The Great British Bake Off spoilers follow.
The 13th series of beloved British baking show The Great British Bake Off finally came to a close this week, with fan favourite and flavour-expert extraordinaire Syabira Yusoff crowned this year's winner and scooping the coveted cake stand.
And yet, while the bakers are as loveable and talented as ever (Janusz will forever be the show's star caker), Channel 4's cookery crown jewel failed to rise to the occasion – with the series proving disappointing and even controversial with fans and press alike.
Each year, viewers are excited to return to the gingham-bunting clad tent of GBBO to meet the eclectic bunch of amateur bakers whose endearing love for home baking somehow manages to eclipse Paul Hollywood's grumpy demeanour.
In previous seasons, episodes have felt like a warm embrace. That's thanks to the show's signature recipe of an uplifting and sweet tone, playful humour, and plenty of emotional ups and downs in the race against time. This year, however, something has been seriously off with the show.
For those die-hard fans who regularly watch with loved ones and enjoy the subsequent debriefs in the office the following morning, many have found themselves more and more disenchanted with the show – and it's not just because they miss Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding's (or even Mel and Sue's) dynamic.
Aside from the hugely controversial Mexican-themed episode, which led to both viewers and professional chefs criticising the show for its stereotypical presentation of Mexican culture, there were a multitude of faux pas on display throughout the series.
This ranged from the utterly bizarre Halloween-week bakes (who makes an edible hanging lantern to double as a piñata anyway?), to the embarrassing technical examples which sparked heated debate on social media. This included Paul Hollywood's controversial Halloween s'mores recipe and Prue Leith's bubbly spring rolls featured in the quarter-final.
But the main crux of the matter is that the series' producers and judges have seemingly lost sight of what we, as a nation, originally loved about the show and what makes it truly special – the celebration of home baking while spotlighting the contestants' transformative journeys.
The Great British Bake Off appears to have evolved from a feel-good watch, with both judges and presenters almost always finding something to praise, to a show which favours incredibly challenging and complex tasks and surprisingly harsh judging.
Long gone are the days when a soggy bottom was the contestants' main concern. This year's technical tasks have increasingly appeared to set contestants up to fail – with last year's winner Giuseppe Dell'Anno even commenting that it is a “sneaky trap for the bakers”.
During dessert week in episode five, Prue set the contestants the technical challenge to bake her favourite dessert, a lemon meringue pie, with the hint to "read the recipe carefully". However, much to the bakers' dismay, the "recipe" cruelly featured a singular instruction: "1: Make a lemon meringue pie." Mary Berry would never.
Similarly, the two-hour Summer Pudding Bombe technical in the series finale also felt unfair as the judges asked the amateur bakers to cook the dessert with vegetarian gelatin – without any instructions. As both Syabira and Sandro unfortunately discovered when their desserts failed to set, you need to boil the vegetarian gelatin, a step you really wouldn't have known if you hadn't used this version of the ingredient before.
Furthermore, much of the judges' precise specifications, timings and presentation requirements now lean more towards professional standards (vertical tarts anyone?). It's a change in direction for a show which was originally inspired by rural baking competitions at village fêtes and which states that signature bakes should be "cute, rustic and altogether home-made-looking" on their official website.
Another key ingredient of the show is the spotlight on the bakers' journeys as they gain confidence, self-belief and brand new skills – with some vastly improving their bakes over time.
In previous series, this has been a major factor in the show, as the producers took the time with the contestants to establish their often-moving transformations and also the emotional dynamic between bakers and the judges/presenters.
Take for example Nadiya Hussain, a once quiet and nervous baker who lacked confidence but then ended up wowing both judges and the public with a hugely impressive Union Jack-themed wedding cake in the finale.
And who can forget her tear-jerking and hugely inspirational winner's speech, which moved the entire nation? "I'm never gonna put boundaries on myself ever again. I'm never gonna say I can't do it. I'm never gonna say 'maybe'. I'm never gonna say 'I don't think I can'. I can and I will."
Mary Berry's resulting emotional reaction – and pride in the contestant – is something that's been missing this series.
Similarly, producers often took the time to spotlight the quiet but much-loved contestant Jürgen Krauss, who also went on to win the heart of the nation. Stemming from the very first episode when no one answered the phone as he won Star Baker, to when he sang his musical decoration in Dessert Week, to his hilarious 'French slap' kneading technique.
Aside from the contestant's clear technical excellence, it was his quirky comments, dynamic with the presenters/judges and his genuinely sweet nature which truly proved the highlight of that series.
While there were definitely a number of standout contestants this year (Sandro, Maxy, Compost Carole and sweetheart Janusz to name a few), this series almost felt like a disservice in comparison to previous years, as there wasn't really that endearing rapport established throughout.
Iconic contestant moments such as bingate, custardgate or Ruby's cake collapse also appeared to be missing, with the mystery of Janusz's disappearing eighth spring roll only really coming close.
While the much-loved show is still one of Channel 4's biggest assets after Gogglebox, the show is indeed losing out on viewers, with the series 13 finale wrapping with 2 million fewer viewers than 2021's series finale. The series was also pipped to the post by both I'm A Celebrity and Strictly Come Dancing, according to BARB figures.
If Bake Off is to keep its place in the nation's heart, it really does need to change – starting with once again embracing the amateur status of the bakers and its previous light tone. Paul and Prue could learn a lot from the ever-endearing spinoff, Junior Bake Off.
The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 in the UK. In the US, it's known as The Great British Baking Show, and streams on Netflix. Bake Off: An Extra Slice, hosted by Tom Allen and Jo Brand, airs on Fridays at 8pm on Channel 4.
