Season 8 – The Great British Bake Off

Audience Reviews

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DCI B @DCI_Benway 04/25/2025 Great show! but with the move to Channel 4 the two 'comedic' hosts go more for stupid skits and gimmicks rather than adding anything to the show (thus the 2 stars). The actual 'baking' part and competition is wonderful, but the hosts nearly ruin the show. The show was wonderful back when hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins manned the helm. Noel and all the new hosts (Matt Lucas who's actually charming and funny being the one exception) only add annoyance and background noise (Mr. Spoon anyone?). On rewatches, we've learned to just fast forward through their painful interactions and ridiculously unfunny 'skits' they feel the need to inflict on us and the bakers who just want to get on with baking. Then there's the new overly boisterous host Alison Hammond with an overworked Brummie accent so thick you can't understand a word she says (which may be a blessing in disguise), and Noel who keeps hanging on for dear life like an old vampire clinging on for lack of other job prospects. I long for the days when hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins actually cared about what the bakers were doing and added actual value to the show rather than tired old Benny Hill-esc jokes from Mr. Spoon being a vampire and a morbidly obese host rolling off a countertop for the umpteenth time thinking it's funny. Like Skyler White on Breaking Bad, you want to re-edit all the channel 4 seasons to edit these hosts right out. They bring nothing to the show, us or the bakers but annoyance. I would crowd fund an effort to bring Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins (and some dignity) back to the show. See more 11/13/2020 Prue really brings down the show. She is petty, hyper critical for no reason, intimidates and misleads the contestants, she is pretty terrible and I hope her contract runs out and she is not renewed. I really miss Mary Berry. See more 10/16/2020 The GBB as it will be referred to is a simple cooking show that takes a kinder approach to the world of food critique game shows. The show has a very simple layout: every episode a mix of creative cooking and recipe based competition. This mix is not off base of different shows but It has a different magic to it that other cooking shows don't have. There is a series of guest judges that changes with each season but some are series regulars. They are either small celebrity personalities or chiefs in the cooking world. This show is able to present drama, while still not having any screaming or anger like every other cooking competition show. This is because of the calmness of the judges and the actual critical criticism that they give. The show is more like a peek into a small cooking class where people come to show their skills as well as learn more than what they did before. Unlike other shows that offer a cash prize or a lucrative job at a top kitchen this show offers a trophy as well as bragging rights, people aren't fighting for their future but are rather there to have fun and show their skills to a large audience. The only drama within the show usually isn't cooking based but rather small annoyances like some contestants helping one another. This dynamic has an odd effect on the viewer as these are real life things that you can totally relate to. Instead of colossal freakouts like in Kitchen Nightmares, there are people that won't stop talking to the person next to them, or someone who always needs to borrow things. It reminds the viewer of coworkers and classmates and makes the drama more realistic. This also makes you laugh out loud at some of the quirks people have. The progression of the show is much slower as well, it lets you build a connection with some of the contestants. This lets you see their personality as well as their cooking ability which has you rooting for them as well as wishing other contestants off the island. Another large distinction from other shows is, that instead of multiple dishes per show the GBB does only a handful and also shows you in detail what they are doing which has you guessing which contestant is going to win from the very start, up until the timer their dishes are prepared. Overall the GBB is a very good show, it uses realism and low stakes to create a fun environment which amplifies everything that happens. To elaborate, because things are so calm within the show when a judge is truly grossed out by something due to a contestant, it is devastating and shocking. This is a slow paced simple show that hooks you in from the very beginning and must be binged, ideally all at once. See more 01/15/2020 One of the most lovable groups of amateur bakers yet. Marred only by the severely mediocre example of "Pizza Margherita" used by Paul and Prue in the technical challenge during Italian week. See more 10/25/2019 I now know how to make a proper English breakfast. So much more delicious than IHOPS in America. See more Read all reviews

The Great British Bake Off — Season 8

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