Great British Bake Off and Other Thoughts

42 Replies

I’ve just been watching GBBO and shouting abuse at the TV screen. It’s amazing how worked up you can get about sponge cake.

After the change of channel following the last series I was prepared never to watch it again. I even thought I might not bother giving this series a chance. I didn’t really fancy Noel Fielding for the job because I think he’s a bit over the top, and I’ve never found Sandi Toksvig as entertaining as she seems to find herself. As she’s the same age as me and much more rich and famous it’s possible I’m in a minority here.

Having watched the series so far I have to say I can’t really tell the difference, despite the change of personnel. Despite my misgivings they seem to be doing a good job. Being a fan of light-hearted banter and cake this really is my sort of show.

One of the things that fascinates me, apart from the cake, is the careers that seem to open up for some of the bakers. Nadiya Hussein, the 2015 winner, seems to be popping up all over the place. She’s on TV, has a newspaper column, is an author and has been up for several awards. She’s even been a question on Pointless, and it doesn’t get much better than that.

Compared to the general run of TV “celebrities” she’s way ahead of most of them, as are all the GBBO winners.

It’s a tricky thing to judge, and I don’t have a clue how we’ve arrived a a situation where people can make a career from being stupid on TV. Despite my cluelessness it looks like we’re in for a long spell of exposure to people who went on Big Brother, TOWIE, Made in Chelsea and whatever other dross we seem to fall for.

I’m thinking of pitching an idea called Dancing on Thin Ice where a group of spurious celebrities is made to skate on a frozen lake as the spring thaw arrives. Depending on the audience phone-in results they will be given bricks to put in their pockets as the series progresses. It will be filmed on location in Russia, as they have the the ice, and the right sort of attitude to Health and Safety.

I’d better start rehearsing my speech for the award ceremony.

 

42 thoughts on “Great British Bake Off and Other Thoughts”

  2. tootlepedal

    I can’t control my fingers on a phone. I meant to say that being offered a good deal of money to act like an idiot must be hard to resist. I do it for free… but I will never become prime minister.

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  6. Julia Davis-Coombs

    Oh my goodness. Both my husband and I are sitting here in tears of laughter. Your two opening paragraphs had us nodding along in total agreement. We haven’t as yet caved in and looked at the new version, but maybe we will now. Ms ST drives us both round the bend. (The News Quiz is better following her departure.) 🙂

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  7. The Snail of Happiness

    In general I detest “reality” TV, but I love the GBBO. Anyone who can manipulate caramel to look like a rainforest, bread to look like a handbag or make a good stroop waffle deserves all the recognition they can get. Sadly, in the latter case, we have no candidates.

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      1. The Snail of Happiness

        There’s a local company here that makes them: http://tregroeswaffles.co.uk/ and there’s often a stall selling them hot of the waffle iron at local events. If you buy them in a packet, they are best if you place them over the rim of a mug of hot tea before eating to soften the toffee (it is important to own a mug with a diameter is just slightly smaller than that of the waffle so it doesn’t fall in).

  9. Clare Pooley

    Hehe! It doesn’t sound much worse than the things the I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here contestants have to put up with. I’d definitely make sure I had my speech word perfect if I were you! 😀

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