Who's watching Bake Off?

I've really enjoyed this series. The competitors seemed to be having such a good time and seemed to really support each other. I didn't mind which of the final three won and I wouldn't have wanted to pick a winner myself. No doubt being able to taste the cakes would have helped.

I only watched a couple of episodes and then the final and thought that some of the challenges, particularly baking over an open fire outside on a day in the middle of the heatwave was ridiculous.

It's as if they are trying to think up more and more extreme challenges which are far removed from what I think Bake Off should be about.

I think Prue looks fabulous for her age and is full of fun and so much more personable than posh Mary was
Prue is fun, looks great but she is in fact much posher than Mary is!

As for the jar shattering - I have known that happen with a thick tumbler which was sitting on my desk. It exploded with a loud bang, shattering into tiny pieces and startled everyone in our office - we didn't know if it was from heat (no heat source nearby) or vibration from traffic outside.

I couldn't help comparing the three showstoppers with the lovely creations made in the Wedding Cake challenge on BBC.

I didn't mean my post to sound so grumpy
but I did think the final was disappointing.

Grump on Jalima, you are justified . I agree with everything you said

I agree too Jalima. I've watched the entire series but was disappointed with the final, and not because Rahul won. I love the new line up though, and prefer these presenters to the Beeb ones.
As an aside, what exactly is the political correctness that gave Rahul his win Maw?

Did Rahul always look so anxious and bewildered all the way through?
I only saw about 3 episodes.

Rahul was always self=deprecating and diffident. I'm sure it wasn't a pose. He was consistently a good and innovative baker throughout the series though he nearly came to grief in the semi-final. Don't see how it could be construed as a PC fix since the other two finalists were mixed race - unless it would be PC to give the award to a young man.

but I did think the final was disappointing.
Not because of the result (I could not have chosen) but because of the tasks they were asked to do.

Definitely Jalima and yes I agree Anno.

I agree Jalima. The tasks are becoming extreme and beyond the bounds of most bakers. The open fire one was more like a Bear Grylls one and rather silly imo. I do hope whoever thinks up these outlandish tasks reins it in a bit. I think Kim Joy should have won it but overall the series was enjoyable, and the presenters, judges and contestants a good bunch. Well done Channel4. I think they managed the transition from the BBC very well. ( Apart from the annoying as breaks, but we watched the whole series on catch up.)

I simply cannot understand why you all seem to think that Kim Joy should have won! Her showstopper was awful. It looked bad and tasted all the same. She used some pretty odd flavour combinations throughout.
I would never have thought that she could win. Rahul's the one!

I simply cannot understand why you all seem to think that Kim Joy should have won
No, not all of us - I said I wouldn't have been able to pick, simply because her other offerings were better.

I'm afraid despite liking Rahul in the beginning the perpetual look of terror had worn thin by the final !

I also thought he should have gone home a couple of weeks ago when his baking was inedible but the correct thing and Manan's was the incorrect thing but well baked- but that's just my opinion.

Id have liked Ruby to win.

Well I quite liked Briony (yes I know she wasn't in the final), but without tasting the offerings I couldn't say who should have won. I loved the series though, the presenters were great but the final was an anticlimax.