Great British Bake Off fans are left shocked after unexpected plot twist in first episode as they brutally brand key decision a ‘cop out’

There was an unexpected twist on the first episode of The Great British Bake Off as it returned to screens on Channel 4 on Tuesday night.

No one was sent packing in the first week while two are now at risk in the next instalment – while John was announced as the very first Star Baker of the series.

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith were back for the new series alongside hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding which kicked off as always with Cake Week.

The 12 contestants had to first make a loaf cake for the Signature Challenge, then they had to recreate a Battenberg for the Technical before heading onto the Showstopper to make an illusion cake.

This year’s bunch includes a fashion designer, paediatric nurse and farm manager who even made the shortlist for Young Farmer of the Year.

No one was sent packing in the first week while two are now at risk in the next instalment – while John was announced as star baker

But when announcing the results Noel said that in fact they would all be going through to the next round.

It came after Jeff couldn’t complete the last two tasks due to unexpected illness. 

Some viewers were glad they all get another chance to impress while other branded the decision a ‘cop out’.

Viewers penned on X: ‘sending no one home is such a cop out #GBBO.’,

‘So glad noone has gone yet. Don’t want anyone to go next week either though, such a lovely group again. Can we just keep them all for the full series please? #GBBO @BritishBakeOff.’,

‘Right call. I kinda feel like they should do that every year like with Strictly. One week isn’t enough. #GBBO.’,

‘until next week folks. keeeeeeeep baking #GBBO.’,

‘Glad they all made it through to next week! Would have been hard to choose #GBBO.’,

‘With Mike taken ill & absent from the remaining cake challenges, it was only fair that no one is eliminated tonight, but that opens up the threat of a double elimination somewhere down the line in the next week or 2. #GBBO.’,

‘#BakeOff really said yall wanted a twist eh?! #GBBO #greatbritishbakeoff.’,

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith were back for the new series alongside hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding which kicked off as always with Cake Week

Some viewers were glad they all get another chance to impress while other branded the decision a ‘cop out’

John looked delighted as he was made Star Baker in the first week as the others congratulated him

‘Right decision tonight on #GBBO. Always thought no one should go home in the first week anyway. P.S. that duck was awesome!’

The tent was also shocked by a very early Paul Hollywood handshake – as he was incredibly impressed with Illiyin’s cinnamon loaf cake.

The 31-year-old healthcare worker from Norfolk was given the handshake by the judge after the first round of bakes – but some viewers thought it was ‘too soon’ to give out.

They penned on X: ‘Handshakes are meaningless these days #GBBO.’,

‘too early for a handshake tbh sorry not sorry #GBBO.’,

‘#GBBO A Famous Paul Hollywood handshake far too soon.’,

‘Handshake on first challenge. Hollywood has gone soft. #GBBO.’,

‘A week one handshake? #GBBO.’,

‘Too early for a handshake #GBBO.’

The tent was also shocked by a very early Paul Hollywood handshake – as he was incredibly impressed with Illiyin’s cinnamon loaf cake

The 31-year-old healthcare worker from Norfolk was given the handshake by the judge after the first round of bakes – but some viewers thought it was ‘too soon’ to give out

They penned on X: ‘Handshakes are meaningless these days # GBBO.’, ‘too early for a handshake tbh sorry not sorry #GBBO’

She was left speechless after being given the handshake which he usually reserves for later in the series

The first show was left in chaos as one contestant – Jeff – was forced to drop out of filming for the first episode early due to illness.

But The Sun reported that one contestant had some bad luck and had to leave the famous tent due to feeling unwell on the first day.

A source told the publication: ‘The baker was gutted to miss out on the second day but they weren’t feeling up to it and so they had to sit it out.’ 

One of the new hopefuls is future dentistry student Sumayah, 19, this year’s youngest baker, who began by dedicating her first showstopper to a very special animal – her pet duck Pato.

In a first look clip at episode one of the new series Sumayah shows off her showstopper illusion cake and sheds light on its inspiration. 

The student-to-be, who is taking to the tent amid her gap year, replicates her pet duck Pato as she bakes an orange and balsamic strawberry cake.    

‘My cake is my pet duck,’ she tells presenter Noel Fielding. ‘We hatched him from an egg in like 2018. He goes missing sometimes, if he’s ever missing contact me!’

Showing a mock up of Sumayah’s ‘Pato the Duck’ illusion cake, Noel narrates: ‘Built from orange sponge, Sumayah’s feathered friend will contain layers of orange buttercream ad balsamic strawberries.’

‘You’ve got a pet duck, what’s he called?’ Noel asks the young baker, to which she replies: ‘Yeah Pato, it’s Spanish for duck.’

‘Is he Spanish,’ asks Noel, to which Sumayah replies: ‘I don’t think so.’

Noel continues: ‘Does he speak Spanish? Does he quack Spanish? What’s your favourite duck, is it the mallard?’

‘No my loves are really basic, I like runner ducks,’ Sumayah added.

‘Weird innit, you ever think about your life and think you’d be in a tent creating the body of a duck out of cake,’ Noel says.

The pair burst out laughing before Sumayah jokes: ‘I had nightmares.’

This year’s youngest contestant, Sumayah decided to fill her gap year with a sugary challenge before heading off to study dentistry next year.

Good at creating things from scratch, Sumayah is also a keen sewer and even makes her own clothes. 

The student admitted her audition for the show didn’t quite go to plan, yet she had a gut feeling she was destined for the tent. 

‘Despite my disastrous audition, I had this inexplicable feeling that I would get into the tent,’ she explained. 

‘Not because I was confident in myself, but more a sense of impending fear. I still can’t believe I actually got in, it’s unbelievable! 

‘I missed the phone call five times, so I was the last baker they notified.’ 

A fun new trailer for the hotly-anticipated next instalment launched on Channel 4 earlier this month ahead of the show’s return on Tuesday.

The trailer viewers were invited into an animated world which reflects the warmth and inspiration that The Great British Bake Off brings to its army of fans. 

Representing the sweet relief Bake Off season brings, hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond – in animated form as a cowboy boot wearing butterfly and leopard print clad Queen Bee, respectively – fly audiences from a stormy, angry sky into a bright and colourful joyful world of baked goods. 

Animated Alison and Noel fly towards the iconic Bake Off tent, passing jammy dodger flowers, chocolate log trees, iconic showstopping bakes from past series, all set against an idyllic backdrop of beautiful matte-paintings.

The trailer featured a very special guest appearance from a much-loved caterpillar, and pays homage to judges Paul and Prue, whose names are carved into an animated tree.

It was developed by Channel 4’s in-house award-winning creative agency 4creative along with Nexus.

The Great British Bake Off 2024 cast are pictured

Lex Down, Deputy Executive Creative Director, 4creative at Channel 4 said: ‘The Great British Bake Off is comfort telly at its best. We wanted our campaign to reflect this and deliver its own slice of cakey warmth and joy. 

‘We created pin badges adorned with bright baking illustrations and messages of positivity, and in a Great British Bake Off first created a fully animated world rich with detail that reveals different delights with each watch. 

‘Set to the smooth voice of Sammy Davis Jnr singing Sweet Gingerbread Man and with Noel and Alison as our metamorphosed guides, we hope to transport young and old, baking fans or not, to a place where the worst that might happen is a collapsing cake. Flour Power indeed.’

The Great British Bake Off kicked off on September 24 at 8pm on Channel 4.