I agree that it is the standard of baking goes up every year. We never have a contestant that hasn't made choux before, which was quite common in the early years.

Problem is because baking had such a revival and is so popular with the general public more of the audience could also do the challenges themselves or know someone who could, so they think the challenges are easier.

They are definitely harder though! No make a dozen scones at this point.

Problem is because baking had such a revival and is so popular with the general public more of the audience could also do the challenges themselves or know someone who could, so they think the challenges are easier.

Good point actually. But I would just like to have seen more successful and beautiful looking bakes. Kim-Joy, Rahul and Manon clearly had the decorative skills but had one hand tied behind their backs time-wise which of course is all part of it but I'd rather see something simpler done well than (in particular) the final showstopper.

Did you see Kim-Joy's biscuits during the at home bit? Extraordinary!

(I am a mediocre baker at best and even I've tried and failed to make choux buns!)

Also, I think a lot of the bakers do a lot of preparation before going on the show. If they are smart, they will have bought Paul and Prue's cookbooks and practiced.

I really dislike the term "snowflake" and the portraying of people showing emotions as weak or "uncomfortable to watch"
Why does it make you uncomfortable?
I have no issue with people crying or being upset.
With the rise of teen and male suicide in the past 10 years I think we really need to stop spreading this perception please.

If we start telling people that showing their emotions is uncomfortable or something to be ashamed of that is a real shame.

@GhouldaLovesLillies not true here. We had no idea.

It ca't be only me that thinks they were culled in reverse order of media-friendliness and potential book-sales then?

Look at this picture... The ones round the edges went first... the "attractive" ones stayed.

But I would have said Antony was extremely media-friendly, so I don't think that theory works.

I do agree about the "snowflakes" term, Dlux. I like to point out to people that they are very beautiful and that, when enough snowflakes band together, they are powerful enough to bring large sections of the country to a halt.

I didn't see it live. I avoided looking at any mention of it until I was ready to watch, although expected Rahul to win. As I watch on a laptop I saw the results on Google as I was logging in, I expected this. For a moment I thought I was looking at a deckchair look-alike competition before realising I was looking at Pru and Sandi's tops.

Paul Hollywood is a bombastic bully.

Manon started off as a sweet girl until 'something happened', then she started being overly flirty and acting sexy and pouty which is when I began to hate her. She was still playing to the camera in the final. Maybe someone told her she should be an actress.

Too much crying throughout, snot and continual lip licking is not conducive to an enjoyable programme (Briony). The odd tear is acceptable but bloody hell, there are limits.

Rahul, a bit annoying but we (in this household) not knowing a lot about autism, thought that he had it. I had him as the winner although I did like Kim-Joy for her imagination (but not for her make up which thankfully she toned down). Somehow I didn't think Ruby would win.

I thought the final was awful, and the show has gone to pot. Too much over thinking of the challenges, the baking aspect has gone and it is all about making crap things look edible, except the showstopper which made all things look inedible.

Not enough time to complete some of the ridiculous tasks and not enough time showing the actual bakes and judging.

@DaysOfCurlySpencer what happened to Manon? 😮

Manon started off as a sweet girl until 'something happened', then she started being overly flirty and acting sexy and pouty which is when I began to hate her.

I don't know what happened to Manon. She was a sweet young woman at the start, but then suddenly became all red lipstick and simpering, playing up to the men, flirty, coy and different.

I wondered if she thought it might get her somewhere with Paul, or, well, who knows except those that were there. To me there was an obvious change in her and the display of 'sexiness' was really off-putting.

It ca't be only me that thinks they were culled in reverse order of media-friendliness and potential book-sales then?

I don't think so.

The first boot was a relatively attractive young woman iirc (from Belfast?)

If your theory were true then surely Manon would have been in the final ahead of Rahul and Kim-Joy and Ruby would have won it.

They need to sort out the air con in the tent though. Sick of all the challenges being ruined by melting chocolate etc. First time might have added drama but now its annoying that you can't see the finished bakes as they should have been.. Just make it a normal temperature room ffs.

then surely Manon would have been in the final ahead of Rahul and Kim-Joy and Ruby would have won it.

I don't think she was "quirky" or "interesting" enough. I think they're looking increasingly for a good story and media friendly unit shifters. Call me cynical but I don't think we'll be seeing any post-menopausal women winning for example however good their baking is.