‘The Great British Baking Show’: Linda Had to Go, But it Still Sucks

Even before the judges began their deliberations, I knew who was going home this week on The Great British Baking Show. Linda. Sweet, zen-loving, calm, sunny Linda Rayfield had stumbled in all three rounds of pastry week. She forgot to include crimps on her Cornish pasties, flailed at making choux for her éclairs, and didn’t present a fully caged tart. She had to go. It was only fair. Still that doesn’t mean I’m not despondent over it. Linda brought a sweet energy to the tent that will be hard to replace.

The Great British Baking Show is an almost unbearably sweet show. From its low-stakes concept to the kindness the contestants show each other, it’s always been a cozy escape from the hectic pace of modern life. However in each season there are certain bakers who seemingly go above and beyond when it comes to their attitude. These are the bakers who are literally just so happy to be there. Less frayed by nerves than they are grinning ear-to-ear, these are the bakers that remind you this is all supposed to be a ton of fun.

This year that baker was Linda.

Linda Rayfield is a 61-year-old retirement living coordinator with a deep abiding love for Bob Marley and good vibes. This woman wasn’t just upbeat in the tent. She radiated sunshine out from every pore of her body. There was no flustering her. She is an irrepressible thunderbolt of joy. So much so that when she finally revealed her own tragic backstory — her daughter Melissa passed away years earlier — she didn’t explain it in a way that made her a martyr. If anything, she was able to prove to the audience that despite the sadness in her life, she was focused on the positive.

So it was with Linda’s final week in the tent. As Linda bid adieu to The Great British Baking Show, she refused to shed tears. In fact, she said that the whole experience had been akin to being a kid at a theme park. Her tenure in the tent was all joy, right down to the messy end. Heck, she even happily congratulated Laura on making Star Baker! For Linda, the game was just that: a game. She played hard, emphasis on the word “play.”

In my case, though, I’m not sure I can be as gracious about Linda’s exit from The Great British Baking Show. Linda was my favorite. (Okay, they’re all my favorites, but Linda was a particular favorite of mine.) Her positive energy lifted my spirits and I want to be like her when I grow up. That is, happy to roll with the punches, calm as a cucumber, and a contestant on a beloved baking show.

We love you, Linda! The Great British Baking Show won’t be the same without you!! (And you will go down in history as the first baker to give Noel Fielding his favorite childhood treat!)

Watch The Great British Baking Show on Netflix