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.

Glad I’m not the only one irritated by a few of them this year! I saw a poster say the quality was high this year but I dunno, they seem a bit useless to me, like they’re not taking it that seriously? Maybe it’s just the early stage… What a first episode though! Full of drama.

Nigella gets the ok from me! (I was nervous about her!)

not a fan of Second Helpings, I know the trend is podcast-style shows which I get but I was waiting for them to do something not just sit around the table chatting?? Perhaps it will get better as they have more to talk about. Love both John Richardson and Judy Love so still holding out hope!

Me too, I said it earlier in the thread, she clearly is. I was making the point that no one needs to disclose anything and someone may or may not be just annoying. In fact you can be autistic and annoying for sure.

But also the point, she is not profoundly autistic.

Just caught up. DS and I were second guessing what MN would say as a fun game. We were right.

Anyhoo, a s a side note - is it not throuple?? This is how I spell it in my head...

I so agree. Was cringing for Nigella when she regurgitated all that ‘profound’ shit 🤮

I think the comments about Danni are really uncalled for. I found her bubbly and sweet. She made a huge effort to be brave and positive about others after her own cake had collapsed and I have to say the line about "she has sticky willie in her" is one of the funniest things I have heard on GBBO.

I thought she was far more watchable and less annoying than some of the charisma-free or moaners (not saying there are moaners this time, but there often are). I think she is lovely.

Yes, I felt for her. I’d have been found weeping in the shrubbery. I think her chirpy ‘howdydoodydandy’ patter is almost certainly that of ND person who has decided on a way to present herself to the world that feels manageable, and has possibly amped it up for the stress of being filmed and talked to while trying to do something challenging.

There are some nasty comments about two lovely women that are each facing their own challenges and dealing beautifully with it. Very telling on those posters that have made those awful comments.

Can you quote the nasty comments please?

You can find someone irritating or dislike them even if they have ‘challenges’.

I’ve seen several unpleasant comments about Danni and Molly, but not sure whether it was this thread or the other one. Also some on Reddit.

I don’t think it’s nasty to comment on an anonymous forum that you find someone annoying.

I have taught many girls like Danni whose mannerisms grate on me. Do those girls have any idea that I find them annoying? Absolutely not, because I am both professional and kind. It doesn’t mean I’d choose to socialise with an adult version of them, though.

It’s perfectly possible to be both ND and annoying, just as it’s possible to be NT and annoying, or ND and not annoying!

To be clear, I found a lot of them annoying.. so I’m sure I’ve covered the basis of neurologically diverse and typical

Dislike Nigella - has she had her teeth done & struggling a bit with them? Maybe she's just trying too hard but who likes a cake that tastes of salt? yuk

Contestants just seem to be picked for good tv rather than good baking. Some of the bake off juniors have produced better cakes than Danni but however irritating she is I thought it was nice how happy she was when the other contestants got good feedback

I re-watched a bit last night with someone who was out on Tuesday and ended up really warming to Danni. I think she's just very distinctive and what in the past would have been called eccentric. It felt full on at first but is probably totally her natural personality, exaggerated by first week nervous energy. She just doesn't have a cool bone in her body. I hope she stays in and I think we might get quite fond of her. She probably doesn't have the skills to keep it vegan though, I've veganised a few Bake Off challenges in my time and it makes it so much harder to do anything sculptural or moussey.

How is it “uncalled for” to find someone annoying? Being nd doesn’t preclude anybody from being a pain in the ass.

I agree. She really gets on my nerves, to the point where I’m disinclined to watch it until she’s gone.

Thanks for that - what a pity - the viewers' cakes was my favourite bit as well. Don't think I'll bother with it. I like Judi Love, but I'll miss Jo Brand.

I think you're right. And she handled the toppling of her cake admirably.

I also agree with this. I have a feeling we might all be Team Danni by the end of the next episode.

If she keeps calling her cakes "she" I will never be Team Danni

I won’t be at all. Whatever she calls her cakes.

Nope.

Don’t like half if them but don’t like Clara - comes off as totally performing for the camera; Molly is OK but her voice gets on my nerves; Shannon reminds me of a male actor I can’t quite put my finger on, not warming to her so far; Tom/Nikki/Gary/Connie seem most likeable; Gabe is just so stereotypical gay drag artist and I hate nose rings; Mo is just so… flat; Yannis meh; Moyin seems alright. Worst and should have been sent home without question: Danni.
I thought Nigella was ok you have to give her time to find her rhythm.
But what have they done with the intro?!? Who is that girl?? The last one must be in her 20s now?

According to the Second Helping, it's a boy!

Because she isn't being malicious in any way, she isn't causing harm, she is making a visible effort to be kind and at some point you need to consider that perhaps the correct response is to realise you are a bit intolerant, not to criticise the person who isn't doing anything wrong on purpose.

I find some accents deeply annoying, but that's my intolerance; it doesn't make it not rude, unkind and uncalled for for me to say so just because I get irritated by it - and that wouldn't even be as bad as calling Danni grating, as it is large groups of people, not singling out an individual for something that is innocent and not intended to cause harm. Having un unpleasant face doesn't stop someone being ugly, but the truth of it doesn't make it a called for comment.

She is at least quite interesting. I'd be much quicker to judge someone nasty.

They don't eat full slices of cake. It's only a fork full of each. I could happily eat 12 forkfuls of sublime cake and go in for seconds. 😃I love watching Nigella dig in. I had to abandon celebrity bake off because watching judge Cherish trying no more than a crumb each bake was wholeheartedly and infuriatingly unwatchable.