The Great British Bake Off spoilers follow.
The Great British Bake Off returned tonight (September 24) with an elimination twist following a highly difficult technical challenge.
Hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond returned to the tent to preside over the next set of bakers, with the 12 hopefuls aiming to please judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
After three hotly contested rounds, in which John Mincher was named Star Baker, Noel revealed that nobody would be exiting the competition in the first week. However, he did caveat the news by explaining that two bakers could leave in next week’s episode.
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“Because [baker] Jeff couldn’t be here, we decided not to send anybody home,” Prue said. “There’s also the fact that I have never seen such a bunch of great bakers – I didn’t want to lose any of them.”
“Star Baker in week one – I don’t want to cry, but I’m so proud of myself,” an emotional John said following his success. “They’re good tears [though] – happy tears. Lots of margaritas to celebrate this one.”
Though fans didn’t have an elimination to talk about, there was still plenty of room for discussion following the difficulty of the technical challenge, which saw the bakers having to replicate a Battenberg cake following a blind tasting and without the aid of instructions.
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The challenge certainly got fans talking on social media, with one writing on X/Twitter: “I like the idea of the taste and bake BUT I would have saved this for later on in the competition rather than week one. #GBBO”
“A taste and bake challenge week one !!! Out the gap girlies #GBBO” wrote another fan, with a third adding: “taste and bake is wild #GBBO”
A fourth viewer echoed these sentiments, posting: “Taste and bake is an absolutely savage idea but I’m here for it #GBBO”
The Great British Bake Off and its spinoff Bake Off: An Extra Slice both air on Channel 4 in the UK. In the US, it’s known as The Great British Baking Show, and streams on Netflix.
Read more Great British Bake Off news on our dedicated homepage
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.