THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW just completed and crowned the winner for their fifteenth season. This series never gets old, even though the routine never changes for its three rounds of competition each week. What makes it work so well and keeps the fans returning each year are the zany characters who happen to be phenomenal bakers. They come together to show off their amazing creativity and skills and vie for a crystal plate as the winner.
TGBBS is such a personal journey with all of its contestants. Their accents, dialects, and honest humor are hilarious. They forge friendships that have lasted for decades. Each week, they bake a signature, a technical, and a show-stopper to impress the judges, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. They work hard to perhaps get that coveted handshake from Paul after each bake. Paul is very stingy with his kudos, so when it happens, men and women competitors are genuinely amazed and very proud of themselves. This season, Paul gave his first shoulder pat after judging their pastries. It was not as powerful as when Paul held his hand out, but it was still a sweet moment. I love the fact that everyone is polite, kind, and caring. No one yells or whines. The show is entertaining, and believe it or not, it is very exciting due to all the things that go wrong. It encourages and inspires, demonstrating that everyone has a bad baking moment, and sometimes you have to toss it in the garbage and begin again. Nothing is perfect every time, no matter how much you practice.
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW has already been renewed for number sixteen. I can’t wait since I have never missed a show. I even purchased several of the judges’ baking books. It is a brilliant feeling when something turns out good enough to eat, and then I can imagine myself standing in the big white cooking tent, hand extended, waiting for Paul to shake mine while simply saying, “Well done.”
TGBBS is streaming on Netflix. It was a fabulous season of indescribable treats, and watching doesn’t add an ounce of weight.
