Great British Bake Off - Discuss

Love Bake-Off but this year's contestants seem a bit hand-picked to be as PC as possible; Twinkly Black Guy? Tick. Ditzy Old Lady? Tick. Glam Buff One? Tick - you get the picture. None of them seem to be very good bakers so far IMHO.

And yes, Mary Berry's eyes really are that blue, OH and I stood in the same queue as her for our flu jabs a couple of years ago. OH beamed at her and said Hello, then later he asked me how he knew her!

food porn ???????????>

Are you watching the same lopsided , undercooked, overcooked, total disaster cake show I am RadicalNan ???

Crikey ... I'm sorry and obviously that's your view but I was just thinking to myself what a harmless show this was and suddenly I find I'm watching food porn probably with a subliminal obesity message ---- I'm off for a lie down and a nice piece of cake !!

I like the program not the silly fooling around but just seeing the very good skills of these people is quite impressive. Not something I could do.

I was impressed by Nadiyas chronicals and how articulate Nadia is about her family and her religious views etc. She is not full of herself the way some presenters are.

I do enjoy this programme, it's light hearted and easy to watch with no gritty drama, violence and swearing etc. Mel and Sue bring some humour to the show, and it would be dull without them.

I agree NanKate. I didn't get into Strictly because I don't like Bruce Forsythe or Tess Daly and, although I do like Claude Winkleman, I haven't found it any better with her. I found the American version much better and really liked the presenters on that but could only get it a couple of years.

I haven't got into Bake Off but I do like the showing one. Some of them are so clever.

It is such a shame that cookery and sewing classes rarely exist in schools nowadays. There should be Saturday classes available for children that want to do them and I think that clothing factories could sponsor some. It might be to their benefit in the end as they always say that they cannot get British people to work for them (not that that should be the only reason for learning). It is often lack of confidence.

Seems there will be a repeat on Sunday at 4.15.

I wonder if Mel and Sue and the two presenters from Strictly (can't remember their names) could present a programme thousands of miles away on some channel I can't receive and we wouldn't have to put up with their inane chat ever again.

Oh purhlease radicalnan - this is a wind up isn't it? You cannot be serious.

I can't watch it as it makes me want to bake. If I do that we eat cake and get fat, does anyone have a calorie free recipe?

That thought crossed my mind too, Lynker - they certainly are a startling blue, especially for an 81-year-old!

Has anyone else noticed that Paul and Mary have the bluest eyes I have ever seen......are they wearing matching contact lenses?

The early episodes always seem to suffer because there are so many contestants and the judging seems very rushed - possibly it's had to be edited a lot to fit into the hour slot.

It gets more interesting when there are fewer contestants left!

I love the programme , Mary so calm and gentle with her opinions, Paul outspoken and flirty , a real foil for each other . Great recipes , smashing characters and mostly likeable contestants . I could watch it every day

What do Mel and Sue add to this programme - mildly irritating is rather kind! What is the point of the programme at all? Why does Paul cut such a large slice out of each cake - surely the contestants like to take home as much as possible - Mary and Paul surely don't finish every slice. Silly programme - could do without it quite easily!!

I love baking myself and, at my enhusiastic daughter's recommendation, watched the GBBO show. I really did not like the format and thought that judging such fantastic efforts was hardy appropriate as it is all so subjective. I also did not like the male judge as he was rude, unappreciative and arrogant. Mary Berry is, however, a treasure: polite, charming and encouraging. My very first cookery book back in 1977 was a Mary Berry and it did not contain one 'dud' recipe. I am still using her basic techniques and recipes weekly.

Fair enough, those of you who don't like it. But millions of us love it. The first one of this series was great and it promises to be every bit as good as previous years.
It's harmless and entertaining, so live and let live.

I missed it last night. Will there be a repeat on Sunday like there was last time?
I agree with you HannahLoisLuke about Paul. I've seen some of his other series and all he does is eat!

Grannylyn, you're not the only one who's gone off Bake Off. Right from the first show I found Mel and Sue mildly irritating and that only got worse with each series. The dumb innuendo got on my nerves. Paul just thinks he's gorgeous, because the media says he is, along with, no doubt, a lot of ladies of our age.
I still like Mary, but prefer to watch her shows on the various food channels where it's a lot more than cake.
At the end of the series before last I decided I'd had enough of watching people peering into ovens but because of the endless media coverage I might as well have watched it! No escape!!

I agree Zengran, watching the Chronicles of Nadia after GBBO was an extra treat.
Nadia is such a positive role model for British Muslim women and a natural in front of the cameras, her family are obviously very proud of her.

Glad to see GBBO back - but agree with Zengran that last night's episode was eclipsed by The Chronicles of Nadiya... A fantastic programme about a lovely woman who seems to be just as delightful as she appeared in last year's series. I enjoyed it very much, and am now really looking forward to the second part next week

Great British Bake Off.I find it a real turn off.......and hardly fits in with the anti obesity message does it?

Why is television so dumbed down now, how many food programmes can we stomach in a week? It was fine for one series but everything is just done to death..........

Who cares about the contestants of their books, charity shops will be full of them in a year or so.......all the recipes free on the net anyway.

Only the wealthy west can watch this food porn roll out and feel 'part of it'. Civilisations in decline elevate food to an art form, praise chefs and have very violent themes in theatre etc

We treat the world as a farm where products are grown for us and shipped here at vast financial and environmental costs......to others of course.

Slightly off subject but I loved the programme that followed GBBO, Chronicles of Nadiya. Last years bake off winner travelling to Bangladesh to see more of the country of her grandparents. She is so easy to listen to and I love her enthusiasm.

Am I the only one who really really doesn't like this Bake Off ???

Am I the only one who has never watched it?

Love "Great British Bake Off" - really glad it's back. I've not got a favourite yet but agree that the lady who kept exercising was annoying. Something to look forward to on Wednesday night especially as "Long Lost Family" has finished.