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.

I don't do tiktok but does she seem happy with what was provided for her?

I don't either but you can still watch it. Yes, she is very happy.

Thanks for that post!

Thanks, that is a lot more encouraging, including the gap under worktop which wasn't visible in the shots - I only saw her side on when at the worktop.
I'm still surprised at the oven height but if there was a team member designated to help with lifting and carrying that is fair enough.

It would be interesting for the show to do a couple of minutes one week showing them on the main programme. Its a good opportunity to talk about big and little adaptations possible in the home.

I missed the Locations with a wheelchair user but the Beeb's Escape to the Country has (or had) a presenter who uses a chair and its interesting to see how many of the houses are not directly accessible to him, especially houses with the proverbial charming character! They also often talk about planning for accessibility with some of the searchers due to disability or long term conditions.

Maybe they could do a short feature in An Extra Slice (I forget its new name). A bit about adaptations would be interesting.

Probably when she gets ejected unless she reaches the final

The cake Shannon brought on Second Helpings looked lovely.

Is the fact that she and Tom were on this a sign that they both get pretty far in? I'd be surprised if either of them went next week anyway.

I’m happy to admit I was wrong about Nigella. I actually really like her in Bake Off.

I think it’s more that Jasmine was exceptional.

What’s happened to an Extra Slice? What’s the point of this rubbish? And I love Judi Love.

I've seen one, a few years ago, as a former contestant was giving a talk and baking demo. It was the same year she had been on the show and her cake looked perfect. Actually, I don't think there is any cake inside and the icing may be modelling clay?

From memory, I don't think Jasmine did particularly well in the first episode. She did start to pull ahead of the pack quite quickly though.

Generally, she was amazing in the precision of what she made, but she did play it very safe all the way through. I hoped she'd pull something more exciting out for the final bit it was basically a reprise of her greatest hits.

I didn't feel the standard is lower this year. A chocolate stout cake is fairly complicated and a Technical Challenge with no recipe at all! I'm sure, many years ago, they made something like a Victoria Sandwich in the first week. There are so many good bakers that the weaker ones really stood out.
Sewing Bee had a preponderance of very good, young contestants this year too.

The challenges weren’t easier exactly but not sure the outcomes were as impressive? (Although maybe I say that at the start of the season every year?) just felt the finishes weren’t as perfect a bit more amateurish than they’ve been in more recent years.

I like to bake and everyone says “ooo you should apply!” But I’m adamant that I’m not that good! This year I thought ye they’re about the same standard as me I think…

I agree!

They always start the show by saying that thousands across the country applied….

…..and I remember thinking that if these contestants are the best they found out of the thousands that applied then there is a problem somewhere 🤣🤣

They're not looking for the best bakers, though.

My gran never measured. I learnt to bake by feels not measurements.

It says on the GBBO website About the Show - The Great British Bake Off

"The Great British Bake Off is the ultimate baking battle where passionate amateur baking fans compete to be crowned the UK’s Best Amateur Baker."

so why do you think they're not looking for the best bakers?

Of course they are.

Why would they put people on the show who aren't good at baking in the first place??

Yes why would they?

But but but…

Why did X factor put the most talentless odd ones on the telly? Hmm. Mystery.

It's so easy to sneer from the sidelines. Have you even auditioned for Bake Off? I wonder how far you would get.

Alison said on Second Helpings - they can all bake, it's just a question of how they will bake in the tent. Even the audition process is intense and nerve wracking, designed to find people who can talk fluently about their baking while not totally losing it under the pressure of filming. Being in the tent must be another level completely - unfamiliar kitchen and equipment, constantly interrupted and under total scrutiny.

Yes, they are looking for an interesting range of backgrounds and a mixture of experienced and newer bakers. It's an entertainment programme, not your local WI show. I think they throw in some wild cards who are not as strong as others. But I'm not sure they are cynically setting up people to fail, it's more that performance under that level of pressure is very unpredictable.

Because it’s a baking-themed entertainment show. They’re casting for a range of diverse types of personalities every bit as much as they are on Love Island or Gogglebox, but they have to be able to bake, too.

Just finished episode 1. It’s the first time I’ve watched since it went to channel 4. I really enjoyed it. I was surprised to see that Molly didn’t have an adapted workspace but perhaps she is happier with what she has. They would have talked about it. Poor Danni watching the cake collapse like that!

I’m surprised at how young the contestants are, but then I guess nice older WI ladies aren’t as much fun to watch.

Sometimes I think they are definitely setting them up to fail. They often say this will be difficult to do in the time, meaning its almost impossible, even for a good baker. Things going wrong or diabolical results is more drama/better tv than 12 perfect samples of whatever they were asking for!

Apparently she does have an adapted bench and has been on TikTok talking about it, though I agree it wasn’t at all clear from the camera angles, at least in this episode. And I think an assistant?

There was a shot where someone was helping to hold something for her but I assumed it was another contestant.