In an unusual twist for the Great British Bake Off, all contestants managed to avoid elimination this week after one participant fell ill partway through filming.
Ex-university lecturer Jeff, aged 67, participated in the first challenge but was subsequently absent from the screen in last night’s episode and did not partake in the two remaining sections of the inaugural competition week.
The good news is that Jeff will return to the Channel 4 show next week, so producers took the decision to progress all bakers to the next round, reports the Mirror.
A spokesperson for the show commented: “Due to Jeff feeling unwell during the first episode, no one left the tent. John was named Star Baker. Jeff returns in episode 2.”
Culinary judge Paul Hollywood expressed that this year’s cohort of bakers merits extended time in the tent owing to their exceptional talent.
In his conversation with TV Times, he remarked: “They’re definitely polished. We obviously have more talented bakers applying to come on so we’re taking the cream now. They’re almost the finished article before coming into the tent.”
He went on to say: “Judging this year is the hardest it’s ever been because the standard is so high. It’s ridiculous.”
Adding to the excitement of the opening show, the series introduced a number of firsts; for instance, bakers were provided with cake ahead of the debut ‘taste and bake’ challenge featuring mini battenbergs.
Alison Hammond, co-host of the show, mentioned: “Each week the bakers will face a gingham-clad secret second challenge but this time there’s an extra surprise awaiting them.”
Joining in, Noel Fielding explained the novelty of the challenge: “This is a taste and bake challenge. You have five minutes to inspect your battenburg and then you have to recreate it with no recipe.”
Judge Paul Hollywood was so impressed with the contestants’ bakes that he awarded one of his coveted ‘handshakes’ just 30 minutes into the show. The recipient was Illiyin Morrison, a 31 year old midwife from London, who wowed him with her cinnamon roll loaf cake, which he described as “delicious” and “gorgeous”.
Hollywood later quipped that he had been holding back on giving out handshakes, but Illiyin’s bake was too good to resist. Illiyin was over the moon, saying “What just happened? I dunno…what a way to start.”
In a surprise twist, no one was eliminated in the first week, leaving all contestants in the running for the top prize.
The contestants, aged 19-71, include Dentistry Student Sumayah, 19, from Lancashire, who is indulging her sweet tooth before starting her studies, and Hazel, 71, a former nail technician from Kent, who loves making birthday cakes with working parts, including remote-controlled car cakes.
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