What did you miss?
The Great British Bake Off was packed with drama as contestant Jeff quit halfway through, before Illiyin collapsed in the showstopper.
Jeff, a 67-year-old retired university lecturer from New York,who now lives in Yorkshire, was checked by medics before the technical challenge but then felt light headed and decided he was unable to carry on during biscuit week.
Then midwife Illiyin fainted in the tent under the pressure of building a gingerbread puppet show and was put into the recovery position by medics. Car mechanic Andy exclaimed: “They’re dropping like flies!” as another baker tripped and fell.
What, how and why?
Illiyin, 31, collapsed in the tent at the very end of the showstopper challenge. Medics rushed to her aid and put her into the recovery position. As her fellow contestants rushed to her side asking if she was okay they were told to “give her some space”. As Illiyin was led out of the tent, supported by medics, she murmured: “Handshake first episode, fainting second episode.”
The judges went ahead and judged her showstopper, which they felt was underbaked and missing the puppet figures. As host Noel Fielding carried it back to her bench, the contestants all gasped as baker Dylan fell over. He said: “I just went to get my water bottle and I tripped.”
Jeff missed the technical and showstopper challenges in cake week as he was feeling unwell. As a result no contestants were sent home. As he prepared to take part in the first task, a signature bake of coffee-flavoured Viennese Whirls, he told host Noel Fielding: “I’m very well, I wasn’t very well last week but I’m feeling a lot better today.” He went on: “I drink a lot of coffee, you don’t drink a lot of tea in the Bronx, no. If I drink tea my family ask me if I’m okay.”
As the other contestants hurried to make mint cream biscuits Jeff sipped a cup of tea, before declaring: “I’ve had enough I just can’t do it.”
Host Alison Hammond gave Jeff a hug as he walked across the lawn and away from his dream of becoming a Bake Off champion.
Judge Prue Leith enjoyed the coffee kick of his Viennese Whirls, but Paul Hollywood thought his biscuit was soft and underbaked.
Before the technical challenge was announced it was revealed Jeff had visited the show’s medics to be checked over. He returned to the tent to a warm welcome from the other contestants. He told them: “I’m still feeling a bit funny. I’m not a hundred per cent but I’m just going to do the best I can and work from there.”
But once the technical was under way, Jeff has a cup of tea and did not begin to make his dough along with the rest of the bakers. After being asked several times if he was okay he said: “I’ve had enough I just can’t do it.” He then walked out of the tent. Hammond joined him and asked: “You right, Jeff?” He told her: “Yeah I’m done.” Hammond put her arm around him and asked: “Do you want me to come with you?”
He later told the cameras: “I really enjoyed it. Everybody’s been wonderful. We got a great group of bakers in there. I didn’t make it very far but there you go. But it was wonderful. So thank you very much.”
What did viewers say?
Some viewers were not very sympathetic. One wrote on social media platform X: “Jeff approaches a technical bake how I used to approach PE. #GBBO” An another said: “Week one, ‘ill’ and week two, just quits? We’re not having that #GBBO”
But others felt more for Jeff having to quit. One tweeted: “Poor Jeff I hope he’s feeling okay #GBBO” And another commented: “Maybe Jeff just has really bad anxiety #GBBO”
Many more viewers were craving mint cream chocolate biscuits after the technical challenge after watching the technical challenge.
One posted: “Am I the only person watching #GBBO who is now craving a minty viscount biscuit?!?” Another shared: “I fancy a Viscount now #GBBO” And another confessed: “#GBBO #GBBO just dug out an old minty club biscuit from the back of the cupboard. it will have to do .”
Read more: Bake Off
What else happened on The Great British Bake Off?
For biscuit week the bakers were challenged to make Viennese sandwich biscuits for their signature bake.
Judge Prue Leith called fashion designer Christian an “alchemist” after her surprise at enjoying his lavender-flavour Viennese biscuits. Former nail technician Hazel, 71, had to remake her biscuits while running out of time, after her first batch went wrong. She then realised she had left the icing sugar out of her buttercream filling when the judges said they did not taste sweet. Car mechanic Andy was in tears after getting compliments from judges Leith and Paul Hollywood for his Viennese sandwich biscuits.
For the technical challenge the bakers had to make mint cream biscuits. The mint and chocolate combination was not popular with some bakers and Christian even asked host Hammond to taste his because it made him “gag”. Retail temp Dylan came bottom of the technical challenge, dental student Sumayah was third, week one Star Baker John came second and farm manager Mike won the challenge.
For the showstopper the contestants had to create a puppet show and theatre out of gingerbread. Christian created a rotating theatre about his life story, as a boy who did not fit in to finding his place in the bake off tent. Hollywood said it was “one of the best things I’ve ever seen in the tent”.
But Sumayah was named Star Baker. Retried nail technician Hazel was sent home. She said: “I did expect it. All my bakes have gone wrong.”
The Great British Bake Off airs Channel 4 at 8pm on Tuesday.