Great British Bake Off 2025

[Ablemabel]

Same here! My favourite one was with the kid counting down the days until Christmas, and the twist is it’s because he’s so excited to give his mum and dad their present 🥹 Quite a few years ago now but very cute!

Also, is my boy Tom about to give us an upset here!?

Me too! What a perfect advert.

 

[Emsie]

Paul has been unnecessarily mean this season. I've had enough of him now. Alison and Noel are great, Prue always has something nice to say but I'm fed up of Paul's bad cop that is just nit picky and spiteful.

 

[Ivegone]

Paul has been unnecessarily mean this season. I've had enough of him now. Alison and Noel are great, Prue always has something nice to say but I'm fed up of Paul's bad cop that is just nit picky and spiteful.

He's a bleep full stop thinks he is better than the show thinks the show is his. If he offered me the handshake I would walk off

 

[Flowerstar68]

The updates seemed to be lifted from instagram; I’d seen most before.

I thought that too.

 

[Emsie]

He's a bleep full stop thinks he is better than the show thinks the show is his. If he offered me the handshake I would walk off

You are not wrong. We were trying to think of male bakers who could replace him last night.
The handshake makes me die of cringe. Id put my thumb on my nose and waggle my fingers instead

 

[Ivegone]

You are not wrong. We were trying to think of male bakers who could replace him last night.
The handshake makes me die of cringe. Id put my thumb on my nose and waggle my fingers instead

Anyone would be better ooh that Liam guy he had his own show didn't he

 

[Valentine1402]

I'm clearly in a minority (possibly of one!) but I like PH as a judge. He's an expert, having worked from the ground up to learn the skill and science of baking, and I always find him to be fair - he was right about Tom's chocolate beehive last week, it should have been all about the macarons and Tom's looked like I'd done them (and I burn ready made pastry!). I like that he doesn't dress up the any criticism and when he gives praise, it's sincere.

Not sure, though, if it was based on the final only, that Jasmine should have won, not after Tom's showstopper cake.

 

[Mark81]

Came here to see the result. Can't be bothered watching it.

Unlike others though I have enjoyed this series on the whole. But the inevitable winner did ruin it a bit.

I also dont mind PH generally. Hes a bit of a caricature of himself these days, but I think he balances out tough love with the nicer Pru. Although he is a bit too blunt at times. He has a lot of experience and they would probably have to get an unknown to replace him. Liam is great on professionals and Junior Bake Off, but he doesn't have the experience and depth of knowledge across everything to be a judge.

 

[50sGirl]

I'm clearly in a minority (possibly of one!) but I like PH as a judge. He's an expert, having worked from the ground up to learn the skill and science of baking, and I always find him to be fair - he was right about Tom's chocolate beehive last week, it should have been all about the macarons and Tom's looked like I'd done them (and I burn ready made pastry!). I like that he doesn't dress up the any criticism and when he gives praise, it's sincere.

Not sure, though, if it was based on the final only, that Jasmine should have won, not after Tom's showstopper cake.

But in the first round, Tom’s finger rolls were dreadful. It was something he would have been able to practice so they should have been good.
The technical cannot be practiced so, although Jasmine came last in that, they were all pretty bad.
Imho, coming last in a technical is not equal to coming last in a practiced round - they can’t carry equal weight.
I have no idea if that’s how the judges assess it though.

 

[Loubywoobywoo]

Anyone would be better ooh that Liam guy he had his own show didn't he

Liam judged the Junior Bake Off which was presented by the usually unbearable Harry Hill ( who was tolerable in this-still annoying and puerile, but he was good with the kids). Liam was great though and he paired well either way Prue as a judge.
Part of the problem with the show is they now give the contestants insufficient time to complete the challenges, especially if they come with deliberately misleading/annoyingly vague instructions (“Make the dough”), or ingredients that don’t belong in the recipe and asking them to make things that almost nobody has heard of ( usually the weeks focusing on a certain country or area, like South American, Scandinavian…).
I understand it had to be a bit challenging, but at least give them enough time to do it in and give them a list of ingredients and a few basic steps for a complicated dough.
For prove/bake, let them figure out the length but give them the correct temperature, so give them the elements of the formula but let them try and figure it out themselves a bit too.
Or have the finished product available for them to look at/taste to help them figure out seasonings/ingredients/technique, perhaps?
Paul seems to derive pleasure from seeing them struggle/fail.
Maybe I am just a massive nerd, but I loved Mel or Sue in the early seasons doing the history pieces about the particular bake.
I really miss Mel and Sue, they were perfect presenters and I loved Mary Berry as a judge as she could give constructive criticism tempered with encouragement/praise when needed.

 

[Marilyn345]

H

Liam judged the Junior Bake Off which was presented by the usually unbearable Harry Hill ( who was tolerable in this-still annoying and puerile, but he was good with the kids). Liam was great though and he paired well either way Prue as a judge.
Part of the problem with the show is they now give the contestants insufficient time to complete the challenges, especially if they come with deliberately misleading/annoyingly vague instructions (“Make the dough”), or ingredients that don’t belong in the recipe and asking them to make things that almost nobody has heard of ( usually the weeks focusing on a certain country or area, like South American, Scandinavian…).
I understand it had to be a bit challenging, but at least give them enough time to do it in and give them a list of ingredients and a few basic steps for a complicated dough.
For prove/bake, let them figure out the length but give them the correct temperature, so give them the elements of the formula but let them try and figure it out themselves a bit too.
Or have the finished product available for them to look at/taste to help them figure out seasonings/ingredients/technique, perhaps?
Paul seems to derive pleasure from seeing them struggle/fail.
Maybe I am just a massive nerd, but I loved Mel or Sue in the early seasons doing the history pieces about the particular bake.
I really miss Mel and Sue, they were perfect presenters and I loved Mary Berry as a judge as she could give constructive criticism tempered with encouragement/praise when needed.

Yes .. I miss the history pieces and it’s not like they don’t have time to include it once the numbers get whittled down. Hopefully not a case an Alison Hammond finding time to film it in her busy life . If her getting stuck whilst attempting to straddle the fence is a ‘me me me’ example heaven help us if she gets the Strictly gig.

 

[50sGirl]

Liam judged the Junior Bake Off which was presented by the usually unbearable Harry Hill ( who was tolerable in this-still annoying and puerile, but he was good with the kids). Liam was great though and he paired well either way Prue as a judge.
Part of the problem with the show is they now give the contestants insufficient time to complete the challenges, especially if they come with deliberately misleading/annoyingly vague instructions (“Make the dough”), or ingredients that don’t belong in the recipe and asking them to make things that almost nobody has heard of ( usually the weeks focusing on a certain country or area, like South American, Scandinavian…).
I understand it had to be a bit challenging, but at least give them enough time to do it in and give them a list of ingredients and a few basic steps for a complicated dough.
For prove/bake, let them figure out the length but give them the correct temperature, so give them the elements of the formula but let them try and figure it out themselves a bit too.
Or have the finished product available for them to look at/taste to help them figure out seasonings/ingredients/technique, perhaps?
Paul seems to derive pleasure from seeing them struggle/fail.
Maybe I am just a massive nerd, but I loved Mel or Sue in the early seasons doing the history pieces about the particular bake.
I really miss Mel and Sue, they were perfect presenters and I loved Mary Berry as a judge as she could give constructive criticism tempered with encouragement/praise when needed.

I agree with not giving them enough time in the technical. It is set up for them to fail.

When it was on the BBC years ago, I remember in the final they had to each make a wedding cake. They were not given adequate time so ALL of the cakes looked unfinished and really basic. It was unfair on the contestants.

 

[thenewblack]

See, I do quite like PH but I do think once he gets a favourite in his head that its pretty much game over for the rest of the bakers. I know that we obviously only see the bakes so we can't judge the taste and maybe thats what does it for him, but it always seems like whoever Paul "picks" wins. Pru is a good judge and should hold as equal weight as Paul but it doesn't always come across that way.

 

[EvilJigglypuff]

I don’t mind Paul too much, he definitely has the credentials to be judging but he does have an ego which I think often takes centre stage, and he can be overly hard on people when it should just be a fun baking show. No, Tom didn’t really stick to the brief with the beehive but he was so mean. Tearing strips off people when they’re already stressed isn’t nice viewing, and as already mentioned they don’t get enough time or adequate instructions for some of the challenges. It definitely needs some review but I don’t necessarily think Paul needs to go, I think he just needs to dial it back a bit.

 

[Ivegone]

See, I do quite like PH but I do think once he gets a favourite in his head that its pretty much game over for the rest of the bakers. I know that we obviously only see the bakes so we can't judge the taste and maybe thats what does it for him, but it always seems like whoever Paul "picks" wins. Pru is a good judge and should hold as equal weight as Paul but it doesn't always come across that way.

No prue is definitely not the same as Paul she's the after thought for his show

 

[Clover123]

I could do with a few good natured technicals- this year all of them seemed to be setting them up for failure! It used to be a one off when they wouldn't include the method; this series it was every single technical and felt more about luck than genuine baking ability. A lot of baking is skill at following recipes after all!

 

[Trauma Frotters]

I found it a stressful watch as they seemed under such pressure. I want to see all finalists perform to the best of their ability, not in a tearing hurry.

 

[HowVery]

I miss Toby already.

 

[thegirlscout]

Why did Aaron saying "American buttercream" like that?

He was riffing the song ‘American Woman’ where the song kinda says the words like that

 

[thegirlscout]

Paul has his credentials but my God he is an insufferable gob.