Great British Bake Off

[tammyy2j]

Great British Bake Off will return later this month with a four-part Comic Relief special on BBC Two.

The ratings hit, which was voted the best reality show of 2012 by Digital Spy readers, will have 16 celebrities competing with their baking skills to raise cash for charity.

Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry will judge the stars' cakes, pastries and sweet treats, while Mel Giedroyc will host on her own without usual co-presenter Sue Perkins.

Comedian Jo Brand, stand-up Stephen K Amos and TV double act Lorna Watson and Ingrid Oliver are the first celebrities taking part in the challenges, which will involve Signature Bake shortbreads, Technical Bake custard slices and Showstopper Bakes with chocolate cakes.

Some of the dishes served for the judges include Brand's black forest cake, Amos's experimental flourless chocolate and stem ginger cake, Watson's white chocolate and raspberry cake and Oliver's lady grey tea and lavender shortbread.

Great British Bake Off's Comic Relief specials start on Monday, January 21 at 8pm on BBC Two.

[moonstorm]

Whooopppeeeee, love this show :cheer:

[Perdita]

The first pictures from the celebrity Comic Relief edition of the Great British Bake Off have been released.

Comic Relief's mini-series version of the reality show, which will be hosted by Mel Giedroyc, is scheduled to air on January 21-24.

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© BBC / Comic Relief/Jon Cottam

[Comic Relief Bake Off - Heat One]

Jo Brand, Stephen K Amos and double act Lorna Watson and Ingrid Oliver will take part in the show's first heat.

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© BBC / Comic Relief/Gary Moyes

[Comic Relief Bake Off - Heat Two]

Heat two will feature Warwick Davis, Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne and TV presenters Andy Akinwolere and Simon Reeve.

http://1.1.1.1/bmi/i1.cdnds.net/13/03/618x352/uktv-comic-relief-bake-off-5.jpg
© BBC / Comic Relief/Jon Cottam

[Comic Relief Bake Off - Heat Three]

The third show will feature Paralympic gold medal winner Ellie Simmonds, TV presenters Julia Bradbury and Kirsty Wark and comedian Bob Mortimer.

http://1.1.1.5/bmi/i2.cdnds.net/13/03/618x350/uktv-comic-relief-bake-off-6.jpg
© BBC / Comic Relief/Tom Dymond

[Comic Relief Bake Off - Heat Four]

Completing the lineup in the final show are Strictly presenter Claudia Winkleman, stand-up Ed Byrne, Olympian Helen Glover and journalist Martha Kearney.

Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry will be back to judge the celebs' baking skills and technique as they take on Signature Bakes, Technical Bakes and Showstopper Bakes.

[Dazzle]

Will anyone be watching the new series of the Great British Bake Off tonight? I'm really looking forward to it because I always find it such an enjoyable bit of light relief. There'll no doubt be plenty of tense moments of course, but it's an enjoyable tension because the everyone's so jolly nice. :D

It's on BBC1 tonight at 8.00pm.

[moonstorm]

I am so excited!!! I can't wait for tonight. I even started to follow it on FB so I could find out when it was starting. Hope this year is as good as previous years. And yes, everyone being "jolly nice" makes such a change from everything else on telly.

[Dazzle]

I am so excited!!! I can't wait for tonight. I even started to follow it on FB so I could find out when it was starting. Hope this year is as good as previous years. And yes, everyone being "jolly nice" makes such a change from everything else on telly.

I hope you enjoyed it Moonstorm! I didn't have time to watch it last night, but hopefully will tonight. I'll give you my thoughts tomorrow. :)

[moonstorm]

Loved it! So happy it's back :)

[parkerman]

It seems all bets are off as someone has leaked the name of the winner. Ladbroke's has stopped taking bets.

[Dazzle]

It seems all bets are off as someone has leaked the name of the winner. Ladbroke's has stopped taking bets.

What a selfish so-and-so! :angry:

(I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened before now though.)

[Dazzle]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode. The bakes were mostly extremely impressive. My favourite contestants so far are Tamal and Nadiya - particularly Tamal, who seems very laid back with nerves of steel.

I was very pleased for Marie that she won star baker. I must admit she didn't make much of an impression on me, so I'll take more notice of her in future.

I was very glad poor Dorret wasn't kicked out after her disaster. I thought she was very brave to present her "mudslide" instead of running out of the tent in tears (as I would have been tempted to do)! :D

Stu was the obvious choice to go. He was very ambitious but his bakes just didn't work.

Can't wait for next week now! Have you got any early favourites Moonstorm? :)

[moonstorm]

No favourites as yet. quite like that wee Scottish girl and a few of the older ladies. And yes Stu had to go. Don't think he was that bad, he just didn't bake what was asked of him lol. Poor Dorrit, as you say, I would have run from the tent crying too.

[Dazzle]

Yay! My favourite baker this week - Ian - won star baker. His food looks yummy and edgy, and he's a bit of a character to boot. :clap:

My favourites last week - Tamal and Nadyia - didn't fare so well this week unfortunately. And last week's star baker - Marie - was booted out! At least nobody can accuse Bake Off of being predictable!

Boo! There were no huge disasters this week to laugh at... :D

[tammyy2j]

Now that it is going to Channel 4 without Mel, Sue and Mary, will it still do well in the ratings and who will replace them

[Dazzle]

Now that it is going to Channel 4 without Mel, Sue and Mary, will it still do well in the ratings and who will replace them

It'll probably do OK ratings wise as long as their replacements are acceptable to the audience. I'll give it a go on Channel 4 though I'm disappointed that the BBC have lost it.

[Perdita]

It'll probably do OK ratings wise as long as their replacements are acceptable to the audience. I'll give it a go on Channel 4 though I'm disappointed that the BBC have lost it.

BBC planning a different kind of baking show with Mary Berry and Sue and Mel apparently ... that would be interesting if it does happen