The Great British Bake Off
The Great British Bake Off is a British television baking competition, produced by Love Productions, in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, attempting to impress a group of judges with their baking skills, with a contestant being eliminated in each round, and the winner being selected from the contestants who reach the finals. The first episode was aired on 17 August 2010, with its first four series broadcast on BBC Two, until its growing popularity led the BBC to move it to BBC One for the next three series. After its seventh series, Love Productions signed a three-year deal with Channel 4 to produce the series for the broadcaster. However, BBC Studios still owns the global distribution rights to the show, which are set for renewal in 2028.
The programme was originally presented by Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, with judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. Following its move to Channel 4, the current presenters are Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, with Hollywood and Prue Leith as the judges. In chronological order, the winners are Edd Kimber, Joanne Wheatley, John Whaite, Frances Quinn, Nancy Birtwhistle, Nadiya Hussain, Candice Brown, Sophie Faldo, Rahul Mandal and David Atherton.
The series is credited with reinvigorating interest in baking throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, with shops in the UK reporting sharp rises in sales of baking ingredients and accessories. Many of its participants, including winners, have gone on to start a career based on bakery, while the BAFTA award-winning programme has spawned a number of specials and spin-off shows: a celebrity charity series in aid of Sport Relief/Comic Relief or Stand Up to Cancer; Junior Bake Off for young children ; after-show series '; and ' for teams of pastry chefs.
The format of the series is used as the basis for two BBC Two series, The Great British Sewing Bee and The Great Pottery Throw Down. Under the title The Great British Baking Show, the series has also been shown in the United States and Canada. It also has appeared in other countries, and the format has been sold to television producers globally, where local versions are made.
Background
Development
The baking competition was conceived by producer Anna Beattie after she spoke to a friend who had seen 'bake-offs' in America. Beattie was also inspired by the classic English village fête baking competitions; she said: "I loved that idea of village fetes and an old-fashioned baking competition with people who only wanted to bake a good cake." However, Beattie failed to interest any channel in the idea for four years.In early 2009, they pitched the idea to Janice Hadlow, then controller of BBC Two. The pitch was successful, and Hadlow and Commissioning Editor Charlotte Moore commissioned the programme, which was then developed over the next six months. The development team first selected Mary Berry as a judge, and following an audition Paul Hollywood was also appointed. Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc were approached to be presenters of the show. Reproducing the surroundings of the English village fête, the series is filmed in bunting-draped marquees in scenic gardens.
Broadcast and personnel changes
On 17 August 2010, the first episode of The Great British Bake Off was shown on BBC Two. It stayed on BBC Two for four years, grew in popularity and became the most popular programme on that channel. In its fifth series it was moved to BBC One where it stayed for three years. It was the most-watched programme on British television in 2015 and 2016. Following extended negotiations, Love Productions announced that the seventh series of the show would be the last broadcast by the BBC. On 12 September 2016, Love agreed to a three-year deal to broadcast the show on Channel 4. Giedroyc and Perkins subsequently announced that they would not be returning when the show moves to its new network. On 22 September, Berry announced that she would also be leaving the show when it moved to Channel 4, while Hollywood later announced he would stay. In March 2017, it was announced that Prue Leith would join Hollywood as a judge, while Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig would take over as presenters. After 3 years presenting the show, Toksvig announced her departure in 2020, to be replaced by Matt Lucas.Format
The programme operates on a weekly elimination process to find the best all-around baker from the contestants, who are all amateurs. The applicants to the show are assessed by a researcher, followed by an audition in London with two of their bakes. They then undergo a screen test and an interview with a producer. A second audition involves the applicants baking two recipes for the judges in front of the cameras. Ten contestants were chosen for the first series, twelve for the following two series, thirteen for the fourth and tenth, and twelve from series five to series nine.In each episode, the amateur bakers are given three challenges based on that week's theme: a signature bake, a technical challenge, and a show-stopper. The three challenges take place over two days, and the filming takes up to 16 hours a day. The contestants are assessed by the judges who then choose a "Star Baker" for the week, and a contestant is also eliminated although if the contestant numbers in certain years are not even or there is a non-elimination a week before, then two bakers may be eliminated. In the final round, three bakers are left and a winner is chosen from the three.
; Signature Challenge: This challenge is for the amateur bakers to show off their tried-and-tested recipes for bakes they might make for their friends and family.
; Technical Challenge: This challenge requires enough technical knowledge and experience to produce a certain finished product when given only limited – or even minimal – instructions. The bakers are all given the same recipe and are not told beforehand what the challenge will be. The finished products are judged blind and ranked from worst to best. They place their bakes behind the person’s photo.
; Showstopper Challenge: This challenge is for the bakers to show off their skills and talent. The judges favour a bake that has a professional appearance but is also outstanding in flavours.
In the first series, the location of the cast and crew moves from town to town each week, but starting from the second series, the competition is held in one location in a specially constructed marquee. Interspersed in the programme are the background of the contestants as well as video vignettes on the history of baking. What each baker intends to bake during a particular challenge is illustrated using animated graphics. These graphics have been created by illustrator Tom Hovey since the show's inception in 2010.
Series overview
| Series | Episodes | Premiere | Finale | Winner | Runners-up | Average UK viewers | Timeslot | Channel |
| 1 | 6 | 17 August 2010 | 21 September 2010 | Edd Kimber | Miranda Gore Browne | 2.77 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 1 | 6 | 17 August 2010 | 21 September 2010 | Edd Kimber | Ruth Clemens | 2.77 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 2 | 8 | 14 August 2011 | 4 October 2011 | Joanne Wheatley | Holly Bell | 4.00 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 2 | 8 | 14 August 2011 | 4 October 2011 | Joanne Wheatley | Mary-Anne Boermans | 4.00 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 3 | 10 | 14 August 2012 | 16 October 2012 | John Whaite | Brendan Lynch | 5.00 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 3 | 10 | 14 August 2012 | 16 October 2012 | John Whaite | James Morton | 5.00 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 4 | 10 | 20 August 2013 | 22 October 2013 | Frances Quinn | Kimberley Wilson | 7.35 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 4 | 10 | 20 August 2013 | 22 October 2013 | Frances Quinn | Ruby Tandoh | 7.35 | Tuesday 8:00pm | BBC Two |
| 5 | 10 | 6 August 2014 | 8 October 2014 | Nancy Birtwhistle | Luis Troyano | 10.04 | Wednesday 8:00pm | BBC One |
| 5 | 10 | 6 August 2014 | 8 October 2014 | Nancy Birtwhistle | Richard Burr | 10.04 | Wednesday 8:00pm | BBC One |
| 6 | 10 | 5 August 2015 | 7 October 2015 | Nadiya Hussain | Ian Cumming | 12.50 | Wednesday 8:00pm | BBC One |
| 6 | 10 | 5 August 2015 | 7 October 2015 | Nadiya Hussain | Tamal Ray | 12.50 | Wednesday 8:00pm | BBC One |
| 7 | 10 | 24 August 2016 | 26 October 2016 | Candice Brown | Andrew Smyth | 13.85 | Wednesday 8:00pm | BBC One |
| 7 | 10 | 24 August 2016 | 26 October 2016 | Candice Brown | Jane Beedle | 13.85 | Wednesday 8:00pm | BBC One |
| 8 | 10 | 29 August 2017 | 31 October 2017 | Sophie Faldo | Kate Lyon | 9.29 | Tuesday 8:00pm | Channel 4 |
| 8 | 10 | 29 August 2017 | 31 October 2017 | Sophie Faldo | Steven Carter-Bailey | 9.29 | Tuesday 8:00pm | Channel 4 |
| 9 | 10 | 28 August 2018 | 30 October 2018 | Rahul Mandal | Kim-Joy Hewlett | 9.30 | Tuesday 8:00pm | Channel 4 |
| 9 | 10 | 28 August 2018 | 30 October 2018 | Rahul Mandal | Ruby Bhogal | 9.30 | Tuesday 8:00pm | Channel 4 |
| 10 | 10 | 27 August 2019 | 29 October 2019 | David Atherton | Alice Fevronia | 9.24 | Tuesday 8:00pm | Channel 4 |
| 10 | 10 | 27 August 2019 | 29 October 2019 | David Atherton | Steph Blackwell | 9.24 | Tuesday 8:00pm | Channel 4 |
Series 1 (2010)
Series 1 of The Great British Bake Off saw ten home bakers take part in a bake-off to test their baking skills as they battled to be crowned the Great British Bake Off's best amateur baker. Each week the nationwide tour saw the bakers put through three challenges in a particular discipline. The rounds took place in various locations across the UK, with the final round being held at Fulham Palace, London.The three finalists were Ruth Clemens, Miranda Gore Browne, and Edd Kimber. On 21 September 2010, Edd Kimber was crowned the best amateur baker.
Series 2 (2011)
The number of amateur baker contestants increased to twelve for the second series. Unlike Series 1, this year The Great British Bake Off stayed in one location – Valentines Mansion, a 17th-century mansion house in Redbridge, London.The finalists were Holly Bell, Mary-Anne Boermans, and the winning contestant Joanne Wheatley.
Series 3 (2012)
The third series of The Great British Bake Off began on 14 August 2012. The series was filmed at Harptree Court in East Harptree, Somerset.The finalists were Brendan Lynch, James Morton and John Whaite, the last of whom won the final in a surprise result.
In the U.S., the third series was broadcast as season 5 on PBS, and on Netflix as The Great British Baking Show: The Beginnings.
Series 4 (2013)
The fourth series of The Great British Bake Off started on 20 August 2013 on BBC Two. The series was again filmed at Harptree Court in East Harptree, Somerset. The final was won by Frances Quinn, with Ruby Tandoh and Kimberley Wilson as runners up.In the U.S., the fourth series was broadcast as season 2 on PBS, and on Netflix as Collection 2.
Series 5 (2014)
The fifth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 6 August 2014 on BBC One. This series was filmed at Welford Park in Berkshire. There were twelve bakers taking part. Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood returned as judges, whilst Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc continued to present the series. Richard Burr was awarded the largest number of star baker designations of any series so far but was beaten by Nancy Birtwhistle in the final.A spin-off show , hosted by comedian Jo Brand on BBC Two, was also launched as a companion series this year. Each episode was broadcast two days after the main show but later moved to the same night. The show includes interviews with eliminated contestants.
In the U.S., the fifth series was broadcast as season 1 on PBS, and on Netflix as Collection 1.
Series 6 (2015)
The sixth series began on 5 August 2015 on BBC One, again from Welford Park in Berkshire. Spin-off show returned for a second series, with Jo Brand as host. This series was won by Nadiya Hussain, with Ian Cumming and Tamal Ray as runners up.In the U.S., the sixth series was broadcast as season 3 on PBS, and on Netflix as Collection 3.
Series 7 (2016)
The seventh series began on 24 August 2016 on BBC One, once again from Welford Park in Berkshire, a later than usual start following the BBC's coverage of the Olympic Games. This series was won by Candice Brown, with Jane Beedle and Andrew Smyth as runners up.In the U.S., the seventh series was broadcast as season 4 on PBS, and on Netflix as Collection 4.
Series 8 (2017)
The eighth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 29 August 2017. This is the first series of The Great British Bake Off to be broadcast on Channel 4 following its move from the BBC. The series features new hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, and new judge Prue Leith along with returning judge Paul Hollywood. This series was won by Sophie Faldo, with Kate Lyon and Steven Carter-Bailey finishing as runners-up.The eighth series is broadcast on Netflix as Collection 5.
Series 9 (2018)
The ninth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 28 August 2018.On 30 October 2018, Sheffield University researcher Rahul Mandal, from Rotherham, was announced as the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2018. The runners-up were Ruby Bhogal and Kim-Joy Hewlett.
The ninth series is broadcast on Netflix as Collection 6.
Series 10 (2019)
The tenth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 27 August 2019. On 29 October 2019, David Atherton was announced as the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2019, becoming the first winner never to have won Star Baker during the competition.The tenth series is broadcast on Netflix as Collection 7.
Incomplete bakes and other incidents
Periodically, accidents and other errors have influenced the results of a round of judging. Several have had a significant impact on what a baker presents, notably:- Presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins have accidentally interfered with several bakes. In Series 4, Sue leaned on Howard Middleton's English Muffins in the technical challenge and Series 6, she broke Nadiya Hussain's biscuit lid in the showstopper challenge.
- In Series 2, Robert Billington accidentally dropped his tiered showstopper while applying finishing touches to the cake. Both judges and presenters came to his aid to salvage the bottom tier of his cake. He was able to present the incomplete showstopper as a single-tiered cake.
- In Series 3, John Whaite was unable to complete his bake after he suffered a severe cut to his finger on the food processor. He tried to continue working on his strudel wearing a rubber glove, but the bleeding required medical attention, including assistance from Dani, who left her bake to help him. As a result, John had to abandon the last bake, and no one was eliminated that week.
- In Series 4, contestant Deborah Manger accidentally used Howard Middleton's custard instead of her own. As a result, Howard was forced to use Deborah's custard, and this was taken into account by the judges, who judged the trifles and custards individually.
- In Series 5, during the Baked Alaska challenge, Iain Watters's ice cream melted on a very hot day, as did that of several other bakers. He threw his ice cream into the bin in frustration and left the tent. He returned shortly after, and as he had no cake for judging, he was disqualified from the competition. The event that led to his departure provoked extreme anger from the viewers, who believed the interference of Diana Beard was the reason his ice cream melted.
- In Series 9, one of contestant Rahul Mandal's empty storage jars burst from the heat within the tent and glass covered the workbench and potentially contaminated the mixtures. The production team had to dispose of all of his mixtures and clear his station. He was then given 15 extra minutes after the other finalists had finished as this was the exact amount of time he had lost. His bake was then judged with equal scrutiny as the others.
''The Great Christmas/Festive Bake Off''
| Series | - | - |
| Series | ||
| 2016.1 | Mary-Anne Boermans | Cathryn Dresser, Ali Imdad and Norman Calder |
| 2016.2 | Chetna Makan | Janet Basu, James Morton and Howard Middleton |
| 2017.1 | Paul Jagger | Beca Lyne-Pirkis, Selasi Gbormittah and Val Stones |
| 2017.2 | Rav Bansal | Rob Billington, Sandy Docherty and Benjamina Ebuehi |
| 2018.1 | Jane Beedle | Andrew Smyth, Flo Atkins and Liam Charles |
| 2018.2 | Steven Carter-Bailey | Kate Henry, Tamal Ray and Candice Brown |
| 2019.1 | Briony Williams | Tom Hetherington, Yan Tsou and Terry Hartill |
| 2019.2* | Saoirse-Monica Jackson | Dylan Llewellyn, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, Nicola Coughlan and Siobhan McSweeney. |
- The participants were the cast of BAFTA-nominated Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls.
Reception
Critical reception
The early reviews for the first series were mixed. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian wondered if "competitive baking a contradiction in terms" and found the proceedings humourless. Iain Hollingshead of The Daily Telegraph was scathing, describing the presenters as "annoying", the judge Paul Hollywood as looking "sinister without being interesting", and that the audience would be so bored that they "could certainly forgive the cameraman if he were to commit hara-kiri in a giant pool of egg and flour."However, reviews from the later series were more positive. Andrew Collins of The Guardian called it "the nicest show on television" and judged it the best TV programme of 2012. Rachel Ward of The Daily Telegraph thought the programme "had just the right consistency of mouth-watering morsels, good humour, and fascinating history", while Tom Sutcliffe of The Independent considered the contest "perfectly baked". Meredith Blake of Los Angeles Times wrote that the show is "Escapist entertainment at its sweetest."
Bake Off was moved to Channel 4 in 2017, and reviews of the programme on the channel were largely positive, although a few felt that it did not compare well to the BBC version. Mark Lawson of The Guardian described the programme on Channel 4 as "both exactly the same but also just subtly different enough", and that "only someone desperate to dislike the re-plated show could argued that has soured, spoiled or binned its recipe". Michael Hogan of The Telegraph thought that "Mary, Mel and Sue might be gone but the show's recipe remains as winning as ever. The four Cs – chemistry, camaraderie, comedy, cakes – were all present and correct." Anna Leszkiewicz of the New Statesman however considered that while the format had been left largely unchanged and the contestants "irresistibly likeable", "every single change to the show has been for the worse".
Cultural impact
Bake Off is credited with spurring an interest in home baking, with supermarkets and department stores in the UK reporting sharp rises in sales of baking ingredients and accessories. The show is also credited with reviving the Women's Institute, whose membership reached its highest level since the 1970s. Between 2010 and 2013, the Bake Off effect had seen membership grow by a quarter to over 211,000. It was the largest impact on membership since the release of the 2003 British comedy film Calendar Girls, starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, where a group of middle-aged Yorkshire women produced a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia Research under the auspices of the Women's Institutes. Ruth Bond, chairwoman of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, said Bake Off has inspired women to take up baking by ‘taking away the fear factor’ and making it look fun. The show also boosted the sales of bakery books and the number of baking clubs, and independent bakeries also showed an increase. According to one analyst, more than three-fifths of adults have baked at home at least once in 2013 compared with only a third in 2011.TV ratings
The first series of The Great British Bake Off premiered in August 2010 with moderate ratings of just over 2 million viewers for its first episode. This was enough to place it in BBC Two's top ten for that week, and over the series the audience grew to over three million, with the semi-final and final both achieving first place in BBC Two's weekly ratings. During the second series, the ratings gradually increased, and it became a surprise hit with nearly 4 million watching each episode. Week two was the last time that the show was out-rated by another BBC Two programme in the same week ; from then until the show's move to BBC One, every competition episode would be the channel's number one rated programme of the week. By its final episode it had averaged 4.56 million viewers, peaking at 5.1 million in its last 15 minutes.The ratings continued to strengthen in the third series, and the show began to beat its competition in its timeslot. The final of the series where John Whaite was crowned the winner saw its highest rating yet, with an average of 6.5 million viewers that peaked at 7.2 million, which made it the second highest-rated BBC Two-originated show after Top Gear since at least 2006. The fourth series achieved some of the highest ratings seen on BBC Two. The viewer count for its premiere episode was more than two million higher than that of the previous series, while the final episode was seen by 9.1 million viewers at its peak, more than twice the number of viewers on BBC One and ITV. The final episode is the most-watched show on BBC Two since the present ratings system was introduced in 2002, beating the previous record set by Top Gear. As a result of its high ratings, the show was moved to BBC One.
After its move to BBC One, the opening episode was watched by over 7 million viewers according to overnight figures, beating the figure of 5.6 million for the opening episode of the previous year. the Bingate controversy surrounding episode four helped the show gain its biggest ever audience of 10.3 million viewers, with 2 million people who watched it on BBC iPlayer. The final of the show gained an overnight viewing figure of 12.29 million, then the highest viewing figure of the year for a non-sporting event on UK TV. In the following year, the top ten ratings for 2015 was also dominated by The Great British Bake Off, with seven of the year's ten most-watched television programmes being episodes of the show, topped by the final episode with 15.05 million viewers. In the last series on the BBC in 2016, nine of the top ten most-watched programmes of the year were episodes of the show, with 16.03 million viewers watching the finale.
The first series broadcast by Channel 4 opened with average viewing figures of 5.8 million, rising to 6.5 million to include those watching on Channel 4+1, and 9.46 million for the 7-day rating. Although the overnight figure was the lowest for an opening episode since 2013, it was Channel 4's biggest audience since the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics. This series attracted an average audience of 9 million viewers on Channel 4.
Controversies
Product placement sanction
In September 2012, production company Love Productions was sanctioned by the BBC for product placement of Smeg fridges. The issue came to light after a viewer wrote to the Radio Times complaining of "blatant product promotion". After an investigation, the BBC said Love Production's loan agreement with Smeg did not meet editorial guidelines and was being revised for the third series, and that appropriate retrospective hire payments would be made. The BBC asked Smeg to remove a notice from its website promoting its association with the show, which it did.Favouritism
During the fourth series allegations arose regarding Paul Hollywood's favouritism toward Ruby Tandoh, resulting in personal attacks against Tandoh including by the chef Raymond Blanc. Both Hollywood and Tandoh denied the accusation.Late in the ninth series, allegations of judges' favouritism toward Rahul Mandal arose among a small group of fans loyal to another baker, after judges gave Mandal compensatory time to complete his task. A shattered glass jug forced Mandal to stop and rendered his bake in progress unsafe. The producers awarded Mandal the time he lost while his station was cleaned, after which he started his bake again from the beginning.
Baked Alaska controversy ("Bingate")
In the fourth episode of the fifth series, there was controversy around the elimination of contestant Iain Watters. During the final showstopper round contestants were tasked with producing a Baked Alaska. Iain's ice cream was shown as having not set and in a show of frustration he threw his bake in the bin. The editing of the show suggested that another contestant, Diana Beard, had caused the failure by removing the ice cream from a freezer, and the perceived "sabotage" resulted in an uproar on social media networks. However, unseen footage broadcast in the accompanying programme An Extra Slice shows Luis holding the large floor freezer that contained Iain's ice cream open as he piped the sides of his own baked Alaska, while Mel warns him to pipe quickly and close the freezer. Later in the episode, when Iain removes his ice cream to begin the next step of his dish, it is still quite soft, indicating it went into the freezer he shared with Diana without being completely frozen. Various members of the cast posted comments in support of Diana and a BBC spokesman later issued a statement that "Diana removing Iain's ice cream from the freezer for less than a minute was in no way responsible for Iain's departure."More than 800 complaints were lodged with the BBC over the incident and some also complained to the communication watchdog Ofcom.
Use of innuendo
A number of viewers complained to the BBC feedback show Points of View in the fifth series about the "constant smutty remarks" from the presenters Mel and Sue. This series was seen as having more innuendos than previous ones; some reviewers noted the "extra pinch of saucy spice" and "the increasingly filthy-minded hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins". The series 3 winner John Whaite however argued that innuendo is part of what made the show a success, whilst judge Paul Hollywood described the innuendos as banter in the spirit of the Carry On films and is a part of British culture, a view shared by others.Clones, legal challenges and move to Channel 4
The success of The Great British Bake Off led to the BBC commissioning many other series closely following the format from Love Productions for example The Great British Sewing Bee and The Great Pottery Throw Down. However, when the 2014 series Hair using the same format was produced in house by the BBC, Love Productions responded by making preparations to sue the BBC for infringing their copyright. Although the matter was kept quiet, with the BBC settling out of court and compensating Love Productions, the matter soured relations between the BBC and Love Productions. In September 2016, it was announced that the BBC had lost the broadcast rights of the show to Channel 4. Channel 4 offered £25 million for the show outbidding the £15 million offered by the BBC. In January 2017 the BBC waived its rights to keep the programme off the air until 2018, and wished the programme "well for the future".Accidental revealing of Series 8 winner
On 31 October 2017, judge Prue Leith accidentally revealed the winner of Series 8 on Twitter twelve hours before the finale was due to air. This caused uproar among many fans of the show. She quickly deleted the tweet and apologised to the fans who saw it. The first episode of Series 9 poked fun at the incident by having hosts Toksvig and Fielding dress as Marty McFly and Doc Brown from Back to the Future and travel back in time via a DeLorean time machine to stop Leith from tweeting out the season's winner.Awards and nominations
The Great British Bake Off was nominated for a Rose d'Or in the Lifestyle section of the 2012 competition and won. The programme has been nominated a number of times in various categories for the BAFTA awards and won in 2012, 2013, and 2016. It also won two 2015 National Television Award for Skills Challenge Show.| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Results | |
| 2012 | Rose d'Or | Lifestyle | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2012 | BAFTA TV Awards | Features | Anna Beattie, Andy Devonshire, Simon Evans, Richard McKerrow | align="center" | |
| 2012 | BAFTA TV Awards | YouTube Audience Award | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2013 | BAFTA TV Awards | Features | Anna Beattie, Kieran Smith, Amanda Westwood, Scott Tankard | align="center" | |
| 2013 | BAFTA TV Awards | Radio Times Audience Award | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2013 | National Television Award | Factual Entertainment | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2014 | BAFTA TV Awards | Features | Anna Beattie, Amanda Westwood, Samantha Beddoes, Simon Evans | align="center" | |
| 2014 | National Television Award | Factual Entertainment | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2015 | BAFTA TV Awards | Features | Anna Beattie, Samantha Beddoes, Andy Devonshire, Simon Evans | align="center" | |
| 2015 | BAFTA TV Awards | Radio Times Audience Award | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2015 | National Television Award | Skills Challenge Show | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2016 | National Television Award | Challenge Show | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2016 | BAFTA TV Awards | Features | The Great British Bake Off production team | align="center" | |
| 2016 | BAFTA TV Awards | Radio Times audience award | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2016 | Asian Viewers Television Awards | Best Of British | The Great British Bake Off | ||
| 2017 | National Television Award | Challenge Show | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2017 | National Television Award | TV judge | Mary Berry | align="center" | |
| 2017 | BAFTA TV Awards | Features | The Great British Bake Off production team | align="center" | |
| 2017 | Asian Viewers Television Awards | Best Of British | The Great British Bake Off | ||
| 2019 | National Television Award | Factual Entertainment | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2019 | BAFTA TV Awards | Features | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" | |
| 2020 | National Television Award | Challenge Show | The Great British Bake Off | align="center" |
International broadcast and versions
The UK version of The Great British Bake Off is broadcast in many countries and it has been sold to 196 territories as of 2015. The format has also been sold to 20 territories by 2015, making it the third most successful BBC format after Dancing with the Stars and The Weakest Link. Many of these shows have been successful. The Junior Bake Off format has also been sold to Thailand.Beginning in 2014, the US broadcaster PBS has aired five series of the show under the name The Great British Baking Show. The change of name was necessary due to the fact that "Bake-Off" is a registered trademark of Pillsbury in the United States. The fifth British series was broadcast as Season 1 in Winter 2014–2015; the fourth series was then broadcast as Season 2 in Fall 2015, the sixth series was broadcast as Season 3 in Summer 2016, and the seventh series was broadcast as Season 4 in Summer 2017. After the show moved to Channel 4, PBS purchased the BBC's third series, broadcasting it as Season 5 instead of licensing the eighth series from Channel 4. As of 2018, PBS has the rights to air the second BBC series as Season 6 in 2019, and has chosen to not license the Channel 4 series.
CBC Television began broadcasting The Great British Bake Off in Canada in August 2016, starting with the sixth series and also with the Great British Baking Show title. Subsequent seasons have aired the summer following their British airings, with Series 9 debuting in July 2019.
In 2018, the Channel 4 Series 8 was made available in the United States on Netflix as "Collection 5" and a "Netflix original production" alongside the four series previously broadcast on PBS. In addition, Netflix added The Great British Baking Show: The Beginnings which features the British series 3.
International versions
Current and upcoming versions include:Legend:
Airing or in production
No longer airing
| Country | Local title | Host | Judges | Channel | Premiere |
| Argentina | Bake Off Argentina, El Gran Pastelero | Paula Chaves | Christophe Krywonis Damián Betular Pamela Villar | Telefe | 8 April 2018 |
| Australia | The Great Australian Bake Off | Shane Jacobson Anna Gare | Dan Lepard Kerry Vincent | Nine Network | 9 July 2013 |
| Australia | The Great Australian Bake Off | Claire Hooper Mel Buttle | Maggie Beer Matt Moran | LifeStyle Food | 13 October 2015 |
| ' | Bernard Proot | vtm | 4 April 2012 | ||
| Bake Off Vlaanderen | Wim Opbrouck | Regula Ysewijn Herman Van Dender | VIER | 30 August 2017 | |
| Brazil | Bake Off Brasil | Carol Fiorentino Nadja Haddad | Carol Fiorentino Fabrizio Fasano Jr. Beca Milano Olivier Anquier | SBT Discovery Home & Health | 25 July 2015 |
| Bulgaria | Bake Off: Най-сладкото състезание | Aleksandra Raeva Raffi Bohosyan | Julia Pandzherova Yuri Baltaliyski | Nova TV | 15 November 2016 |
| Canada | The Great Canadian Baking Show | Dan Levy Julia Chan Aurora Browne Carolyn Taylor | Bruno Feldeisen Rochelle Adonis Kyla Kennaley | CBC | 1 November 2017 |
| Chile | ' | Carolina de Moras | Yann Yvin Gustavo Sáez Millaray Vallejos | Chilevisión | 6 August 2018 |
| Czech Republic | Peče celá země | Tereza Bebarová Václav Kopta | Mirka van Gils Slavíková Josef Maršálek | ČT1 | 4 January 2020 |
| Denmark | ' | Neel Rønholt Peter Ingemann Timm Vladimir | Mette Blomsterberg Jan Friis-Mikkelsen Katrine Foged Thomsen Marcus Grigo | DR1 | 28 August 2012 |
| Estonia | ' | Kristjan Rabi Indrek Vaheoja Alari Kivisaar | Angeelika Kang Ants Uustalu | TV3 | 31 August 2015 |
| Finland | ' | Anne Kukkohovi | Mika Parviainen Sami Granroth | MTV3 | 24 September 2013 |
| France | Le Meilleur Pâtissier | Faustine Bollaert Julia Vignali | Cyril Lignac Jacqueline Mercorelli | M6 RTL-TVI | 26 November 2012 |
| Germany | Das große Backen | Britt Hagedorn Meltem Kaptan Enie van de Meiklokjes Annika Lau | Christian Hümbs Enie van de Meiklokjes Andrea Schirmaier-Huber Betty Schliephake-Burchardt | Sat.1 | 1 December 2013 |
| Greece | Bake Off Greece | Ioanna Triantafyllidou | Nikolas Straggas Akis Petretzikis Dimitris Xronopoulos | Alpha TV | 23 September 2018 |
| Hungary | Ide süss! | Hajós András Sass Dániel | Baracskay Angéla Szabadfi Szabolcs | Viasat 3 | 26 March 2018 |
| Ireland | The Great Irish Bake Off | Anna Nolan | Biddy White Lennon Paul Kelly | TV3 | 19 September 2013 |
| Italy | ' | Ernst Knam Clelia d'Onofrio Damiano Carrara | Real Time | November 2013 | |
| Israel | Paula Rosenberg Aya Kremerman | Ran Shmueli Oded Brenner Carine Goren | Channel 2 | 9 April 2016 | |
| Kenya | The Great Kenyan Bake Off | June Gachui Nick Ndeda | Kiran Jethwa Myra Kivuvani Ndungu | KTN Home | 7 October 2019 |
| Netherlands | ' | André van Duin | Robèrt van Beckhoven Janny van der Heijden | MAX | 5 June 2013 |
| New Zealand | The Great Kiwi Bake Off | Madeleine Sami Hayley Sproull | Dean Brettschneider Sue Fleischl | TVNZ 2 | 16 October 2018 |
| Norway | ' | Line Verndal | Pascal Dupuy Øyvind Lofthus | TV3 | 10 March 2013 |
| Poland | Bake Off – Ale Ciacho! ' | Anna Gacek Paulina Mikuła | Krzysztof Ilnicki Gosia Molska | TVP2 | 5 September 2016 |
| Romania | Bake Off Romania | Nicolle Stanese | Alex Stan Simona Pope Tudor Constantinescu | Pro TV | 29 February 2016 |
| South Africa | The Great South African Bake Off | Anne Hirsch Donovan Goliath Lentswe Bhengu | Shirley Guy Tjaart Walraven | BBC Lifestyle | 8 October 2015 |
| Spain | Bake Off España | Jesús Vázquez | Dani Álvarez Betina Montagne Miquel Guarro | Cuatro | 6 March 2019 |
| Sweden | ' | Tilde de Paula | Johan Sörberg Birgitta Rasmussen | TV4 | 20 September 2012 |
| Sweden | Hela kändis-Sverige bakar | Tilde de Paula | Johan Sörberg Birgitta Rasmussen | TV4 | 11 November 2014 |
| Thailand | The Great Thai Bake Off ' | TBA | TBA | PPTV HD 36 | June 2019 |
| Turkey | Ver Fırına | Burcu Esmersoy | Arda Türkmen Emel Başdoğan | TV8 | 20 October 2014 |
| Ukraine | ' | Serge Markovic Catherine Ahronik Olga Ganushchak | 1+1 | 1 September 2013 | |
| United States | The American Baking Competition | Jeff Foxworthy | Marcela Valladolid Paul Hollywood | CBS | 29 May 2013 |
| United States | The Great American Baking Show | Nia Vardalos Ian Gomez Ayesha Curry Anthony Adams Emma Bunton | Johnny Iuzzini Mary Berry Paul Hollywood Sherry Yard | ABC | 30 November 2015 |
''The Great Sport Relief Bake Off''
Episode viewing figures from BARB.Series 1 (2012)
| No. | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | Traybake | Wholemeal Cheese Scones | Meringue Dessert | Angela Griffin | 3.52 | |
| 1 | Traybake | Wholemeal Cheese Scones | Meringue Dessert | James Wong | 3.52 | |
| 1 | Traybake | Wholemeal Cheese Scones | Meringue Dessert | Joe Swift | 3.52 | |
| 1 | Traybake | Wholemeal Cheese Scones | Meringue Dessert | Sarah Hadland | 3.52 | |
| 2 | Savoury Flan | Banana & Chocolate Chip Loaves | Layered Cake | Arlene Phillips | 2.79 | |
| 2 | Savoury Flan | Banana & Chocolate Chip Loaves | Layered Cake | Fi Glover | 2.79 | |
| 2 | Savoury Flan | Banana & Chocolate Chip Loaves | Layered Cake | Gus Casely-Hayford | 2.79 | |
| 2 | Savoury Flan | Banana & Chocolate Chip Loaves | Layered Cake | Saira Khan | 2.79 | |
| 3 | Classic Crumble | Coffee & Walnut Cake | 24 Miniature Tarts | Alex Deakin | 2.56 | |
| 3 | Classic Crumble | Coffee & Walnut Cake | 24 Miniature Tarts | Alex Langlands | 2.56 | |
| 3 | Classic Crumble | Coffee & Walnut Cake | 24 Miniature Tarts | Anita Rani | 2.56 | |
| 3 | Classic Crumble | Coffee & Walnut Cake | 24 Miniature Tarts | Pearl Lowe | 2.56 | |
| 4 | Trio of Baked Biscuits | 6 Sausage Rolls | Covered Tiered Occasion Cake | Angela Griffin | 3.43 | |
| 4 | Trio of Baked Biscuits | 6 Sausage Rolls | Covered Tiered Occasion Cake | Anita Rani | 3.43 | |
| 4 | Trio of Baked Biscuits | 6 Sausage Rolls | Covered Tiered Occasion Cake | Fi Glover | 3.43 |
Series 2 (2014)
| No. | Guest host | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | 12 Sandwich Biscuits | Tarte Tatin | 3D Novelty Cake | Bonnie Wright | 4.37 | |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | 12 Sandwich Biscuits | Tarte Tatin | 3D Novelty Cake | Johnny Vaughan | 4.37 | |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | 12 Sandwich Biscuits | Tarte Tatin | 3D Novelty Cake | Michael Vaughan | 4.37 | |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | 12 Sandwich Biscuits | Tarte Tatin | 3D Novelty Cake | Samantha Bond | 4.37 | |
| 2 | Jo Brand | 12 Gingerbread Biscuits | Banoffee Pie | Chocolate Cake | Greg Rutherford | 5.07 | |
| 2 | Jo Brand | 12 Gingerbread Biscuits | Banoffee Pie | Chocolate Cake | Jane Horrocks | 5.07 | |
| 2 | Jo Brand | 12 Gingerbread Biscuits | Banoffee Pie | Chocolate Cake | Jason Gardiner | 5.07 | |
| 2 | Jo Brand | 12 Gingerbread Biscuits | Banoffee Pie | Chocolate Cake | Kirsty Young | 5.07 | |
| 3 | Omid Djalili | Traybake | Iced Ring Doughnuts | Layered Cakes | Emma Freud | 5.02 | |
| 3 | Omid Djalili | Traybake | Iced Ring Doughnuts | Layered Cakes | Jamelia | 5.02 | |
| 3 | Omid Djalili | Traybake | Iced Ring Doughnuts | Layered Cakes | Michael Ball | 5.02 | |
| 3 | Omid Djalili | Traybake | Iced Ring Doughnuts | Layered Cakes | Victoria Pendleton | 5.02 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Pizzas | Eccles Cakes | Tiered Cakes | Alistair McGowan | 4.94 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Pizzas | Eccles Cakes | Tiered Cakes | Doon Mackichan | 4.94 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Pizzas | Eccles Cakes | Tiered Cakes | Helen Skelton | 4.94 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Pizzas | Eccles Cakes | Tiered Cakes | Rochelle Humes | 4.94 |
Series 3 (2016)
| No. | Guest host | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | Mel Giedroyc | Canapés | Paris–Brest | Trophy Cake | David James | 6.03 | |
| 1 | Mel Giedroyc | Canapés | Paris–Brest | Trophy Cake | Jason Manford | 6.03 | |
| 1 | Mel Giedroyc | Canapés | Paris–Brest | Trophy Cake | Maddy Hill | 6.03 | |
| 1 | Mel Giedroyc | Canapés | Paris–Brest | Trophy Cake | Samantha Cameron | 6.03 | |
| 2 | Jennifer Saunders | American Muffins | Football Pie | Tiered Cake | Chris Kamara | 7.44 | |
| 2 | Jennifer Saunders | American Muffins | Football Pie | Tiered Cake | Ed Balls | 7.44 | |
| 2 | Jennifer Saunders | American Muffins | Football Pie | Tiered Cake | Kimberley Walsh | 7.44 | |
| 2 | Jennifer Saunders | American Muffins | Football Pie | Tiered Cake | Victoria Coren Mitchell | 7.44 | |
| 3 | Ed Byrne | Savoury tarts | Chocolate and Beetroot Tray Bake | 3D Biscuits | Geri Horner | 7.12 | |
| 3 | Ed Byrne | Savoury tarts | Chocolate and Beetroot Tray Bake | 3D Biscuits | Jermaine Jenas | 7.12 | |
| 3 | Ed Byrne | Savoury tarts | Chocolate and Beetroot Tray Bake | 3D Biscuits | John Simpson | 7.12 | |
| 3 | Ed Byrne | Savoury tarts | Chocolate and Beetroot Tray Bake | 3D Biscuits | Louise Redknapp | 7.12 | |
| 4 | Sarah Millican | Open-top Pie | Salmon Roulade | Cupcakes | Ade Edmondson | 6.74 | |
| 4 | Sarah Millican | Open-top Pie | Salmon Roulade | Cupcakes | Alison Steadman | 6.74 | |
| 4 | Sarah Millican | Open-top Pie | Salmon Roulade | Cupcakes | Morgana Robinson | 6.74 | |
| 4 | Sarah Millican | Open-top Pie | Salmon Roulade | Cupcakes | Will Young | 6.74 |
''The Great Comic Relief Bake Off''
Series 1 (2013)
| No. | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | Shortbread | Custard Slices | Portrait Cake | Jo Brand | 4.17 | |
| 1 | Shortbread | Custard Slices | Portrait Cake | Stephen K. Amos | 4.17 | |
| 1 | Shortbread | Custard Slices | Portrait Cake | Lorna Watson | 4.17 | |
| 1 | Shortbread | Custard Slices | Portrait Cake | Ingrid Oliver | 4.17 | |
| 2 | Iced Biscuits | Bakewell Tart | Gateaux | Warwick Davis | 4.44 | |
| 2 | Iced Biscuits | Bakewell Tart | Gateaux | Duncan Bannatyne | 4.44 | |
| 2 | Iced Biscuits | Bakewell Tart | Gateaux | Simon Reeve | 4.44 | |
| 2 | Iced Biscuits | Bakewell Tart | Gateaux | Andy Akinwolere | 4.44 | |
| 3 | Scones | Chocolate Eclairs | Novelty Cake | Ellie Simmonds | 4.34 | |
| 3 | Scones | Chocolate Eclairs | Novelty Cake | Kirsty Wark | 4.34 | |
| 3 | Scones | Chocolate Eclairs | Novelty Cake | Julia Bradbury | 4.34 | |
| 3 | Scones | Chocolate Eclairs | Novelty Cake | Bob Mortimer | 4.34 | |
| 4 | Chocolate Biscuits | Lemon Meringue Pie | Comic Relief Birthday Cake | Claudia Winkleman | 4.39 | |
| 4 | Chocolate Biscuits | Lemon Meringue Pie | Comic Relief Birthday Cake | Ed Byrne | 4.39 | |
| 4 | Chocolate Biscuits | Lemon Meringue Pie | Comic Relief Birthday Cake | Martha Kearney | 4.39 | |
| 4 | Chocolate Biscuits | Lemon Meringue Pie | Comic Relief Birthday Cake | Helen Glover | 4.39 |
Series 2 (2015)
| No. | Guest host | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | Giant Cookie or Biscuit | 12 Mini Fruit Tarts | Tiered Chocolate Cake | Dame Edna Everage | 7.75 | |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | Giant Cookie or Biscuit | 12 Mini Fruit Tarts | Tiered Chocolate Cake | Joanna Lumley | 7.75 | |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | Giant Cookie or Biscuit | 12 Mini Fruit Tarts | Tiered Chocolate Cake | Jennifer Saunders | 7.75 | |
| 1 | Sue Perkins | Giant Cookie or Biscuit | 12 Mini Fruit Tarts | Tiered Chocolate Cake | Lulu | 7.75 | |
| 2 | Mel Giedroyc | 24 cupcakes | 20 profiteroles | Marble "Building" Cake | Jonathan Ross | 8.39 | |
| 2 | Mel Giedroyc | 24 cupcakes | 20 profiteroles | Marble "Building" Cake | Zoe Sugg | 8.39 | |
| 2 | Mel Giedroyc | 24 cupcakes | 20 profiteroles | Marble "Building" Cake | Gok Wan | 8.39 | |
| 2 | Mel Giedroyc | 24 cupcakes | 20 profiteroles | Marble "Building" Cake | Abbey Clancy | 8.39 | |
| 3 | Jo Brand | 24 Shortbread | 6 Mini Pork Pies | Triple-tiered Pavlova | Sarah Brown | 7.92 | |
| 3 | Jo Brand | 24 Shortbread | 6 Mini Pork Pies | Triple-tiered Pavlova | David Mitchell | 7.92 | |
| 3 | Jo Brand | 24 Shortbread | 6 Mini Pork Pies | Triple-tiered Pavlova | Michael Sheen | 7.92 | |
| 3 | Jo Brand | 24 Shortbread | 6 Mini Pork Pies | Triple-tiered Pavlova | Jameela Jamil | 7.92 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Tray Bake | 12 Crumpets | Vegetable Self Portrait Cake | Alexa Chung | 8.21 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Tray Bake | 12 Crumpets | Vegetable Self Portrait Cake | Victoria Wood | 8.21 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Tray Bake | 12 Crumpets | Vegetable Self Portrait Cake | Chris Moyles | 8.21 | |
| 4 | Ed Byrne | Tray Bake | 12 Crumpets | Vegetable Self Portrait Cake | Kayvan Novak | 8.21 |
''The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off''
Series overview
Series 1 (2018)
| No. | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | 12 cupcakes | 6 Crêpes Suzette | 3D biscuit scene | Roisin Conaty | 5.91 | |
| 1 | 12 cupcakes | 6 Crêpes Suzette | 3D biscuit scene | Martin Kemp | 5.91 | |
| 1 | 12 cupcakes | 6 Crêpes Suzette | 3D biscuit scene | Harry Hill | 5.91 | |
| 1 | 12 cupcakes | 6 Crêpes Suzette | 3D biscuit scene | Bill Turnbull | 5.91 | |
| 2 | 24 scones | Devil's food cake | Self-portrait croquembouches | Nick Hewer | 5.65 | |
| 2 | 24 scones | Devil's food cake | Self-portrait croquembouches | Perri Kiely | 5.65 | |
| 2 | 24 scones | Devil's food cake | Self-portrait croquembouches | Stacey Solomon | 5.65 | |
| 2 | 24 scones | Devil's food cake | Self-portrait croquembouches | Ricky Wilson | 5.65 | |
| 3 | Loaf cake | 8 Tiramisu sandwich biscuits | Meringue towers | Ella Eyre | 5.95 | |
| 3 | Loaf cake | 8 Tiramisu sandwich biscuits | Meringue towers | Ruth Davidson | 5.95 | |
| 3 | Loaf cake | 8 Tiramisu sandwich biscuits | Meringue towers | Jamie Laing | 5.95 | |
| 3 | Loaf cake | 8 Tiramisu sandwich biscuits | Meringue towers | Tim Minchin | 5.95 | |
| 4 | 12 blondies | 6 fruit turnovers | Secret passion cake | Griff Rhys Jones | 5.48 | |
| 4 | 12 blondies | 6 fruit turnovers | Secret passion cake | Joe Lycett | 5.48 | |
| 4 | 12 blondies | 6 fruit turnovers | Secret passion cake | Lee Mack | 5.48 | |
| 4 | 12 blondies | 6 fruit turnovers | Secret passion cake | Melanie Sykes | 5.48 | |
| 5 | 12 muffins | Custard pie | Rainbow dream cake | Aisling Bea | 5.53 | |
| 5 | 12 muffins | Custard pie | Rainbow dream cake | Alan Carr | 5.53 | |
| 5 | 12 muffins | Custard pie | Rainbow dream cake | Kadeena Cox | 5.53 | |
| 5 | 12 muffins | Custard pie | Rainbow dream cake | Teri Hatcher | 5.53 |
Series 2 (2019)
| No. | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | 12 brownies | Swiss roll | 3D biscuit scene | John Lithgow | 4.86 | |
| 1 | 12 brownies | Swiss roll | 3D biscuit scene | Jon Richardson | 4.86 | |
| 1 | 12 brownies | Swiss roll | 3D biscuit scene | Hannah Cockroft | 4.86 | |
| 1 | 12 brownies | Swiss roll | 3D biscuit scene | Russell Brand | 4.86 | |
| 2 | Topped flapjacks | 6 cream horns | Meringue scene | James Acaster | 5.30 | |
| 2 | Topped flapjacks | 6 cream horns | Meringue scene | Russell Tovey | 5.30 | |
| 2 | Topped flapjacks | 6 cream horns | Meringue scene | Rylan Clark-Neal | 5.30 | |
| 2 | Topped flapjacks | 6 cream horns | Meringue scene | Michelle Keegan | 5.30 | |
| 3 | Shortbread | Pork pies | Self-portrait cake | Johnny Vegas | 4.48 | |
| 3 | Shortbread | Pork pies | Self-portrait cake | Big Narstie / Sandi Toksvig | 4.48 | |
| 3 | Shortbread | Pork pies | Self-portrait cake | Katarina Johnson-Thompson | 4.48 | |
| 3 | Shortbread | Pork pies | Self-portrait cake | Jess Phillips | 4.48 | |
| 4 | Characterful biscuit | Chocolate Crumpets | Favourite hobby cake | Jeremy Paxman | 4.58 | |
| 4 | Characterful biscuit | Chocolate Crumpets | Favourite hobby cake | Joe Wilkinson | 4.58 | |
| 4 | Characterful biscuit | Chocolate Crumpets | Favourite hobby cake | Sally Lindsay | 4.58 | |
| 4 | Characterful biscuit | Chocolate Crumpets | Favourite hobby cake | Georgia "Toff" Toffolo | 4.58 | |
| 5 | Fruity drizzle cake | Choux pastry swans | Self-portrait towering biscuit | Nicola Adams | 4.60 | |
| 5 | Fruity drizzle cake | Choux pastry swans | Self-portrait towering biscuit | Krishnan Guru-Murthy | 4.60 | |
| 5 | Fruity drizzle cake | Choux pastry swans | Self-portrait towering biscuit | Greg Wise | 4.60 | |
| 5 | Fruity drizzle cake | Choux pastry swans | Self-portrait towering biscuit | Caroline Flack | 4.60 |
Series 3 (2020)
| No. | Signature Challenge | Technical Challenge | Showstopper Challenge | Contestants | Airdate | Viewers |
| 1 | Giant biscuit | Mille-feuille | Choux sculpture | Louis Theroux | 5.00 | |
| 1 | Giant biscuit | Mille-feuille | Choux sculpture | Jenny Eclair | 5.00 | |
| 1 | Giant biscuit | Mille-feuille | Choux sculpture | Russell Howard | 5.00 | |
| 1 | Giant biscuit | Mille-feuille | Choux sculpture | Ovie Soko | 5.00 | |
| 2 | Roulade | 6 Cannoli | Favourite place cake | Patsy Palmer | 5.01 | |
| 2 | Roulade | 6 Cannoli | Favourite place cake | Richard Dreyfuss | 5.01 | |
| 2 | Roulade | 6 Cannoli | Favourite place cake | James Buckley | 5.01 | |
| 2 | Roulade | 6 Cannoli | Favourite place cake | Scarlett Moffatt | 5.01 | |
| 3 | Éclairs | Battenberg cake | Biggest fear cake | Johanna Konta | 5.70 | |
| 3 | Éclairs | Battenberg cake | Biggest fear cake | Tan France | 5.70 | |
| 3 | Éclairs | Battenberg cake | Biggest fear cake | Caroline Quentin | 5.70 | |
| 3 | Éclairs | Battenberg cake | Biggest fear cake | Joel Dommett | 5.70 | |
| 4 | Traybake | Mini Yorkshire puddings | Future aspiration biscuit scene | James Blunt | 6.33 | |
| 4 | Traybake | Mini Yorkshire puddings | Future aspiration biscuit scene | Alison Hammond | 6.33 | |
| 4 | Traybake | Mini Yorkshire puddings | Future aspiration biscuit scene | Alex Jones | 6.33 | |
| 4 | Traybake | Mini Yorkshire puddings | Future aspiration biscuit scene | Joe Sugg | 6.33 | |
| 5 | 12 Sandwich biscuits | 6 Iced buns | 3D Guilty pleasure cake | Kelly Brook | 5.92 | |
| 5 | 12 Sandwich biscuits | 6 Iced buns | 3D Guilty pleasure cake | Mo Gilligan | 5.92 | |
| 5 | 12 Sandwich biscuits | 6 Iced buns | 3D Guilty pleasure cake | Robert Rinder | 5.92 | |
| 5 | 12 Sandwich biscuits | 6 Iced buns | 3D Guilty pleasure cake | Carol Vorderman | 5.92 |