“The stale franchise needs to get back to its core values of cake and kindness”
The Great British Bake Off, Channel 4
“This series has been denounced in the Guardian for being unprecedentedly mean. And there is a moment where Prue snaps over Syabira’s fetish for tarragon. She even puts some in her blackberry butter cream, possibly because she’s working undercover for the Tarragon Marketing Board. “You can’t taste it,” says Prue. “Frankly, I’m glad because it’s delicious really.” If that’s unkindness, let unkindness reign unchecked. Paul says something about the sponge orangutan needing more work so he doesn’t look like an ugly ape with a hole in his face (the simian, not Hollywood), but that’s just fair comment.”
Stuart Jeffries, The Guardian
“The show’s thunder has been thoroughly stolen by Tony Adams on the dancefloor and Matt Hancock in the jungle. Could this unlucky 13th series at least end on a high? Partly, yes, by delivering a tense final and worthy winner. Next year, though, the stale franchise needs to get back to its core values of cake and kindness.”
Michael Hogan, Telegraph
“There was something to be said for a year in which the production returned to the old Bake Off stomping ground at Welford Park, Berkshire, for the first time since the pandemic. Reassuring warmth and comfort is probably not something to be sniffed at these days. However, the tendency in recent competitions for the contestants to pal up was on overdrive this year. They almost wished each other as much success as they wanted it for themselves. It’s a great testament to humanity but doesn’t make for exciting television when they spend half the time hugging each other.”
Ben Dowell, The Times
“The final of The Great British Bake Off was billed as a celebration of ‘our beautiful planet’. Let’s hope the planet was grateful, because it certainly wasn’t a celebration of dazzling bakery skills. For the technical round, finalists Sandro, Abdul and smiley scientist Syabira — the eventual series winner — were asked to produce a summer pudding bombe. ‘I’ve never heard of a summer pudding bombe,’ said Sandro. As it turned out, that wasn’t much of a disadvantage. The resulting bombes looked like they’d exploded prematurely: a collection of ingredients on a plate still waiting to be assembled.”
Roland White, Daily Mail
“Once again this series is proving that studios with audiences are no longer the best place for a searching TV interview. In fact, it was just before Grylls went on to a festival stage (filmed at a later date) that nerves prompted him to make his most striking admission: “If I’m honest, I feel I’m not as brave or as strong or as great as sometimes [I’m seen as]”.”
James Jackson, The Times
“Louis was as engaging and low-key as ever, but Bear is one of these people who speaks frankly and openly while giving very little away. Perhaps Louis’s toughest questions dealt with the suggestion that Bear’s TV programmes value entertainment over truth, but is that actually such a crime?”
Roland White, Daily Mail
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