SirOsisOfLiver

If you watched Season 1, you may recall contestant Monique, the basketball player with the quirky sense of humour. She's been writing reviews of this season for an Aussie site. She's got a real fun writing style if anyone wants to check it out: http://www.mamamia.com.au/author/moniquebowley/

Unfortunately, the free episodes are only available in the U.S. so don't bother trying if you live anywhere else.

"The producers made an effort to create a geographically, racially, and regionally diverse group of bakers..." I'm going to suggest that this is the problem with this (and so many US reality shows). "Okay, we need somebody black, somebody Hispanic, a gay guy, someone from the south, someone from California..." Why? Do you think people won't watch unless they find "their" group represented? This insistence on a casting formula dilutes everything. It's a baking show - cast the best bakers you can find, not the best who fit your profiling formula.

The fact that everyone did so poorly suggests that they needed more time. If it had just been one or two of them that would be different, but I think everyone's blew apart trying to roll them.

The Great South African Bake Off season 1 just started on 9 October. Male and female judges, Marquis tent and the classic theme music. http://www.bbcsouthafrica.com/shows/the-great-south-african-bake-off/