GBBO 2016 Post mortem

[fourquenelles]

Here we are to rant and rave

[BalloonSlayer]

I must say that the Floral cake thing mystified me. I know Jane's didn't go according to plan but on camera it looked beautiful (maybe close up in real life it wasn't so good) - she got loads of criticism. Candice's looked like something from cake wrecks or an AIBU on here, just a ghastly mishmash of styles and as if it had fallen over being transported in the car. Yet "absolutely marvellous!" etc etc.

Anyway despite my grumbling she deserved to win, and clearly a nice person as it's obvious everyone likes her.

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

I'm really curious about why she draws so much ire. She seems fine to me - friendly, genuine, competent, and, not that it should matter, attractive. She doesn't seem 100% comfortable in front of the camera, which I guess could come off as smug or fake, but to me it's obvious she's a bit self-conscious.

Really can't see the problem.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

I really liked the final challenge...much more bakeworthy than making some massive thirtythree storey cake with 4 meringue toppings, and 18 jam styles, with piping and chocolate work. nonsense

I still do not care for Candice! Also cross that her burned tarts were passed off as "a bit over done" ...understatement of the series, and that they missed the split ganache was annoying

This series has been pretty uninspiring on the whole...my timehop has been full of years past when I made pretzels, princesse torte, muffins, ...really been tempted to make the technical, or do a version of the showstopper...and it's just not been that interesting this year.

[OhNoNotMyBaby]

As others have said, an uninspiring series unfortunately, with not a lot to get excited about. However, I'm a huge fan so it's still unmissable TV IMHO.

Not a fan of Candice. The jail-bird drug-dealing boyfriend does affect how I view her and I do think he might be a bit of hindrance to any budding tv career. And her pouty faces are just incredibly irritating. She appears to be in permanent 'pose for the selfie' mode.

Andrew was lovely - like a bouncy red-setter. More enthusiasm than skill perhaps but I loved his precision.

Jane was/is lovely.

[SpookyPotato]

I don't get everyones problem either, I think she's great and her bakes were definitely better. Is it her resting bitch face? This reaction must be why it's so effective in life! She seems lovely.

[SleepyHare]

Candice's cake in the final was ugly and wonky as shit, but did The judges mention that? Noooooo. But because Janes (more impressive looking) cake didn't have a collar she got slated.

Candice shouldn't have won, Hollywood especially has been unfairly nice to her, even when her bakes have been burnt etc.

Sorry but I really do think it was a fix.

[Tryittwice]

I think she is fantastic and a worthy winner. She is ambitious and determined and very skilled.

[Tryittwice]

How/why can it be a fix and who would fix it?

[SleepyHare]

It can be a fix because there's two judges and if they've been told to keep her in im sure it's fairly easy to do it.

Her cake was shite but nobody mentioned the presentation...

I think last week one of her pastries was burnt and looked awful but again nobody mentioned it.

There's been a few things they've really criticised others for but never mentioned to her when she's done the same..

[squoosh]

I don't think Candice is in any way fantastic but then I don't think any of this year's contestants have been fantastic. It really was the B team. But I suppose Candice was the best on the day even if she had a lot of fails throughout the series. But she was favoured by Paul very early on so a lot of the fails were overlooked. Jane however was more consistent throughout and didn't seem at all smug to me. Felt so sorry for her when her white chocolate collar failed.

[squoosh]

Andrew I couldn't figure out if I liked him or not. I kept swithering and dithering over him.

[squoosh]

Love the photo of Val being swept up in Selasi's arms. I like your style Val, you crafty minx.

[MiddleClassProblem]

I doubt they would fix it.

It's sad that she's being huge because her boyfriend sold cannabis before he met her and doesn't anymore. I'd rather that she was someone who supported him turning his life around then someone who would ditch someone because of a slightly dodgy past. It's not exactly a crime you would think someone was a write off for

[CremeBrulee]

I'm disappointed that Candice won. Not because of her baking, but because it was evident from the very start that her eye was on the commercial prize, that the show was her vehicle to a tv career, book launch and numerous other money spinning opportunities.

I rewatched one of the very early series of GBBO the other day and the vibe was so different then - just a bunch of baking obsessed cookery geeks. In it fir nothing other than the pride of winning. It's not like that now, and that for me is why it's had its run.

[BakeOffBiscuits]

"No one mentioned her burnt pastries"

How do you know that????

Both judges may have mentioned it several times, but if the programmes editor (who has nothing to do with the BBC) chooses to not put the criticisms in, we won't know about it.

I can't believe people are so naive as to think that after 2 whole days filming being condensed into one hour, that every single comment will be included. Are people really that stupid?

[Floralnomad]

I think this series has been very disappointing as frankly none if them seemed particularly brilliant bakers and I'm pretty sure most people sitting watching know someone who could have done it better , which I don't think is necessarily the case in previous years . I didn't want Candice to win because I just didn't like her with all the face pulling and granny sob stories and I did feel that Paul favoured her from the very start . I think if Selasi and Rav had been knocked out in week 1&2 I'd have stopped watching .

[MiddleClassProblem]

In other news:

www.digitalspy.com/tv/great-british-bake-off/news/a812186/mary-berry-confirms-that-she-will-stick-with-mel-and-sue-after-bake-off/

[SleepyHare]

Thanks biscuits but I do understand how tv works and I'm not stupid, thank you.

Even so, if it's been edited out, it's been edited that way for a reason. Obviously a lot of tv shows do this. Edit it in a certain way.

Even if it wasn't a fix, I think it was an incredibly unfair result, and I do think candice was just in it for the publicity and the tv career.

I watched nadiyas show but there is no way in hell I could watch a solid hour of candice with her pout and rehearsed crying.

However, I do think that it's unfair that her boyfriends been brought into it!

[Marbleheadjohnson]

She did a short interview on Radio 1 this morning, she seems funny (excellent laugh) and humble. She said she had no idea what's next for her and I believe it, she didn't come across as someone gagging for a media career to me, she was nowhere near polished enough. I reckon she'd get a career doing columns in magazines/websites, perhaps books; something like Martha or Frances managed to do. But she doesn't have the same warm charisma as Nadia or John Waite who have had their own TV shows. I could see her opening a cafe or something.

I love that all the contestants genuinely get on and are supportive of each other in the challenges. Candice was talking about how they all went to Selasi's to watch the final, made me feel all warm inside

[Marbleheadjohnson]

And even if she wanted a TV career, I don't think she'd get it. She's not a natural at being the centre of attention, from what I see, so no one with a clue would commission a show with her as the lead. if she does though, I wish her luck!

[squoosh]

I think she'll definitely get some sort of show out of it. She's had one of the highest winner profiles.

[squoosh]

Obviously she'll be given a bit of media training too.

[Marbleheadjohnson]

Yea that's a good point, squoosh. But you can't polish a turd and all that - it depends on how much they have to start with. But I do think that the move to C4, the general opinion that the bakes this series were "not that good", the fact the show has jumped the shark somewhat... I don't think we'll be seeing all that much of her. She doesn't have a mass of public goodwill behind her like Nadiya did; she's not incredibly articulate like Ruby was; she doesn't have a "relatable mum" image like Jo did; she is not drop dead gorgeous like John is; she's not "wow look how good she is for her age, and perfect for the Waitrose market" like Martha... I just don't know what her USP is, "winner of the lowest standard series of Bake Off" probably isn't enough.

She didn't produce anything spectacular or memorable (none of them did this year, and I don't think that's entirely their fault, the tasks were silly).

[TheSpottedZebra]

I do like her, and I don't mind her pouting. And yes, I AM annoyed that the comments that Candice received (in the edit) didn't really reflect her bakes.

But I really like her friendship with Jane, and especially the fact that they were openly competitive with each other as well as friends. IT'S a shame though, if she leaves teaching, she'll be accused of cashing in, whereas a) who wouldn't, and b) teachers are fleeing in droves all over the country.

[TheSpottedZebra]

Vintagey. That is her usp - stylish, vintage glamour.