‘The Great British Baking Show’ Collection 11
There’s no denying that long-time Great British Baking Show fans felt a little burned by last year’s woefully uneven season. So it’s a welcome relief to report that The Great British Baking Show’s new season on Netflix already seems to be addressing fan concerns with some refreshing moves back to the reality cooking competition show’s roots. The irrepressibly positive Alison Hammond is taking over for Matt Lucas, lifting the entire energy of the tent, but the big shift seems to be a simpler approach to the series itself. There’s nary a social media influencer type in this year’s crop of bakers, but there are multiple foragers, many fans of cozy knitwear, and one Victorian era devotee. The challenges are focused on substance over style so far and the first Technical Challenge was to recreate the show’s iconic chocolate and raspberry cake. Once more, love seems to be the main ingredient in every bake. So much so, Paul Hollywood gives a nervous baker a hug in the first episode. The Great British Baking Show isn’t just back — it’s so back.