GBBO - opinions?

[yawning801]

What are people's opinions on the new Bake Off so far? And yes, I know we're only a few minutes in. IMO the new presenters feel a bit like they're trying a little too hard to be Mel and Sue.

Opinions?

I've no issue with Sophie winning , she had a good week . I don't actually care who wins now. I don't think Kate should still be in but she does come across as very pleasant .

So pleased Stacey finally went. Schadenfreude I saw her smug bitch look when Steven came third in technical even though his was better than hers. She’s bumped along near the bottom for too many weeks and only won star baker and technicals by being the best of a bad lot when everyone had a duff week yet somehow thought she was great.

Kate’s a bit crap too and yet somehow is a finalist.

I don't know, for me it was a cake cladded with four pieces of cracked meringue with the detail piped in cream. Definitely not a sculpture.

You should never read too much into reaction shots when watching Bake-Off, it's well known that they edit them in later - that's why they make them wear the same clothes both days. For all we know, what people interpret as a smug bitch reaction from Stacey was nothing more than a grimace because she had cramp or something.

They didn't edit the picture earlier in the series where everybody else got up to celebrate and commiserate with the star baker and the loser and she was sat there with a face like a slapped arse .

Which episode was that?

I don’t get the Stacey hate. I thought she came across fine. Just desperate to keep in and very harassed! Was nice to see this for a change rather than boring cool calm collected all the time. Her hair bugged me. I sweat loads and go very red too especially if stressed but always tie my hair out the way as it’s cooler!

I’m sure they must film some of the Paul/Pru/Sandy/Noel chat after the judging because it’s just too much of a coincidence that they had a big discussion about how it was tasted that mattered more than looks then Stacey was gone with a decent looking showstopper compared to Stevens complete mess.

Kate’s alright. She seems to have survived longer than she should have though!! It was good week for her I felt.

I think Sophie will win. She’s been a bit of a non entity. Not much screen time and given her background I just expected her to be more interesting! I feel this episode was first she even make reference to her ballet/army days. Maybe the presenters didn’t take to her much!? I don’t remember seeing much banter as they had with some of the others eg Kate, Liam. It would have been funny to see her teach Noel a stunt fall or something since she’s training to be a stunt woman!

Overall I do like this season and the more to ch4 hasn’t really registered with me (I record and skip ads!) I really like Noel and sandy seems ok though she got a bit annoying with the tears on announcing the loose each time. I really like Prue. I hadn’t seen her before but like her manner. She seems fun but firm. She’s goos at getting her place with Paul too who can be a bit full of it and isn’t afraid to contradict him. I watched an old episode recently and as much as I hate to admit it Mary got on my nerves after getting use to Prue’s judging style this season.

Definitely a smug bitch face as opposed to trapped wind Ceto and I don’t know what else it could have been a reaction to whilst sitting in the technical judging line up. I definitely get the impression that there’s not a lot of love between her and the other contestants, whether or not she’s being unfavourably edited by the production team.

The thing with this is that someone doing consistently well without any drama or big slip ups doesn't make such good TV as someone who is the opposite. Sophie and Steven are mainly calm, get on with it and produce the goods.

Paul actually said that what Sophie produced for the show stopper was technically excellent - more than one type of meringue perfectly executed. Steven didn't bake his for long enough.

If Steven hadn’t got through to the final I wouldn’t have watched it.

mumdebump - Yes, I think that Kate has paddled along out of her depth for a long time now. She definitely should have gone last week instead of Liam (her "showstopper" was an embarrassment - okay, Liam's had melted, but at least he tried, and even in its collapses state it was more impressive than Kate's production). But I do like Kate - she seems a nice lass.

I really don't know how Stacy survived the "baking paper in the pie" incident. I've really wondered what has gone on behind the scenes this series (I've still enjoyed it though, and love the new team - they make Paul tolerable)

I think they (Ch4/the judges) have made a few mistakes along the way but overall it's been a great series.

The main mistake IMO is that we are going to have a final with none of the particularly likeable contestants - the finalists are all a bit meh TBH.

I liked Kate's rainbow and she'd flavoured the different colours. If her piping had been better it would have been more polished looking.

All three of them are capable and organised - it should be down to whose work is best, not personality.

I'd rather the judges voted through people who were good at baking as it's a baking show than people with winning/whacky personalities like big brother or something.

Exactly. At the end of the day, viewers can't taste the bakes and because they don't favour the "personalities" I trust P&P when they say something tastes good.

pear Thank you. Having a sofa day (RA flare) so will watch a couple today & see how I go. next to me

peat

Glad Stacey has gone. Not before time.

BUT if her showstopper was just 'flamingos leaning against a couple of puddings', as Paul said, wasn't Sophie's just a (badly made and badly cracked) meringue slab leaning against a cake?? I thought it was a bit of a travesty that she was so praised for it.

I like Kate more and more. She's ballsy, witty and self-aware, and she and Noel (who has blossomed) seem to have a real laugh together. I will be sourcing some of the Bellini flavouring she used!

Sophie and Stephen are both smug overachievers. I did feel for Stephen in the showstopper though. And he was funny when he said the little people in his basket were going to be 'not as small as Sandi' .

Sophie's going to win.

Oh I don't mean they should be put through just because of their personalities, I mean that they seem to have made some strange decisions some weeks (eg. the week Liam went) and that as a result they seem to have ended up with the less enjoyable to watch ones.

How Kate and Stacey got as far as they did has surprised a lot of people. They've certainly been flying by the seat of their pants!

I'm sorry Stacey went - she was my favourite. I definitely prefer her to Stephen and Sophie - though my heart did bleed for Stephen, when his chocolate basket melted.

I didn't dislike Stacey, but I do think there were stronger bakers who went before her, on the back of having a bad day which is what the competition is about I guess. I think any of them could win.

Prue seems to really like Kate - maybe her stuff genuinely tastes amazing?

We were gutted to lose Liam and rooting for Sophie now - although I also wouldn't mind Steven winning.

I'm surprised how much I have enjoyed this series - Prue seems a bit harder than Mary and in comparison Paul seems a bit kinder. I like the fact they don't always have to agree with each other as well. I will be sorry when it finishes (and I was gutted about it moving to C4 but the new team has gelled and the ad breaks are handy for going to the toilet & putting the kettle on )

I’m genuinely not bothered who wins this year... the move to channel 4 has made it meh. Other than Julia and Liam, the bakers haven’t been the high standard as previous bakers (Nadiya, Paul, Luis, Candice) have been.

But if I had to back a finalist, it would be Sophie.

Yeah I feel a bit sorry for Kate after liamgate last week and I do think she upped her game this week. I don't think she'll win as they always bang on about being consistent on finale day and she isn't consistent.

I think it's fairly obvious that sophisticated will win now. I like the fact that she is a bit mysterious. This week was the first time I'd ever seen a hint of nerves from her (shaky hands) but she pulled through and made it all look and taste great.