The Great British Baking Show Season 14 (Collection 11 on Netflix) is exactly what you’d expect from literally any other season or iteration of the long running British confectionary competition.
There’s a bunch of really nice, polite contestants, whose skills range from astonishing to awful, who are judged by the eternally cranky Paul Hollywood and the grand dame of dessert Prue Leith, while two comedians pepper in jokes that range from hit to miss. There are theme weeks (thankfully they’ll be avoiding situations like last year’s taco incident), there are tears and there are desserts that will make your mouth absolutely water.
The series, which airs Fridays on Netflix, is like a warm chocolate cookie – which despite its formulaic nature – is still warm, delicious and delightful.
Yet, sometimes you add an ingredient to a reliable recipe … and wonders happen. Ever put sea salt in a chocolate cookie? Or how about peanut butter? Maybe some chili to spice things up?
The Great British Baking Show Season 14 had to make a change to the recipe when Matt Lucas – of Little Britain and Doctor Who fame – departed the series.
Lucas had some terrific moments and solid chemistry with Hollywood, Leith and fellow comedian Noel Fielding (The Mighty Boosh) during his three season run. However, by mid-season it seemed not only as though Lucas had packed it in, but that he was pretty much over the entire Bake Off experience. It definitely soured the final part of last season and is one of the few things that sticks to ribs from it.
Thankfully, a new, fresh ingredient was added to the Bake Off mix with new host Allison Hammond. Hammond is known in the UK as a contestant on Big Brother 2 and a star on numerous reality competition series for nearly 20 years – including Celebrity MasterChef and a celebrity British Bakeoff special.
Hammond has an infectious personality. She’s highly charismatic, warm, gregarious and kind (as evidenced when she helps a contestant in distress during this week’s episode).
In short, she’s everything that’s needed for a comedic host of this series. It’s reminiscent of Sandi Toksvig’s run as a comedic host and it’s a very welcome addition. She has amazing chemistry with Noel Fielding, as well as all the contestants. It adds to the already friendly vibe of the show and makes for a much more enjoyable watch as opposed to last season.
To those who’d roll their eyes at another season of The Great British Baking Show because it’s “the same old, same old” – give this season a chance. It’s a much warmer season and surprisingly more tense and suspenseful than years past (see the Bread Week episode). It’s a fall Friday delight, and there’s too many more weeks of this series, including the eventual Christmas special.
