Great British Bake Off 2023

freshpopcorn

Well we've a return date and a new presenter.

miamee

Great, there should be a bit of fun with Alison and Noel! And I'd imagine she will get along with contestants quite well too

DvB

Really looking forward to this, real comfort TV.

freshpopcorn

Meet the bakers of 2023!

freshpopcorn

Anybody else watching?

Damien360

Watching here with family. Likeable enough bunch so far.

siblers

Some very impressive show stoppers and a nice enough crowd. Alison had a couple of funny moments so far, she's quite likeable

Sunny Dayz

A good start to the new series. I liked the new presenter, a little shouty at times but she strikes me as the type of person who would naturally have a loud voice. I liked most of the contestants, one or 2 I didn't warm to. I don't think they should have anyone go home on the first episode.

HeidiHeidi

A very likeable bunch this time! No obviously annoying ones - yet.

I fear I'm going to have very limited patience with Alison - that exaggerated accent, she could turn down the volume just a bit, the seemingly forced over-good humour (maybe it's not but always seems like it to me) - but hey, she's only one of 4, so I'll just have to put up!

Is that the first time they've given them the cake from the opening credits to make? Incredible if so! Great challenge, seemingly simple but then you have to do it perfectly - and the dilemmas over whether to leave the raspberry on or off 🤣

That foraging girl who did the sheep looks like an early front-runner - although I thought her sheep was a bit cartoony looking with the head and legs modelled from rice crispies, was delighted she didn't get star baker when others carved their whole animials from cake and went for the more realistic look.

And Tasha looks set to challenge them week on week with her unusual flavours - I hope she lasts the distance, she's very likeable.

The only downside is that between the storm and rain outside, and commenting on Bake Off, it makes me feel like winter is here 😭

TheIrishGrover

That was enjoyable. Nice bunch. Should have a bit of fun with a few of them. The new presenter is a bit hyper but she is on other shows and she'll get into the swing of it (Remember how nervous Mat Lucas was at the start?)

But the show lives and dies on the likeability of the contestants. They need to be personalities without being Big Brother trash. There have been a couple of years where the contestants were very competent but dull as dish-water so it's a fine line

freshpopcorn

Most likable bunch with years on it for me. Even the one I found annoying wasn't the worst.

miamee

That was a pretty good first episode, I always feel sorry for the first person to go home and to be fair they were all pretty good. No one had a disaster - at lest not a huge disaster!! There were a few that could have gone so will be watching for them to improve in the next episodes. I think Alison Hammond did ok although they harped on the beaver joke for a bit longer than necessary 🤣

.red.

Very good first episode.

I really think that nobody should go home on the first week, then 2 to go on the second.

Alison is LOUD, but likable, I'd say she could be great craic to have a few drinks with, but you couldn't be around her with a hangover.

DvB

Good first episode IMO. No issues with it at all, don't mind Alison Hammond either, she's a friendly type without being a smart ar$e. Looking forward to seeing how the series plays out.

expectationlost

Noel said to Paul very close, all good, and Paul agreed... when 2 or 3 of them didn't get their chocolate ganache right???

Though Dana was the weakest. Although Amos messed up his cake.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0929/1408180-noel-fielding-says-bake-off-became-too-complicated/

Well is this is true, and they're "going back to basics" even a little bit, then it's a hallelujah from me!

Jellybaby_1

Felt sorry for Amos, it just seems cruel to send someone home on the first week.

DvB

I really think, similar to strictly, that they should keep them all for the first week and give them all 2 weeks to show what they've got, then on the 2nd week send the bottom 2 across the first 6 bakes home. Its ultimately the same result but at least no one goes on the first week.

siblers

They're a very strong crowd this year. Even the weaker ones are good. Keith last week seemed like he'd be in a while, surprised he did so bad this week but he had no chance really of staying. He needed someone to have a complete disaster

Alison seems like she's getting on the contestants nerves, she's a bit intense

DvB

Thought the judges got it spot on this week, Keith stood out at the bottom & Tasha across the 3 bakes was the most consistent (her biscuits in the signature looked & sounded delish!)

Theres 2 or 3 standing out for me now that look most likely to win it, but then again, it only takes 1 bad week & you're done.

Sunny Dayz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121191943#Comment_121191943

Agreed. I think one bad week and you're gone.

Pistachio19

Wasn't happy with last nights decision. I thought, solely based on this weeks bakes, that Dan should have gone.

jasonb

I thought it was very close, but Dan did well enough in the Signature, poorly in the Technical, and poorly in the Showstopper. Abbi did probably the worst in the Signature, poorly in the Technical, and ok in the Showstopper. The basically both had two bad ones and one good one, but Dan did better in his good one (Signature) than Abbi did in hers (Showstopper).

freshpopcorn

Date change!

miamee

Oh! Unusual, what's on tonight I wonder. Thanks for the info @freshpopcorn :)

Meauldsegosha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121250259#Comment_121250259

England v Italy in a soccer match.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121250259#Comment_121250259

Football I suspect.

expectationlost

Paul said they were all under proved so that means that the show didn't give them enough time to do that task.

Thargor

Really shows what a disaster the Boards.ie "upgrade" was when you see the Bake Off thread in low single digit posts week to week, it used to be impossible to keep up with this thread...

I assume deaf girl is gone? Sad if so she was very likeable.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121256609#Comment_121256609

Agreed - all these telly threads are barely limping along, and they used to be such fun ☹️

Tasha isn't gone - she was ill last week, had to leave during the technical, so will be back next week and two bakers will be eliminated.

Sunny Dayz

Poor Tasha, she didn't look well. The sceptic in me thinks she pulled a sickie cos she didn't do well in the first challenge but she really didn't look good. And I do like her.

Lucky for the other contestants that there was no elimination this week as I think Saku and Christy were in trouble. There's something about Dan I can't warm to. I quite like Dana and Rowan. I literally only just noticed Josh last night, I don't remember him from any of the other episodes.

Sleepy

Mrs Sleepy is a huge fan so I end up watching this by default every year. Alison Hammond is a HUGE improvement on Matt Lucas who I've always hated.

Navy blue

I think Dan was a bit unlucky to not get star baker last night. His technical was the only one that was absolutely perfect and his showstopper looked amazing. I think the judges were nit picking a bit when they said there wasn’t enough baked elements in it. It was incredibly complex compared to everyone else’s and looked the part too. Dan is my favourite but they are all a pretty nice bunch. I think Christy could be next to go, she has had a couple of poor weeks. Though in fairness, her heart shaped box looked amazing.

I really like Alison on it, I think she comes across really bubbly and friendly. Don’t think she’s quite as annoying for the contestants as Matt Lucas was but it’s early days yet - that could change!

Poochie05

I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised at how much I like Alison, I thought she’d be really annoying. I had thought Ellie Taylor would be great, as she did well filling in for Siobhan on the Pottery Throwdown, but she certainly didn’t work out on the Professional Bake Off, so it just goes to show!

I can’t warm to Tasha, but I do like Matty and was delighted for him. I like Saku but she was lucky she got a reprieve this week as herself or Cristy had a bad week.

jasonb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121257912#Comment_121257912

Ha! My wife says the exact same thing about Josh, she keeps forgetting he's in it! :)

miamee

Ah poor Tasha was probably overheating in her jumpsuit on the hottest day of the year in a tent full of ovens...I'm feeling a bit nauseous just thinking about it myself! It's only fair that they postponed knocking someone out until next week when everyone is back. Definitely would have guessed that Saku or Christy would have gone in week 4 if Tasha hadn't been sick (assuming Tasha did ok on the technical and the showstopper)

siblers

Tasha got almost no airtime this week, she still looked quite ill. The right 2 went anyway

jasonb

Yep, she definitely wasn't herself and looked quite tired/down at times.

Was delighted to see Kristy do well after her bad week last week, always good to see someone bounce back, sometimes when they have a bad week they put so much pressure on themselves that the next week is even harder for them!

Baking wise the right two went, but as characters I found them funny so it's a shame they're gone.

Sunny Dayz

Cristy did really well in her bakes, I thought she would have been at risk of going last week had there been an elimination. She found her grove this week. I felt sorry for Rowan, I really liked him but this week didn't work out for him. Josh is the dark horse of the season IMO, quietly working away in the background.

RoryMurphyJnr

Delighted for Cristy, she had a great week. Alison is doing a great job presenting, working well with Noel and good with the contestants

Kalimah

Thought the right two went last night. I don't like Noel at all- inane comments to the bakers and those awful outfits. Alison is quite good I think. I didn't think I'd take to her at all.

DvB

Agree. Think they pretty much got all 3 decisions correct this week. Though if they had Christy say she'd love to win star baker one more time I'd have thrown some cake at the TV.

Have to say I really like Matty, he comes across as a sound bloke, hope he goes far.

miamee

Just caught up this evening...I think it was pretty obvious who was going to go this week, they both had a pretty bad run. Rowans showstopper pies were awful.

It's always sad to lose some fun contestants though. I find Saku funny and I got a few laughs out of Alison this week too.

Looking forward to next week!

lmahoney79

Really like Alison on the show.....Noel needs to go now please!!! He thinks he is much funnier than he actually is and just seems to annoy the bakers and get in their way. He's been doing it long enough now, they need to replace him for next year.

siblers

Cristy is turning into a bit of a headmelt with the crying . Why wasn't she criticised like Matty was for not producing a showstopping looking bake?

lmahoney79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121308478#Comment_121308478

She's really annoying me now.....its only cake!

Sunny Dayz

What was Cristy balling her eyes out for? Wasn't it just the outside that didn't go to plan. Couldn't she have tried to fix it or make up a different type of outside? I don't understand her melt down over it.

On the Bake Off things quite often don't work out, you need to be able to step back for a minute and reassess. (Says me who had limited knowledge of baking! 😁 )

Mam1996

Was it a bit strange that Tasha, wasn't speaking at all?? She said for fear of not having the vocabulary or something but even during the judging when she had spoken previously with just short phrases she chose not to. Am I awful to think that maybe she's using it to her advantage 🤔 Anyway Paul loves her so she'll be fine

lmahoney79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121309682#Comment_121309682

I was thinking the same thing, so if you're awful then so am I 😊

sammyjo90

I didnt find christies meltdown an over reaction. Has no one had anything gone completely wrong for them and cried when stressed out? I know i have and Ive not been overheated and in a competition 😅

She needed that mold to work out, otherwise nothing would hold up her layers. You cant just bung it in a bowl and set it in that. If your mold is fucked then thats your whole design gone. Plus like paul said, it was a very hot day and she ran the risk of not being able to set another one.

I too found the tascha thing a bit strange, but i cant comment on it really.

miamee

Cristy does seem to be very hard on herself and stressed out about not getting things exactly righ, she has high standards for herself but that is why she is so good. I really thought Matty was on the way out the door after his show stopper. Every one else did something really impressive but his was a bit plain in comparison.

I assumed when Tasha said she was more comfortable signing that it was because there were some complicated techniques being used in her bake and she wasn't confident in saying those words out loud. There is enough stress in the tent without putting pressure on herself to speak in what I am assuming is her second language or second mode of communication, sign language being her first.