stirring the pot
Bake Off overhaul as Channel 4 gives show ‘back to basics’ revamp after flurry of fan complaints
THE GREAT British Bake Off is set to have a massive overhaul after viewers complained the last series got too complicated.
The Channel 4 favourite is an international success but is set to have a major makeover after viewers started dropping out over the last series.
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In 2022, Syabira Yussuf won the competition and took home the sought-after Bake Off cake stand after a string of bizarre challenges that fans complained "weren't even baking" or were "completely impossible" in the timeframe given.
Even Syabira got in a cheeky swipe or two to judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood during the show for how tightly the bakers had to turn things around.
When Paul told her during pastry week her spring rolls were "two minutes away from perfection", she quickly responded: "If I had two minutes."
She later added to the cameras she "didn't know how someone could finish in the 1hr and 20mins given".
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Among the daunting tasks put in front of the bakers was a "pie-scape" of multiple pies portraying a nursery rhyme, vertical tarts, floating islands, and an edible pinata lantern.
Taking the critiques on board, insiders told they were going back to basics in a bid to renew the show to its glory days for its upcoming 14th season.
“There is a realisation that last year’s show didn’t really work," they said. “We’re going to strip it back to basics – with a few twists.”
Richard McKerrow, a producer at Love Productions who create the Bake Off, had previously suggested the same thing, and had said: “We’re looking very, very, very hard at making sure that it’s as good a series as it can be.
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"So when people are criticising either the challenges have become too complicated or whatever, that’s something we take seriously.”
The upcoming series, which is due to start filming in the spring, will also see a new presenting line-up after Matt Lucas quit the series last year.
"After three series and 51 episodes, I am cheerfully passing the baguette on to someone else," he said at the time.
"I would like to give my warmest thanks and gratitude to everyone at Love Productions and Channel 4 and to Noelipops, Paul, Dame Prue, the crew and, of course, the wonderful bakers for welcoming me into the tent.
"I wish whoever takes over the very best and I can't wait to tune into the next series without already knowing who won!"
His replacement is yet to be confirmed.
The Great British Bake Off is available on Channel 4 On Demand, and will return for season 14 later this year.
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