Few shows are as addictive as the quietly dramatic The Great British Baking Show (known as The Great British Bake Off in its native land). The series that pits a series of highly talented amateur bakers against each other is back for a 14th series, and fans are already salivating at the prospect of ten more episodes of high tension and brilliantly decorated baked goods. So what’s changed from the last series, which took place in 2022? What’s the release date and most importantly, where can you watch The Great British Baking Show 2023?
What is The Great British Baking Show?
The Great British Baking Show is a popular reality television baking competition in which a group of twelve amateur bakers compete to impress judges with their doughy creations. Each round, a contestant is eliminated until one winner is left. Also, every week a “Star Baker” is chosen. This is a purely symbolic prize, but one that bakers covet for the clout and confidence it gives them.
In each episode (or round), the contestants are given three challenges based on that week’s theme, which can be as classic as “cake” or as abstract as “caramel.” The challenges are as follows: a signature bake, a technical challenge, and a show-stopper. The signature bake challenge allows bakers to produce their favorite, tried-and-tested recipes for the judges. The technical challenge sees the contestants given limited to minimal recipe instructions and asked to produce a certain baked product, without knowing what the outcome should look or taste like. The showstopper challenge allows the bakers to show off their creativity and the depth of their talent with a unique creation of their own design.
The show was originally on the BBC, before being moved to Channel 4 after Love Productions (the company that produces it) struck a deal with the latter. The first series aired in 2010 and has been going strong ever since, and is even credited by some outlets as the reason for a boon in baking in the UK and Ireland, with a spike in sales of ingredients and tools since it came on the air. Former contestants have achieved a high profile in the U.K., with some able to open successful bakeries, and others becoming television personalities.
Who hosts The Great British Baking Show 2023?
The Great British Baking Show 2023 will again be hosted by comedian and actor Noel Fielding. Alongside him is a new host, the television personality Alison Hammond. Fielding came to prominence in the U.K. for his absurdist radio (and later television) show The Mighty Boosh and is also known for appearing on multiple panel shows. Hammond began her career in the public eye by appearing on the third series of Big Brother UK over a decade and a half ago. Hammond is replacing former judge Matt Lucas, a comedian most known for the truly awful and cancel-worthy series Little Britain.
Who are the judges on The Great British Baking Show 2023?
The judges on The Great British Baking Show 2023 will be Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. Hollywood has been a judge throughout the show’s various iterations and began his career as a baker before gaining public recognition as a television chef in the late nineties and early 2000s. Leith also has an extensive and impressive culinary background, having attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School, as well as opened and run a Michelin-starred restaurant. She also has a long history of food writing for various prominent publications in the Anglosphere, including multiple broadsheet papers in the U.K.
Is there a trailer for The Great British Baking Show 2023?
Yes! The trailer has been out since August and you can watch it above. In it, we get a first glimpse of Hammond in her new role, as well as a taste of some of the delights to come.
What is the release date of The Great British Baking Show 2023?
If you’re in the U.K. or have a VPN, the first episode of The Great British Baking Show 2023 will air as The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 on Tuesday, September 26 at 8 pm BST. New episodes will air every Tuesday until the series finale on November 28.
If you’re in the U.S., then The Great British Baking Show 2023 will air on Netflix at midnight PST on Friday, September 29, with new episodes airing every Friday thereafter for international audiences.
How can I watch The Great British Baking Show 2023?
If you’re in the U.K. you can watch The Great British Baking Show 2023 on Channel 4 and their online streaming service, Channel 4 online. If you’re watching it in the U.S., then you can watch the show on Netflix a couple of days after episodes drop in its native U.K.
