Fall is finally here, and what better way to celebrate than by watching the coziest show on Netflix: “The Great British Baking Show!” Currently in its 15th season, “British Baking” has captivated viewers worldwide with its non-traditional approach to a culinary competition. Instead of creating a hostile environment as seen on shows like “Masterchef,” British Baking prominently features contestants who support one another, and it has relatively low stakes. After all, no one’s competing for a quarter of a million dollars here.
“British Baking” follows a formulaic setup every season, with the only main differences being new contestants and new themes, though some of the latter have been repeated; the first three weeks are always centered around cake, biscuits, and bread in that particular order. 12 bakers from all across Great Britain must face three challenges each week – the Signature, Technical, and Showstopper – in order to survive. The performance of each baker is judged holistically, however, a disastrous performance in the Showstopper preceded by solid showings in both the Signature and Technical can be enough to send someone packing.
Each challenge is announced by the presenters, who have varied from season to season. Comedian Noel Fielding returns for his eighth season, whereas TV presenter Allison Hammond is back for her second time hosting “British Baking.” As for the judges, Paul Hollywood has remained on the roster since the first season, and Prue Leith replaced Mary Berry for the eighth season. Whoever performs the best across all three challenges according to both judges is crowned Star Baker, and the baker who falls the shortest of their standards is eliminated. This process repeats weekly until three bakers remain, one of whom is ultimately crowned the champion.
As for this season of “British Baking,” it’s already off to a delightful start. Right out of the gate, Paul gives out a Hollywood Handshake in the Signature! And if that doesn’t speak volumes for the talent this season, most bakers rose to the occasion for the first ever Technical to feature a twist. Lastly, one Showstopper in particular truly stole the show; the challenge was to create an “illusion cake” and this baker absolutely nailed it. Thankfully there are still nine weeks left in the competition, and it’s never too late to join in on the action.