Great British Bake Off 2023: OFFICIAL THREAD

Yeah, no real eye candy, although Dan is not a bad looking daddy.

I like Alison. She seems genuine and warm. I wish Noel would go, though.

The first episode was great, and it seemed more like the GBBO of yore. The beaver banter was too funny. Bubbly Alison is a positive addition to the show, and tempers the harder edges on the other hosts. I like Noel, but the corpse look isn’t suiting him as he ages.

Good crop of smiley contestants, so thumbs up to the casting. They all had good screen presence and interesting personalities. I applaud them for not having a ‘hottie’ this season and the invariable gross innuendo with Paul. Thankfully there also doesn’t seem to be a sacrificial ‘old’ contestant this season. Agree that Dan has an appeal. Chemist/rugger Josh is my dark horse for the season.

First episode of the new season is now on Netflix in the U.S.

I guess I'll have to unpause my Netflix subscription.

I thought Matt was often hilarious on bakeoff but maybe Allison will bring some upbeat unironic energy to the proceedings.

I think Allison is a much better fit than Matt. It was a strong first episode. It felt light and fun, more like earlier seasons.

The first episode definitely seemed like a return to GBBO of old. Alison seems very supportive of the bakers.

just like ye olde days...

Extra Slice.

That young guy, the PE teacher, is pretty cute. He failed bombed challenge, but was never in the discussion about who would be getting the boot.

Agreed, R9, Matty is the only eye candy this season. From the brief shot of him boxing, he'd make a hot muscle bottom. I was worried for him, but his flavors seem to be solid even if his technique was shaky in the premiere.

They kept the chemist/rugger fairly under wraps, but he's clearly a contender and a cutie IYAM.

I have to admit I laughed at all the beaver talk. I like all the contestants.

Watched this show for a while. Stopped because it took what should a pleasurable activity and turned it into a stressful one.

Moist..moist

Favorite Alison contribution from this ep. She seems like a better fit than Matt.

BETTER FIT AT LANE BRYANT.

Alison could definitely benefit from some Spanx tips from Niecy Nash.

Allison is nice enough and I'm glad she admitted a dislike for rhubarb, which nauseates me. Noel continues to tone down but he's still too odd for the show and Pru seems even more devoid of personality.

Amos, who lives with his mom, seems like the likeliest "mo".

VAMPIRE TEETH?

The women aren't very interesting. The deaf woman and the forager annoy me for reasons I can't quite figure--they both did poppy seed for cake which is difficult to do well. Usually they have one dotty old woman--either fun dotty or wacko dotty like the custardgate woman who lost her sense of taste and smell. They've often had a younger woman who seemed one panic attack away from "the bin" like Ruby or that shoplifter.

I'm surprised that the closeted twink hasn't gotten more comment.

I like the Sri Lankan lady. Nicky isn't exactly old, but still rather "fun dotty" - that beaver cake!

r16 Why would Alison wear a polka-dotted circus tent dress with poofy sleeves? She looked tremendous, big as a house... or as they say in the UK, big as a flat. I think those poofy sleeves generally look ridiculous.

The forager looks like a Roald Dahl character.

[quote] Allison is nice enough and I'm glad she admitted a dislike for rhubarb,

Really? I thought it was rude, especially when she said it again at the finished cake. It's not about you, dear, and your job is to be encouraging.

Cak Week:

Forager Abbi reminds me of a young Susan Boyle.

I stopped watching a couple of years ago as it got boring and there are so many friggin' adverts on Channel 4.

I'll start watching again if they bring back Mel, Sue and Mary.

Just watch on hdclump.com, R27. Granted, it's after the episode airs, but there are no commercials.

Definitely the right elimination this week.

No doubt.

Biscuit Week:

Biscuit Week: An Extra Slice. Ian Sterling's a cutie.

The dark-haired kid in the upper right of the photo is cute.

Dan is attractive. Could use some Crest White Strips, but he has a nice smile.

Go Dan!

I want the new host to be my Google maps voice.

Any professional bakers this season? Like last season when a professional baker beat all the non professionals bakers?

“Big as a flat “.

We don’t say that.

I know this was a few eps back but it's gone a bit viral.

Hilarious.

Dan looks a bit like a young Albert Finney, more so when he smiles. He’s an appealing presence on the show.

I enjoy the program. At times it veers too close to American Baking competitions by “teasing” upcoming moments of tension (missing dough, melted or misshapen components). But it’s a really sweet concept overall and I usually enjoy the development of bakers as characters.

I know people admire Noel’s quirks and his goofy humor, but it often feels strained and his jokes about Paul fall flat, or maybe are meant to make viewers cringe. I think being the comedian host is a harder gig than it looks. I notice that some of the bakers gently nudge the hosts away. There may be other exchanges edited out of the final aired version of the show.

I notice that some work stations get pretty messy with spilled flour and splattered ingredients. I think the actual process is harder when it’s hot or damp in the tent. Some of the technical challenges sound vague by design, with instructions like “make the custard” or ambiguous cooking times and amounts of ingredients.

It’s a good program, almost always a pleasure to watch.

The Extra Slice program succeeds by setting its own rituals into form, and presenting segments with a pretty funny combination of seriousness but good natured foolery (“and now it’s time for…”).

Jo Brand is pretty amazing. I wasn’t surprised at all to read that she spent a decade as a psychiatric nurse, and I’d bet she was a good one. She’s pretty observant and quick, and she has a strong presence.

She had some of the best lines in her scene in AbFab, as the irascible journalist irritated by everyone and everything around her. She sorts out another character, Hamish, when he waxes poetically “ah! My own secret Majorca!”. She deadpans “more like my own secret arsehole”.

I think she may be a popular chat show presence in the UK. I could easily see why.

On An Extra Slice, I notice that the cakes baked in tribute to the eliminated bakers are always created to a freakishly high standard, sometimes detailed with tiny but neat exact replicas of the featured Baker’s notable challenges. They must hire a master baker to do that, or it might be that they are not actually cakes at all, but sculpted modeling compounds and not meant to eaten.

The fellow who prances with the eggbeater microphone is campy, but he really scans guests’ responses and he’s pretty quick to turn them into jokes. He also “passes back” a joke or theme by alluding to other guests’ responses. It’s actually very hard to do that in improvisational comedy, particularly “constructing” jokes in real time and doing it without embarrassing or offending the participants.

I think Graham Norton and Dame Edna were pretty skilled at “taking the piss out of” audience members and practicing social improvisational comedy. It’s really delicate because the guest can get confused or aggressive if you do it badly, or in a mean or dismissive way.

you need a new hobby.

Jo and Tom are perfect of " Extra Slice"; Jo has that droll sense of humor, while Tom is out there with a quick mind and great timing. I enjoy this show more than the actual Bake-Off.

Tom as a contestant.

For anyone who hasn't seen An Extra Slice.

R43 I think so, too.

Any idea how much the ratings have declined since all the changes?

Bread Week should be retitled Garlic Week, with so many recipes featuring it.

This week’s elimination (no spoiling here), was a very close call.

Pru is getting more explicit and precise in her feedback. We still hear a lot of “delicious” but also more details about tastes, textures, design. It was pretty touching when she commented “I wish I had made that”.

She’s a really neat presence, telegenic in an unusual way.

It was a fun episode. Some great bakes and a few total disasters.

For anyone who wants to watch it.

Extra Slice - Bread Week

I wonder if they guide and choreograph the judging in one specific way. Do these contestants hold hands instinctively or are they asked to?

I do really enjoy the program, but wince a bit when a coy joke about buns, balls, beavers goes on a few frames too long. I think it’s hard to engineer each segment into the form we admire (tone, pace, humor, etc). But it’s all done so well it might not matter.

The deaf contestant speaks very well. I’m guessing she wasn’t born deaf. Maybe she lost her hearing from medication.

Sex party at Rush Limbaugh's

Dan give hints of a smoking body under all that. His arms are showing through his plain dress and glimpses of his ass hint at a nice muscle ass.

Yes, I think Dan has a beefy, muscular body, with a very nice array of soft,light brown fur.

Is Daryl the Interpreter gay?

Team Matty here!

Matty would provide a fun romp in the hay.

They keep allowing that awful older Scots woman to stay and she’s the worst of all. They do that a lot. Like “we have to have an older woman so we can’t be accused of being sexist and ageist

Dan is the hotness.

Thread closed.

Matty and Dan. Dan tops.

Nicki may not be a great talent, but I enjoy her personality. Like the eccentric old queen a couple seasons ago...Rowan? You need a colorful character or two to balance out the forgettable ones.

Chocolate Week.

No spoilers, but this week’s Star Baker is genuinely touching.

When should we post about the episodes since they drop at different times/days?

R65 Maybe Saturday if the episodes update on Fridays on Netflix. I watched early on r63’s link the that HDClump site, and I felt like I cheated on my friends who watch on Friday.

[quote]I felt like I cheated on my friends who watch on Friday

WHORE!

the fit, young dude won.

[quote]R26: Forager Abbi reminds me of a young Susan Boyle.

More like a young Susan's boils.

Chocolate Week: An Extra Slice.

I was surprised by Tasha’s feedback this week on that ginger amaretto chocolate torte. I didn’t see that coming.

I think Tasha was feeling off from the getgo with a migraine, exacerbated by the heat. Isn't there anything they can do to keep the tent cooler? It must be miserable in there in the sweltering summer, bad for the bakes and downright dangerous for the cast.

Is it true this week’s star baker posted a celebratory nude pic?

This week's Extra Slice is particularly gay...... and hysterical.

[quote]Is it true this week’s star baker posted a celebratory nude pic?

I'm waiting for a celebratory nude of Dan.

I picture Dan after an intense workout at the gym, wearing a sweat-stained sleeveless t-shirt. His arms are great and make me wish I could see him shirtless.

Dan was in shorts last episode and got a glimpse of his legs. Muscular and had a tat on his calf. I bet he throws a mean fuck.

I love Nikki’s cute Scottish accent. She will probably be booted soon, but I don’t mind her being there for now.

Matty and Dan’s hug…woof.

I couldn’t figure out dan’s leg tattoo. Anyone got a screen cap or know what it was?

Fucking Daily Mail spoiled the new episode before I had a chance to watch it.

R47 I agree about Pru. She was a very savvy replacement for Mary (who I loved). She's not as overtly warm, but her remoteness makes her mysterious and adds something to the judges' dynamic. She also gives wonderful compliments, which feel more meaningful as she's not the chatty type.

R81: Nothing mysterious about Pru. She's always come across as a dull home ec teacher. Paul seems very bored this season.

Sick of the british bake off

Paul might seem bored because his bogus Mexican and Japanese nights were so roundly criticized as offensive, and now he has to judge the same stuff that he has been judging for years. The special nights were his babies.

Episode 5: Pastry Week.

When is there Nude Dan week?

I'd rather see nude Matty.

I'd rather see Pru naked.

Is Abbi a time traveler from WW2? She looks like she stepped out of Home Fires

Damn, the episode link isn’t working.

Matty’s thighs are NICE.

R91 But are they tasty?

With thighs like those, I am certain he doesn't have a soggy bottom.

[quote]Damn, the episode link isn’t working.

It's back up. Here is An Extra Slice; and once you see the outfit that one of the eliminated bakers is wearing, you will be able to immediately surmise sexual orientation.

^The AbFab-themed pastries didn't clue you in before?

He had a girlfriend in Episode #1, but I figured he was family even then.

Bitch stole my look!

Who are you talking about? The picture was removed.

You have to watch An Extra Slice, which is posted above to see the outfit.

I think Josh is being overlooked. He’s adorable. And he pings to the heavens.

It’s Botanicals Week in the tent. All the laughter and tears of Week 6.

My favorite piece of ass survived another week!

I’d love to have Matty spend the day hanging around my house in nothing but an apron.

I like the way Josh is close to his dead Nan. He doesn't ping to me though, he's just a sweetie.

R68

[quote] the young fit dude won

Oi! Fit baker…

I want to give Dan a soggy bottom.

Week 6 - An Extra Slice.

Isomalt looks pretty, like sugar glass. But it doesn’t seem like it would taste like anything. Neither does that clear jelly they suspended flower “petals” in (quotes because they were not actually flowers but injected colors).

That technical challenge was pretty basic. The only real criterion was to add the right amount of thyme.

I like this cast and Pru and Paul. Noel’s cheeky and flirty jabs at Paul land flat all the time. This week, he coyly offered “Paul has already checked out my buns”. Crickets. I feel bad for Noel because his goofy humor is so uneven. He looks really uncomfortable in his own skin. I know people love that quirkiness but it seems so hard for him to pull it off. Allison is just upbeat and pretty delightful.

I really enjoy this show but my least favorite aspect is the semi-naughty jokes about beaver, sausage, buns, etc. It feels so juvenile and dated.

I did like the one from last week, I think, when Matty was taking his bake out of the oven with two finger pot holder sleeve things and Noel said something like he saw Paul wearing them earlier. And matty asked, “on his fingers, right?”. And they both laughed. That made me chuckle. Mostly because Matty is a smiley little cutie.

I’d like the final to be Matty, Dan, and Josh. I think Josh is the best baker.

Tasha will be a finalist. If any man makes the final, it will be Josh.

Matty is cute

I like Allison a lot. She reminds me more of the Mel and Sue days. In this week's episode during one of the time checks Allison did it herself, straight, and was great - clear, concise, upbeat, happy, and Noel just walk by in sort of pointless gag. Made me realize how Allison could be fine on her own. Sandi was fun too. I like Matt Lucas in general but he and Noel were too alike - and being pushed to be too "quirky" for it to work well. I do feel like the series is getting back to basics.

Matty is adorable, love his legs and there were a couple of choice shotslast week of his hard, formidable ass cheeks with nylon clinging to them tightly.

Looking back at the pre-show rankings in the OP’s article, they were pretty wrong. Three of their top four didn’t make the top six.

I can’t decide if I would love it or hate it to have had a gym teacher like Matty. Would love b/c he’s cute, would hate b/c I know I would be totally in love with him.

Best that had mean old lesbian women gym teachers in middle and high school.

Matty has a cute little ass and a great smile - I would not be able to focus on anything but him. Josh and Dan are both hot I think. What I would really like to see is the deaf interpreter - nice beefy ass!

Oh yeah and they are all very good and inventive bakers! Although I don't know about the interpreter.

Allison really does have the right touch and you notice it more when she's separated from Noel. When he's alone, you notice that Noel is even more cringeworthy than when he's with someone else.

My favorite Allison moment. Happens around 1 minute in. Never fails to make me laugh.

allis-ton's pr has found dl.

Allison looks a lot better now than back then.

Noel wins the prize for creepiest ( and ugliest) man on tv.

Yeah, I know he has his fans, but I’d be more than happy to see Noel move on to something else.

Been watching some older episodes and it is apparent that Paul is much mellower now. Perhaps Prue has something to do with it, but he was downright cruel in several older episodes when Mary was with him.

Noel is aging and his schtick - quirky, strange hair, clothes, boots and makeup - is for a younger person.

Same with Eddie (Suzy) Izzard. Funky when you’re young, then just….funk.

Noel reminds me of Robert Smith. Aging terribly but still think they can hide behind the hair and makeup.

I love Noel because of the MIghty Boosh- such a demented show, so I get his sense of humour.

It usually helps to have someone attractive among the contestants. I see they've given up on that, too.

I just noticed Allison said “Welcome to the Great British Baking Show!” at the top of this episode instead of “Great British Bake-off.” I guess they film a different intro for the US since they’re not allowed to say “bake off.”

They do, R129.

Why not bake - off? what is wrong with that?

R131

Pillsbury has a copyright on the term “bake off” in the U.S.

Saki's ate up like a Mexican with a Taki!

Allison’s accent sounds like a 1900s music hall baggy pants comedian doing an exaggerated cockney accent. Sounds way overdone, like Cindy Lauper’s overdone NY accent.

I've been confused with the British pronunciations:

The judges pronounce " dacquoise" " dak-kwaz," but pronounce " genoise," " gen-oh-eez."

R135: If you can figure out what they mean, who cares? People getting hung up on dialects even though they figure out what things mean.

How do we pronounce them, R135?

Who do you want filling your bun, quite deeply?

Dan!

Matty is too young for me. But cute.

Matty can pound my dough.

He is just adorable.

[quote] I've been confused with the British pronunciations: The judges pronounce " dacquoise" " dak-kwaz," but pronounce " genoise," " gen-oh-eez."

The judges often get "crème pâtissière" correct, but ALL of the bakers ALWAYS pronounce it like "pâtisserie." (Unless they call it "crème pat.")

I thought they picked the wrong winner tonight but it was close

I am sad to see one of the only ones with personality go.

An Extra Slice.

I will miss her as well.

She's in a precarious position for a long time.

Josh is the best of the bakers. Not always a guarantee he'll win, but he constantly delivers. Matty is probably next to go.

[quote]Matty is probably next to go.

I'd like to see Matty be the next to CUM.

I hate when the cute guys go. I hope Matty can hold on, would be fun to see a threeway with the remaining men (and you can take that any way you want).

Deaf girl is going to win. She has been getting a free pass all season, even when what she made was mediocre.

I don’t understand why she needs an interpreter, when she speaks clearly and can hear perfectly well thanks to her cochlear implants.

My friend has them and has bionic hearing. His words, not mine.

Jesus, the chav is so hot. i want him to rape me in a borstal.

She must hear well R151, she has a regional accent. Deaf people can’t hear and adopt accents. Notice there’s no backstory about her deafness. Was she born deaf, did she become deaf from an illness or accident? Her interpreter is for show, I think. Gets attention.

Was watching one of the Food Network baking shows once and there was a young woman with what I thought was a terrible speech impediment. Turns out she was deaf, but they never showed an interpreter, she never mentioned it. It was in an article written about the show. I thought it was so strange to have such a speech impediment because speech pathology is so good nowadays, but she was Asian so I thought maybe she didn’t grow up in the US.

Nope. Deaf.

[quote] I thought they picked the wrong winner tonight but it was close

I thought so, too. I guess they want to mix it up. I’m glad the person who left, left.

Very close for Star Baker, I agree. I thought the second place was gracious about it. A few surprises in the middle this week. Dan looks like a young Albert Finney, with a great face and a great smile.

The editing of Dan was interesting in the Party episode. He’s been ‘Mr Smiley Nice Guy’ until this week when they suddenly showed him with a bit of arrogance especially in the part when he was talking about Josh being his main competition.

Party Week.

So disappointed with the choice of which baker was sent home this week. Just as disappointing as which baker was chosen as star baker last week.

Though quite pleased with the choice of star baker this week.

frau, begone!

Not a great week. None of them did really well with the technical and most of the showstoppers were underwhelming. The deaf girl's stuff was pretty beige, when the point was to avoid beige.

At this point, it's not one of their stronger groups of potential finalists. There's no James or Nadiya to lift the field and set of strong finishers like James, John and the prissy old guy from Ireland.

Are caterpillar cakes really that prevalent in the UK?

I was wondering about them, too.

Fragile weepy woman made me nervous but Dan had a worse week than she did. Obviously when it's somewhat close, eliminations take into consideration past performance, even though they say they don't--at least they used to say that.

Are there any shirtless pictures of Matty out there? I’ve been imagining it…A LOT.

Brits, would you have eaten any of those sausage roll things? I don't see the need for fruit, just a sauce on the side.

[quote] Are caterpillar cakes really that prevalent in the UK?

Yes, they are. Marks and Spence started the trend in 1990. I’ve seen them advertised in Aldi and Lidl when I’ve accidentally gone to their UK/Ireland sites. M&S sued Aldi over their caterpillar cake, IIRC.

and aldi is threatening the gbbo.

I would’ve eaten Matty’s sausage roll (not an innuendo). His looked crisp and nicely baked.

I'm surprised the other bakers didn't have better sausage rolls. Isn't it a staple of British cuisine?

[quote]R167 M&S sued Aldi over their caterpillar cake, IIRC.

A movie in the making!

An Extra Slice.

The deaf girl bugs me. A lot of attention seeking behavior. She can clearly speak well and therefore hear well, but we still have the charade of the interpreter and her signing. Something's up with that one.

r161 She's deaf and partially color-blind. It was a very cruel comment from Prue.

I never heard of caterpillar cakes. Must be like the British version of Cookie Puss.

No real standouts this season, everyone is truly amateur- very few things that they produce looks appetizing.

Also, I've always wondered- every season they talk about the extreme heat- what would be considered extreme in England?

Pru's pussy temp. from 1972 in centigrade.

I don’t know why the tent isn’t air conditioned and maybe have some fans.

You don’t see the big gigantic Americans competing on Holiday Baking Championship complaining the studio is too hot. They may wipe their foreheads, but they’re not nearly fainting from the heat like the smaller Brits are.

Josh’s Show Stopper, the Christmas Party, was the best-looking and best-tasting thing. He’s a careful, precise baker.

Are they just not letting Josh run away with it because this is the third time he was robbed

Josh had a very shitty first day. A perfect second day doesn’t even that out.

Some of the items this season look like they were made with Easy Bake Ovens. They were all messy and crumbly and raw in the center. This is an amiable cast, fun to watch. But they’re not the best bakers.

R178: The tent isn't air-conditioned because the sound would interfere with the audio. As would electric fans. (I asked the same question a few seasons ago, and someone set me straight.)

I like that the bakers are largely amateur this season and that there's no clear winner yet. (An obvious winner is boring to watch.) Can't guess who's going home this week, but I'd bet Josh wins the cake plate.

There was nothing amateur about Josh's show stopper last week. If the food tasted as good as it looked, I'd have paid a small ransom for it. One of the best presentations ever on the show.

What did they call Josh’s bready thing that looked like a wreath?

A Couronne. These looked savory and tender. I can see why Paul and Pru admired them. And he hung them from tiny stands, like wreathes. It was an impressive show stopper. The snowmen looked like they had raspberry jam in their layers. Delicious.

I want an orgy with all the men.

^and Josh can watch

Josh is a cutie.

r187=Tasha

Finale" Tasha, Josh, and ?

Is it a fad for young white British women to look like worn out WW2 housewives? I mean, bitnnod thesechicks could’ve been in A Family At War

Looks like Monty Python’s Terry Jones in drag

The bakers on The Great Canadian Baking Show are always more talented than the British version. Highly recommended! It's available on youtube and various torrent sites (if you prefer HD).

Fuck Canada

Bloody well better be Matty, R191.

Goodbye, Tasha. Pouting. I was concerned that they would give her pass with her grainy curd.

they watch too much CALL THE MIDWIFE.

Yaaaah three way male finale.

For your Showstopper contestants, we've increased the heat and humidity in the tent so it feels like a balmy 35. You may be clothed, nude, or just in a GBBO jockstrap. You may only ask another contestant to wipe you down if you sweat too much.

We'd like you to bake a perfect Tarte Tatin.

On your marks....get ready.....FUCK.

I’m glad they didn’t kick Matty out to be more “inclusive” and “diverse” in the finale. Tasha bombed the technical and her showstopper was nothing special to look at, aside from the mango curd issue.

I’ve been on Team Dan since episode one, but Josh has been under the radar and he has impressed me more and more with his presentation. May the best man win.

I love Matty, and Josh is always good but a bit of a nebbish. Dan should have gone home long ago, probably to kick his dog.

Dan should have gone home long ago, probably to lick his dog.

Dan can lick me.

All dogs are sluts.

Josh for the win.

Josh’s showstopper was beautiful. It was so level- no sagging at all. Of Dan, Josh, and Matty, Josh is definitely the best baker. But I’d love likable, goofy Matty to take the win. But really, they’re ll fine.

Pru is a really good and fair judge.

Probably the first time I've ever said I want to be in an orgy with 3 reality show finalists.

Me too, but Josh can watch. I’m down for some Matty/Dan/Me action.

Matty has a rocking bod but Josh has grown on me. He seems very sweet and is a talented baker.

Josh's profile:

Dan's profile:

Matty:

Thanks for the profiles.

I want to see Matty’s muscular legs wrapped around Dan’s waist as he is held in Dan’s brawny arms.

Over our dead bodies!

If anyone is interested in baking some of the challenges:

I can’t believe all the bakers in the semifinals had 2 star baker wins while Josh only had one.

R219, I think the judges/producers deliberately did that to build some suspense going into the last episodes because he’s clearly the best baker in the group.

As bakers, none of the 3 are anywhere near as good as the semi-finalists in most of the Mary & Paul years. The more recent seasons have lacked really outstanding bakers.

I don’t remember those years. But I do remember Mary: boring!

Well it's finals night. Who will win, Dan, Matty or Josh?

Well done Matty.

Spoiled it for us Yanks, but I'm at least imagining him jumping naked out of a cake for his championship showstopper.

^ it's all over Xwitter.

I have always wondered why, in the technical challenge, the judges must leave the tent before the challenge is announced. It's not as if they don't already know what it is. Anyone know?

God, i want Matty to fuck me.

R228 = Dan

oh my!my!

" Remember guys, this is the final, so the judges would like you to bake in the nude."

I'll drink to that.

I was floored when Noel said that and just wished that the bakers would have listened to him.

I watched it online last night. I’m still shocked that Young Fit Popeye won. Dan totally fell apart on each round. Josh gave it a good run though.

Neither of three has been outstanding in the way that some past finalists have been. In a way it's not surprising--Matty has had time management problems that affected some of his bakes. Dan has sometimes been too ambitious.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

R235 What I intended to say is that Matty is engaged.

Dan was off the boil quite a lot in the later stages, apart from Patisserie week, which is his speciality. If that had been earlier in the series, I doubt he'd have made it to the final..

Josh looked unhappy when the winner was announced. It looked like he expected to win. He had no disasters like Matty and Dan, just very solid every week. I think the judges found him a bit boring.

Well, the judges had at least four issues with Josh's showstopper (no apple taste, weak lemon, rough piping and an under-baked section) as opposed to just one with Matty's - it was a bit wonky. There was actually no contest.

He wouldn't be the first consistent performer to lose in the final. DL Fave James lost the final in the Mary Berry era--he took it well and went on to publish books as well as resume his medical studies.

Josh is not photogenic enough to have a spin off.

He could spin off that face.

Leave Prue Alone!

Can't give the link, because the site is " forbidden," but the prospect of this happening might fascinate some DLers:

[quote]GBBO's Matty triumphs as he beats off competition from Dan and Josh

R243: A dumb article. Mary Berry had even more qualifications. She also had warmth, which is part of what Prue is lacking. She also has no chemistry with Paul.

Matty is certainly likeable and charismatic, but I lost count of the times he said "I've never done this before..." It's one thing to be an amateur, but I guess I would expect the winner of the show to be a bit more well-rounded in their baking knowledge, let's say.

I recall Matty saying that he was experiencing imposter syndrome as he was reaching the quarter finals.

The final Extra Slice.

Forgot to include the finale.

and keep doing that constantly, and get hdclump taken down by bots again, dumbass.

I think because it wasn't one of the more accomplished cohorts, Matty could develop and improve as a baker and win the prize although it was clearly close between him and Josh. The final showstopper is basically a rerun of what they did during the James and John season---the bakes were more impressive that year, although James lost "Star baker" by not being as ambitious as he usually was. Still, that cohort of finalists were more impressive bakers than this group.

James lost because he tried to do too much in the showstopper by trying to bake the entire United Kingdom with multiple cakes, some of which were less successful than others. John, on the other hand, made one perfect tasting cake. James became a physician, while John showed off his cakes on " Strictly..."

John was a trainwreck but more capable, even tweaked out, than these guys.

No shirtless Matty yet, but the boys of FamousMales have found him all sweaty.

R254’s pic

[quote] I think because it wasn't one of the more accomplished cohorts, Matty could develop and improve as a baker

Yes. I think this is why he had an edge on Josh. Hollywood likes contestants who grow and improve, it makes him feel like he's teaching as well as judging. Josh was solid and predictable, like his bakes, but there wasn't much excitement or daring there. I would have been fine with him winning though, I think it was more important to him than it was for Matty.

Matty’s next move will certainly be an Onlyfans page.

[quote]Neither of three has been outstanding in the way that some past finalists have been.

Oh, DEAR.

Josh got robbed. A few times but especially so this week

It’s a great show and I enjoy it, yet this particular season the bakers’ skills were not so impressive. It’s a bit like they produced a special season in a group home. It was uplifting and special, but…different.

For years, the judges have pretty much disregarded the first day of baking and placed undue emphasis on the showstopper when making their decision. This was evident. here.

Josh's showstopper wasn't fully baked and didn't taste of anything. Ludicrous to say he was robbed.

i think josh eschewed fame in the end and threw the game.

just some facial expression on extra slice after a comment about winning.

Yay Matty!! Now, thank all your fans who have supported you by doing a nude photo shoot.

He really is a lovely guy.

They clearly chose the one they could most easily capitalize on. I thought the deaf girl was going to win for the same reason.

Finally a winner I agree with!

I'm sure Josh can find a way to capitalize on that enormous courgette he has to cart around in a wheelbarrow.

but is it green?

Is it cut?

Methinks Josh pinged.

Were any of the top three gay?

Matty does nothing for me...those squinty wee eyes and shitty hair cut don't help.

Other than Matty, I thought most were 'mos, although Amos was the one who had a partner at the end.

Unless I missed it I don't think Josh had a significant other. He pinged to me also.

His partner was named Andy- Amos and Andy. That made me chuckle.

What r261 said. The bake off judges place a lot more weight on the show stopper (and basically ignore the technical).

Even though Josh left everyone in the dust for the first two challenges, when they didn't care for his show stopper I knew they were going to award Matty just based on that one challenge.

Josh is the more skilled and knowledgeable baker, but bake off is who wins the challenge, not who is the best baker. I felt bad for the guy though, he looked like he wanted to cry when Paul was so harsh on his show stopper.

This competitions always have been weighted toward the showstopper. This group did pretty poorly with a lot of the technical challenges. Given the lack of practice opportunities for practice and the skeletal recipes, it's a clear sign of how no one in this group was really a great baker.

Baking requires either technical or intuitive understanding of chemistry and other natural science, but the bakers trained in the sciences and engineering weren't always the best bakers, although they usually were among the best. One of the earlier star bakers was an older woman who worked as a landscape designer---she probably had some science of the science but she also knew how to plan a project.

I think the only two gay contestants this season were Amos and Rowan.

Probably josh, too.

OK -- who's making a lardy cake this weekend?

Matty’s haircut is stupid, but I don’t care. Did you see the little glimpse of his pits!?!? Heavenly.

r280 that was my nickname in high school!

If the first day is going to be disregarded, why have it at all? And I still don't know why Paul and Prue are sent out of the tent before the technical is announced; they came up with it, after all. It just doesn't make sense.

The deaf girl's name was Tasha. Is there a reason that in this thread she is most often discussed - and dismissed - as 'the deaf girl"? I though she was adorable. And she lost her hearing after learning to speak. Cochlear implants don't result in 100% hearing. People shouldn't make such judgements without knowing what the hell they are speaking of.

Dan started out strong and got progressively weaker. Originally thought he was going to be the winner at the start of the season but he just started meandering and he may have had an attitude problem. Is he a single dad? I don't remember ever seeing his wife. His mother did the color commentary for the final. I thought that was odd.

Josh was overall the best over the season, but that's not how the winner gets chosen. And he looked pissed that he didn't win.

Matty is adorable and grew as a baker the most. I think he ended up being the default as the other two bombed. I love seeing straight men nowadays being able to make choices that weren't available to us. He's not all the way there yet because when he brought in baked goods to his students, he told them Lara (fiance) had made them.

Still hate Noel, and I hope they're easing him out. Someone told him to tone down his shtick this season. There's something psychologically off about a person that speaks such drivel and always thinks what he says is hysterically funny. He's also getting more sexually overt with whatever men he thinks are not. Though I must admit the idea of sliding around in lard with Matty sounded hot, though I don't think Matty had the slightest idea what Noel meant even though Matty sort of agreed.

Finally, this was the nicest and most comforting cast as a whole in years. I "cared" about these people. It made me like the show again. The producers definitively made some changes for the better.

^^^ "with whatever men he thinks are HOT".

I enjoy the show and look forward to each season. I do agree that some of the prurient humor (beaver jokes and stupid things like that) land flat. I understand that Noel is admired by fans of his earlier projects in the UK, but I just don’t enjoy watching him interact with the bakers. I sense that some contestants gently try to nudge him along.

I feel bad for the guy when he sidles up next to a baker and offers a corny joke and then laughs heartily trying to highlight his own cleverness. Allison is an “easier” presence on the set. Noel’s odd flirty jokes about Paul are just uncomfortably silly. I feel bad for Noel because he’s probably a good guy, but his schtick (the flowing tunics and high healed boots and the campy goofy humor) is progressively more irritating each season.

I have a feeling Matty has a chode.

like his eyebrows?

[quote]the flowing tunics

to hide a thickening waistline.

If Matty was my teacher, I would let him bum me.

I know Noel had Mighty Boosh or whatever so he has a following, but I find him so off putting and creepy.

I really miss Mel and Sue (and even they could get carried away sometimes). Noel is just so strange all the time. I'm sure he's good in other areas but he's very off putting in this context.

I think Allison was able to play off Noel well, I liked their chemistry together and I think she was a smart addition to the show.

The Noel/Matt pairing just never worked, those seasons were honestly the weakest of the show

[quote] People shouldn't make such judgements without knowing what the hell they are speaking of.

So tell us all about how and when and why Tasha lost her hearing.

I like the way Mel and Sue comforted and encouraged contestants. They were genuine.

Tasha's grainy curd did her in. I think the judges tended to give her a bit of "benefit of the doubt" during the last couple shows before they dropped her. They were lowkey when she left with a migraine (I have migraines and would want to be competing with one). I don't think she ever bombed, except maybe in a technical (where this group often seemed to do poorly) but she wasn't consistent. I felt that they kept around longer than they should have. The younger woman with children wasn't as talented Tasha and was easier to eliminate.

Dan did seem to decline. Josh was consistent but as mentioned upthread, that isn't how the competition ultimately finds a winner.

Allison is pleasant but Noel seems even weirder than he did early on, even though he's been toned down. Matt was not a good fit for the show, but I've seen him on other shows where he's fine and actually funny.

Josh’s showstopper sucked.

What?

[quote]Josh’s showstopper sucked.

So did Josh, behind the tent.

All of your questions answered such as," Where do the bakers stay between days of filming? " How long does filming take each day?" Personally, I wonder if any of the gays relieved each other's tension at the hotel between days.

That was great, r301.

"Chode" Word of the Day. Never heard of it before. Is it a compliment?

Thick dick, R303.

The showstoppers were not as impressive as in other rounds. Josh's flavors seemed awful with the rhubarb and the absent apple. The finish on each one seemed a bit lacking, but Matty apparently had the best cake. Their eclairs each had flaws. The technical never seems to be weighed very much and picking some War-era shortage cake that people have tried not to make since the 50s seemed feeble as a choice.

Well Ladies I see Matty has married the girlfriend. Happy day was May31st. Good luck to them.

Matty's a very nice guy. I wish them all the very best.