The Bake Is Back - the countdown to Great British Bake Off 2026 starts here

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Trailer for the new series just dropped - no transmission date yet though.

Anyone else excited to see how Nigella gets on as the new judge? A worthy successor to Pru and Mary, I think.

It's the shift from 'can really bake, likeable, personality an advantage' to 'will be good television, quite likes baking'. Not an improvement imo.

It is possible that, eg, Gabe is an utterly passionate baker whose portfolio of exquisite creations convinced the selection panel. But my money's on them widdling themselves with excitement on seeing 'drag/throuple' and then checking he knows how to turn an oven on.

I quite liked it but I am so obsessed, I could listen to people witter on about Bake Off for hours. I can see that's not going to have mass appeal though.

I wonder if they will bring back the souvenir cake once someone has actually left?

I think Danni is almost certainly ND and her 'alrightydoody' cheery stream of patter is her way of dealing with the world.

In fairness, if I had a temporary personality transplant and applied for GBBO, I would be weeded out within five seconds of the bit of the casting they do while being filmed baking, because I'd be snarling 'Get that camera off me and stop asking me questions when I've just curdled my creme pat or dropped my tuiles!' so I genuinely admire anyone who can bake competently and deal with the judges and presenters interrupting them and narrate what they're doing adequately for the camera.

(I suspect it's why there has always been a strand of medics who did very well, despite being very time-poor, because they are used to working under pressure while being observed and have dealt with endless assessments on the way to qualifying.)

I always remember what that ICU consultant baker in season 3, Danny Bruden, said on her blog about being in GBBO. That everyone involved in the show is very nice, funny, charming, and professional, crew and presenters alike, but ultimately, they're making a product, and you're not that product. You are just the ingredients, taken out and used for filming, and then put away again.

I agree. I aren't keen on Nigella and thought that would be my reason for not watching. Actually thought she was fine, but the mix of contestants is mad. It's not about the baking, it's all about the back story and personality.
I loved GBBO and have watched from the start but it's changed so much. I turned off during the final judging, and sadly won't be watching again.

I hated those bits - as bad as the adverts, but I did like Mel and Sue. Don't like Alison H, but she's way better than Sandi and Matt L. Happy to see Nigella - I think she'll get better as they settle.

What's happened to the extra slice? Does it have a new name and new presenters?

It's a new show called Second Helpings, presented by Judi Love and Jon Richardson. It was on at 10.35pm on the same day as the main Bake Off episode. I didn't watch it last night, so can't comment of the format or how it compares to Extra Slice.

Love Nigella but agree she was a bit wierd last night - I will put it down to nerves.

Surely there are some 50 something women in the UK that can bake and are funny, why do all the contestants have to be so off the wall? After the first 5 minutes I wasn't sure I could last a whole series.

We do have a 50 and a 63 year old woman, and a 67 year old man. That's better than some previous years when there were no older bakers. The really off thing is nothing between early thirties and 50, but 9 aged 21 to early 30s. There must be loads of 40ish bakers out there.

I think the issue is terrestrial TV being desperate for new young viewers. Bake OFF has a big youth audience, so they are definitely skewing it in that direction. Maybe they like a few older grandparent figures but aren't bothered about their parents generation?

I saw someone on the Reddit Bake Off group predict the "old biddies" in her craft group would struggle with the thrupple/drag element and thought - that's not very inclusive language, dear, is it!!

Danni to go first next week. Far too annoying, far too much airtime

I’d be very surprised if Danni isn’t autistic and I think she’s very brave to be in the tent. She really did think she was going home and when they were all sitting down at the end she was as white sheet with the surprise of still bring in the competition. Far whiter than she was earlier in the show.

I noticed that when she placed the top layer of her showstopper on the cake it was hanging off the back and I wondered at the time if it was deliberate or a lack of attention to detail. Did it contribute to her cake collapsing?

Is she annoying? Not if you look at her as being ND and this being a good opportunity to learn from her.

Did the green cake fall or was she pushed?
(Green cake's pronouns: she, cakey mccakeface?)
I suspect the judges were weeping with relief!
But I really hope Danni comes out of this ok and has support at home.
Just read previous post and agree with her bravery.

Nigella is being herself, she’s quite reserved. I like her.
If you go back to Nigella Bites days, that’s just how she is.
I got fed up of it last year but I enjoyed last nights.

I love Nigella, but otherwise agree…the days of Mavis from Barnsley, or whoever 😂 are well and truly over. Not really inclusive atall 🤷🏻‍♀️

Agree. To me, it was clear that her upper two cake tiers were much, much too far to the back. I commented on it to DM before it even started to topple. I hope she has support at home - the brief clip of her family life shown indicated a loving, close-knit environment, so I hope she will be OK.

I think she did herself a bit of a disservice by referring to her foraged plant cake batter as "bog water" several times (at least once in front of Paul), and references to "sticky willies" (which are the stuff of nightmare for me - I used to have a little Parson Russell Terrier who came back on a walk so encrusted with the little green b~st~rds that her fur had to be cut). Maybe she was trying to appeal to the innuendo-loving, but it was a bit over-done and doesn't do much to make the cake sound appetising.

I fully appreciate why they didn’t disclose Danni obviously is quite profoundly autistic but I do think it would have helped viewers to understand because without that context she did come across as incredibly annoying and awkward.

I found the scene where Gabe brought up his blue cake with a bejewelled jester hood on was absolutely toe curling.
It was like a comedy sketch from The Fast Show and I found Nigella becoming overcome by how symbolic and brave the mirror shite was to be incredibly performative.
That man is the opposite of repressed and brave, he’s more likely a product of never being told no and believing the sun shines out of his own fascinating magnificent arsehole.

Agree with PP about Mo seeming troubled but I wondered if he is a bit crippled with shyness and or neurodiverce , but I like him and I’m hoping he eases into it.

Profoundly autistic?! You think she is non verbal or has very limited speech? A very low iq? And has significant care needs requiring adult supervision at all times?! Seriously?!

I hate commentary or whether or not people might be ND. So what if they are or aren't?

The production have decided that she is a good enough baker to be in the show....I imagine her family are incredibly (and rightly) proud that she is on the show - I hope they don't stumble across uneducated comments like this.

I am very educated and professionally qualified when it comes to autism. Yes good on her for getting on the show but there is some responsibility on the part of channel 4 and the production team towards her, without knowledge of what to me is glaringly obvious she is vulnerable to mockery and ridicule.
it would be like putting the participants of Love on the Spectrum on a dating show without explaining their complexities and difference so that it can be openly acknowledged, understood and treated with sensitivity.

Sorry should have @UncleColmin this.

She isnt profoundly autistic. Do you even know what that means.

Its no ones business to 'disclose' any condition they have, what next people disclosing their crohns disease or early menopause?

And she might not even be autistic, she might just have extremely annoying mannerisms.

Oh I quite liked Danni! There’s obviously something a bit different there but she seemed to be enjoying herself. I’m not sure she’ll be in the tent for a very long time, Tom, Mo etc are of a different standard.

Oh my word I have just watched second helping. Could not be bothered finishing it- so dull.
No viewers cakes- which was my favourite bit - when they said "a cake of the family dog" then this thing with comedy teeth appears
so sad

As the mum of a 35 year old young man who has a diagnosis of Classic Kanners Autism (as well as Tourette’s, Bipolar Disorder and Epilepsy) and requires 2-1 round the clock care here at home with me I just want to say your rather angry post was uncalled for. It was also unreasonable and contradictory. People can’t have it both ways. People can’t be expected to be empathetic to those on the spectrum when there are people like you and the other poster who lambast them for absolutely nothing. If anyone ever said to me, what you’ve said to that poster in real life I’d tell them to take a hike (that’s the polite version)

Couldn’t have put it better myself!

Nigella certainly didn’t disappoint, I think she’s a great addition to the show, and I actually thought her and Paul were good together. I liked the fact that they didn’t agree on everything and she was as strong with her opinion as Paul always is.

Except that anyone with an eye for autism probably recognised Danni as being autistic from the moment she appeared on screen.