GBBO In The Media

[dleighg]

6 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Just so you know, the CBC version is Season 8 and there is a thread for that.

is there any way for those of us in the US to see the new season(s?) legally (netflix, hulu, etc.)? What is the latest season that PBS broadcast?

[Athena]

2 hours ago, dleighg said:

is there any way for those of us in the US to see the new season(s?) legally (netflix, hulu, etc.)? What is the latest season that PBS broadcast?

No, it is technically not legal. The current PBS season is Series 3 from 2012. There are currently no plans to bring the new Series 8 to the USA. It may happen, but it's unlikely to happen before the UK Series 9 airs later this summer.

[Lois Sandborne]

Have they still not announced a premiere date for Series 9?  I feel like that's late this year if the show's going to be starting in August.  Or maybe I'm just impatient because I've already seen the third season, and I need new sweetness and light.

[Athena]

5 hours ago, Lois Sandborne said:

Have they still not announced a premiere date for Series 9?  I feel like that's late this year if the show's going to be starting in August.  Or maybe I'm just impatient because I've already seen the third season, and I need new sweetness and light.

No, they haven't announced it yet. The series has always premiered in August. Last year it was the latest on August 29th. I expect it'll probably be late August again. 

[sum]

Still no announcement of the premiere date but here's a coming soon clip.

 

Great British Bake Off: 2018 series hit with heatwave CHAOS as bosses try to save cakes

Hearing that UK had been suffering prolonged extreme heatwave news, the scenario in the article immediately came to my mind. I cannot imagine how hot it must have been inside the tent with multiple ovens in operation and all the crew as well as the burning lighting equipment. And I really don't get why the production team couldn't provide adequate cooling system. It's not fun to watch the bakers fail because of something they don't have any control over and I don't think such dramas are what the audience is looking for. 

Having said that, until the issue gets resolved the contestants should be wise up not to take a chance and to choose less heat-sensitive elements, especially for the later stages' challenges which are invariably filmed in summer.

[rhys]

No air conditioning in the tent? That's too bad especially since they are working in August. Air conditioning would ameliorate the humidity for the yeast bakes. I would think that could be a good thing.

[Rinaldo]

Air conditioning, that decadent American invention? Not for the British, thank you.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

There were a few episodes of the Great Australian Bake Off where it was close to 100 degrees in the shed and there were all kinds of heat related issues like chocolate amd sugar decorations melting, frosting dripping down cakes, etc. The judges were understanding about it and took the heat into account during their critiques, but I still felt bad for the contestants. You know the whole country is watching so of course you don’t want to present a melted puddle on national television.

[sum]

And I assumed the conditions in the shed of the Australian or Canadian series would be far better, since they are more spacious, likely equipped with proper A/Cs. Guess not...

[ElectricBoogaloo]

IIRC, the sheds on the Australian and Canadian shows didn’t look noticeably larger than the British tent  

It gets pretty warm in South Africa too (although I don’t recall exactly when they film there) but I don’t remember the heat being as much of an issue on the Great South African Bake Off. I may have just forgotten it though!

[Mabinogia]

I would always rather see the best these people can put out (true of any legit competition shows for me) so I hate that such severe weather conditions affects their work. I am glad the judges take this into consideration, but I'd still rather see the most amazing things these people can do. That said, I would hate to lose the tent. I love the bucolic beauty of this show. 

I watched Making It (the new crafting show with Amy Poeler and Nick Offerman as hosts) and while it was trying way too hard to be this show, I did like one thing Amy suggested. Keep all the contestants for the whole run, each weeks winner gets a badge (or other symbol of their triumph) and at the end the winner is the one who got the most badges. I know it would take away the suspense of who won but I would love to see what someone who left early because they aren't as good at one of the earlier challenges could have done in the later. Like, if your specialty is breads, it would be devastated to go out the week before. 

This show makes messes with my normally snarky persona. It makes me....nice. Participation trophies for all!!!!

[latetotheparty]

8 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

I would always rather see the best these people can put out (true of any legit competition shows for me) so I hate that such severe weather conditions affects their work. I am glad the judges take this into consideration, but I'd still rather see the most amazing things these people can do. That said, I would hate to lose the tent. I love the bucolic beauty of this show. 

I watched Making It (the new crafting show with Amy Poeler and Nick Offerman as hosts) and while it was trying way too hard to be this show, I did like one thing Amy suggested. Keep all the contestants for the whole run, each weeks winner gets a badge (or other symbol of their triumph) and at the end the winner is the one who got the most badges. I know it would take away the suspense of who won but I would love to see what someone who left early because they aren't as good at one of the earlier challenges could have done in the later. Like, if your specialty is breads, it would be devastated to go out the week before. 

This show makes messes with my normally snarky persona. It makes me....nice. Participation trophies for all!!!!

I get this. I think about poor Claire and her disastrous first weekend or what Toby might have accomplished after he got over his nerves enough to not cut himself and mix up sugar and salt. But there have been a few contestants who were really uncomfortable to watch and I relax when they’re finally out. Like Jordan, I forget the season, who had that nervous laugh that made him come off as creepy, even though I’m sure he wasn’t. But his discomfort made him difficult to watch. Which is sad because many of his bakes were interesting. I thought Mary and Paul were a bit harsh about his biscuit scene. They obviously didn’t know anime. 

[Mabinogia]

3 minutes ago, latetotheparty said:

But there have been a few contestants who were really uncomfortable to watch and I relax when they’re finally out.

Ruby was mine, but I got stuck with her all season anyway. lol But I know what you mean. There were a couple that were hard to watch, but they were fewer than the ones I loved. Also, I get it's a competition and I know it would never happen that they all get to stay. It was a rare treat when, after John's unfortunate incident, they didn't eliminate anyone. That made me happy. 

[mishy]

16 hours ago, latetotheparty said:

But there have been a few contestants who were really uncomfortable to watch and I relax when they’re finally out.

Dorret was mine. Even her hair was anxious and I could not wait for her to be eliminated. Every time she was judged it was like she'd never heard criticism in her life. 

[Rinaldo]

19 hours ago, latetotheparty said:

Like Jordan, I forget the season, who had that nervous laugh that made him come off as creepy, even though I’m sure he wasn’t. But his discomfort made him difficult to watch.

Jordan was mine as well; but more for his snide attitude (which may have come from awkwardness and discomfort, but this was the result), snottily muttering things like "We must not displease Miss Mary Berry." Also I just didn't like his grooming, but that's my problem.

[latetotheparty]

19 hours ago, mishy said:

Dorret was mine. Even her hair was anxious and I could not wait for her to be eliminated. Every time she was judged it was like she'd never heard criticism in her life. 

Yes. Her judgings were painful to watch. I was glad she won that one technical so she’d at least have one good memory of competing. 

[justmehere]

[Kohola3]

Where?  US?  Great Britain?  Whose Channel 4?

[dubbel zout]

UK.

[Kohola3]

Well, shoot.

[Nysha]

I want to move to the UK for the next 12-16 weeks so I can watch this in real time!

[Ceindreadh]

1 hour ago, Nysha said:

I want to move to the UK for the next 12-16 weeks so I can watch this in real time!

It’s usually available on the Channel4.com website soon after the air date and I think because it’s ad supported, it’s not region locked. (I’m not in the UK but I can still legally watch it on their site - useful for when the DVR is playing up). 

[magdalene]

2 hours ago, Ceindreadh said:

It’s usually available on the Channel4.com website soon after the air date and I think because it’s ad supported, it’s not region locked. (I’m not in the UK but I can still legally watch it on their site - useful for when the DVR is playing up). 

You must not be in the US then. I was trying just now to watch on the Channel4 website player and I was region blocked right away.

I know why programs are region blocked - pure greed at play.  It is so annoying. 

[Athena]

PTV Forums does not allow for discussion on methods to Fly to England. It's a grey area in terms of legality.  We know you do it and you can continue to discuss in PM but not on the forums publicly. Thank you.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

16 hours ago, Nysha said:

I want to move to the UK for the next 12-16 weeks so I can watch this in real time!

There are only ten episodes so you can just plan a short ten week vacation to the UK!

[magdalene]

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-09-26/noel-fielding-great-british-bake-off/

Article about how Noel Fielding fits in better as a host anyone would have assumed given his edgy comic persona.   Unlike the author of the article I wouldn't say 

I like him better  than Mel and Sue but he grew on me right away and he has been very supportive of the bakers when they endure the harshness of the male judge.

[irisheyes]

On 7/12/2018 at 8:33 AM, Athena said:

No, it is technically not legal. The current PBS season is Series 3 from 2012. There are currently no plans to bring the new Series 8 to the USA. It may happen, but it's unlikely to happen before the UK Series 9 airs later this summer.

I feel like, unless Love Productions is asking for an exorbitant amount of money, there’s got to be a network SOMEWHERE in the US that would be willing to pay for the rights. It’s so popular in the US, it seems like it would be worth the investment. Jeff Bezos has more money than God himself, why can’t he purchase the rights?  ?

[magdalene]

20 hours ago, irisheyes said:

I feel like, unless Love Productions is asking for an exorbitant amount of money, there’s got to be a network SOMEWHERE in the US that would be willing to pay for the rights. It’s so popular in the US, it seems like it would be worth the investment. Jeff Bezos has more money than God himself, why can’t he purchase the rights?  ?

Here's the kicker and the irony - if I understood this correctly - while the BBC lost the show to Channel 4 - the BBC retains the world wide distribution rights for even the Channel 4 episodes.  So who will they sell it too for US viewing - Netflix? Amazon? How about BBC America?

I think PBS is stupid and short-sighted for ending the show.  I heard a rumor that it is because Mary Berry left and because the new hosts are considered "too edgy".  Sigh.  I was lucky to have seen some of the new specials and Noel Fielding is not doing his typical comedy routine on the show and Sandy T. is a sweetheart and the least edgy person ever. And I kind of resent that PBS may be thinking that only stodgy prudes watch PBS.

Oh, the reason I am in this thread - James Morton has a book coming out in the fall: https://www.waterstones.com/book/shetland/james-morton/tom-morton/9781849499675

He wrote it with his father.

[dubbel zout]

4 hours ago, magdalene said:

And I kind of resent that PBS may be thinking that only stodgy prudes watch PBS.

The NYC PBS station shows the worst programs during pledge drives—the same five doo-wop shows, Suze Orman specials, and Italian/Jewish cultural histories. Every pledge drive it's this stuff. If that doesn't mean stodgy prudes watch PBS, I don't know what does. My mother's PBS station, in Milwaukee, has better programming, and not just during pledge drives.

[illdoc]

19 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

The NYC PBS station shows the worst programs during pledge drives—the same five doo-wop shows, Suze Orman specials, and Italian/Jewish cultural histories

Here in Chicago we also get "Remembering Chicago" and Geoffrey Baer's (local historian) "Chicago" (a dozen or so 90 min specials on Chicago--Chicago Lakefront, Chicago Architecture Tour, Chicago By El, Chicago North Shore, Chicago South Side, etc.). But fortunately, they do stop the "pledge drive" in order to show GBBO.

[biakbiak]

I am kind of surprised they haven’t announced a US deal yet. On the plus side if it is Netflix they usually have a shorter window between it airing in the UK and popping up there.

[fib]

On 8/6/2018 at 11:01 AM, Mabinogia said:

I watched Making It (the new crafting show with Amy Poeler and Nick Offerman as hosts) and while it was trying way too hard to be this show, I did like one thing Amy suggested. Keep all the contestants for the whole run, each weeks winner gets a badge (or other symbol of their triumph) and at the end the winner is the one who got the most badges. I know it would take away the suspense of who won but I would love to see what someone who left early because they aren't as good at one of the earlier challenges could have done in the later. Like, if your specialty is breads, it would be devastated to go out the week before. 

I disagree.  Sometimes contestants seem so beyond their depth that it often feels merciful to send them home. I agree it is tough when a good baker has a poorly timed tough week (Catherine and Danny could have mad the finals, IMHO, if their bad weeks had been timed differently),  but ultimately I usually think the bakers go home at a good point.  They often seem to struggle as the task become more difficult, and thei loss of joy and recognition of how outclassed they are can be hard to watch. 

For example, I think Manisha went home at just the right time. I enjoyed her mostly, but hink she would have been tough to continue to watch struggle. 

[dleighg]

^ I didn't get the impression that on "Making it" the most badges win. After all, anyone can get eliminated at any time, regardless of their badge count. I think the way most of these shows (Top Chef, GBBO) work is working fine as is. 

[Occasional Hope]

There's going to be a vegan week this year: http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/news/vegan-week-great-british-bake-off/

[Occasional Hope]

This year's competitors: https://metro.co.uk/2018/08/21/great-british-bake-off-2018-full-line-up-of-contestants-revealed-7862901/

[Occasional Hope]

Sorry, didn't realise that.

[Kohola3]

4 hours ago, Occasional Hope said:

Sorry, didn't realise that.

You might want to edit your entry to reflect that information and warn others.

[Spunkygal]

6 hours ago, Occasional Hope said:

Sorry, didn't realise that.

 

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

You might want to edit your entry to reflect that information and warn others.

@Occasional Hope, Yes, probably should add a spoiler warning! Glad I didn’t click on it. 

Edited August 23, 2018 by Spunkygal

[LizDC]

[dleighg]

First season August 31! Right around the corner!

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

First season August 31! Right around the corner!

Yay! I figured this would happen and that we might get the seasons earlier than we have in the past because Netflix tends to put on their British shows quicker than PBS.

[mlp]

That's the best news I've heard in a long time.  Yay!  I've read that Noel Fielding has been a surprising success in his role.  I'm not familiar with anyone but Paul so I'm looking forward to seeing how the new version compares with the old.

[rhys]

Well crap. I'm probably the only person who doesn't have/get/is too cheap to buy netflix. Grr. Maybe my local library will have it.

[dargosmydaddy]

1 hour ago, rhys said:

Well crap. I'm probably the only person who doesn't have/get/is too cheap to buy netflix. Grr. Maybe my local library will have it.

If you haven't done so already, you can do a month for free and then cancel. I did that last summer. Did a month of free Hulu this summer. Will probably pay for a month of Netflix at some point when I have the time and have accumulated enough shows I really want to watch. GBBO will definitely be on that list!

[chessiegal]

If you know someone who has Netflix, they could add you for no extra cost - you can 4 people on 1 account. I have my step-daughter on our account.

[jpgr]

1 hour ago, rhys said:

Well crap. I'm probably the only person who doesn't have/get/is too cheap to buy netflix. Grr. Maybe my local library will have it.

I'm right there with you.

Thanks @chessiegal for the heads up. I do have family members with Netflix, so I'll see if one of them can add me!

[magdalene]

Great news. I have been a Netflix subscriber for years and I just recently requested that they add the re-vamped show.  Now I feel like they listened to me, ha, ha.

Will we be allowed to discuss this new season here?

[Athena]

1 minute ago, magdalene said:

Will we be allowed to discuss this new season here?

The first new season is already in the forums listed as Series 8. I will post a mod note in the coming days to clarify it because Series 9 starts next week for UK viewers.

[GaT]

Whoo Hoo!!! This must have been a recent decision, because it's not listed on any of the "new to Netflix August 2018" lists. This is something that always aggravates me about Netflix, the information about what's new isn't always available.  

[magdalene]

https://thetakeout.com/netflix-u-s-rights-the-great-british-baking-show-1828562132

Netflix is going to air also the new holiday specials later in the year.  And they are adding the old season we just finished watching too.