The Great British Baking Show is more commonly known as the “Great British Bake-off” is BBCs massively popular cooking program. Contestants vie for the top prize and the chance to become famous in culinary circles. Although Mel, Sue and Mary will be leaving the show, Paul Hollywood will be staying for the migration to channel 4. Fans have enjoyed watching their favorite cooks scurry to prepare exquisite dishes and although the series is entertaining, it is also educational. Here are five things that you didn’t know about the mouth watering television series.
1. Clothing restrictions are tough
Competitors are not allowed to wear any clothing that have stripes or logos. The producers are trying to avoid any potential conflicts with companies that didn’t give authorization for use of their brands. In addition, striped clothing may cause a strobing effect with the cameras. Smart thinking on their parts, but the next requirement is one that is a bit rough. Regardless of how long it takes to film the episode, competitors must wear the same clothing for consistency. This is fine if the shoot takes a day, but some of them take up to three to wrap up.
2. There is a fair amount of staging that takes place
Producers have organized the show to be shot in segments that include the competitors baking, talking about the process and shots of the finished products. When the lines are not clear enough to understand, contestants are asked to repeat what they said and often, to repeat a step in the baking process for the sake of the cameras.
3. The show takes debranding seriously
In the same regard that no logos are allowed for clothing, all ingredients are debranded prior to filming. Competitors are required to supply their own ingredients which will be given during the last segments of the competition. If they need another ingredient, show staff are ready to pick it up from the local supermarket and although contestants can specify the brand they prefer, this is hidden from the cameras.
4. The floors in the tents are spongy
This adds yet another element of difficulty as the floors used for the tents have a definite spring when walked across. The ovens in the tents literally bounce whenever somebody walks across the floor. For some, this leads to feeling a bit unsteady or unbalanced.
5. The application process for the show is grueling
Candidates who wish to appear in the competition must first go through a long interview process. The auditions can take several weeks to complete. Each baker is also required to meet with a psychologist to ensure that they can handle the physical and emotion pressures of a 16 hour filming day. In addition, each must be amateur bakers. This means that they cannot conduct any type of professional catering, earn money from commercial baking or have worked as a professional chef within the last ten years prior to appearing on the show.
Final thoughts
There is a lot more to the show than meets the eye. It is no small feat to secure a place as a competitor in the popular series. The “Great British Bake-Off” is an immensely popular show so those who make the cut feel fortunate to have the chance to compete.
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