Former Tent Residents: Overbaked & Underproved

[Athena]

A topic to discuss previous contestants and winners and where they are now.

 

This article covers a few of them. Most of the winners have websites, blogs, and/or published books.

 

I only realized today that S4's Ruby has a column with The Guardian. 

 

Snark and appreciation allowed!

 

Title credit goes to the lovely SilverStormm. 

[Meredith Quill]

I haven't followed any of them really since they left the show, some were fabulous, others.....less so.

For me, Ruby was particularly irritating and made me dread seeing a 17 year old Martha on the show, but Martha is actually sweet and lovely, so good times! :)

[Pjxf99]

Ugh, I just finished watching the old seasons.  Ruby drove me crazy. I really wanted anyone but her to win.  Anyone.  A stranger walking through the park.  Mel.  Sue.  Anyone. And I still wouldn't have picked Frances--she was so inconsistent. 

[Niuxita]

Don't know where to put this so I'll leave this here: I've been on a bit of a Bake Off kick lately so I've been rewatching seasons 4 (my favourite season) and 5, and it got me thinking. I don't know if the Brits do "all-star" seasons (doesn't seem like it; it feels more like a gimmick US reality shows like to overuse. See also: The Amazing Race), but, imagining for a moment that it were to happen, who would you want to be in it?

 

My picks would be:

Season 5 - Richard and Chetna (and/or Martha)

Season 4 - Ruby and Kimberley (and/or Glenn)

Season 3 - James and Cathryn (this is my least favourite season, so I've only seen it once, and while Danny was my favourite, I feel Cathryn was more memorable)

Season 2 - Holly and Rob (and/or Jason)

Haven't seen season 1 so I'll let others weigh in if they like.

Edited March 8, 2015 by Niuxita

[bybrandy]

I think series 3 was my favourite season.   Loved all three finalist and Sarah-Jane and came to enjoy Catherine as her confidence grew and she lightened up a little.  

Series 4 I can't really remember anything about except for ruby hate.   

Series 5 I think I liked most of the contestants and would be happy to see any of them again but I think casting wise Iain, Martha, Richard?   But I seriously enjoyed all the bakers from that series although the eventual winner, I thought was the weakest of the remaining bakers.   She did have the best day and earned that win.  

 

Series one, the quality of the bakers just wasn't the same as what came after them.  I'm sure one or two of them could keep up, but to me there was a real explosion in starting skill as the show became more popular.   

Series 2.   Holly and Jason, I think. Robert was fun personality wise but I don't ever remember being particularly thrilled with his bakes.   

[Rinaldo]

I enjoy all the seasons, but Series 4 had both my most and least favorite bakers. (There are actually some who probably bugged me more but they left early enough that I'm disinclined to make a big deal about them.)

 

Ruby's manner just irritated me. I understand that it's not deliberate and comes from serious personal issues, but her insistence on casting gloom over everything was discouraging to be around. She reminds me of a former student of mine who would write several sentences of apology at the top of each test that it was so awful, and then get 96%. I finally told her I would start deducting 5 points on any future test on which she did this, and she still couldn't stop herself (so I did deduct the points).

 

By contrast, I just loved Glenn. I wouldn't normally re-watch whole episodes of a TV competition but I might do it just to get great little moments of his that I've forgotten. "Too big a cake?? Is that even possible?" "Before the show I swore I would never be one of those bakers kneeling on the floor with his eye on the oven.... And, well, here we are." And another that cracked me up so much that I rewound it twice, and I've now forgotten just what it was. He just had a flair for the self-deprecating one-liner that very much matches my own sense of humor.

 

Mel also had a big-smile moment on this series (probably not that funny on paper), where from a neighboring station Ruby called out that she needed someone to calm her down. And Mel dashed over and matter-of-factly ordered her to "Get a grip. Get a grip." Started back to the baker she'd been with before, and then turned back and added "Get a ruddy grip." And away again.

Edited March 16, 2015 by Rinaldo

[3 is enough]

Ah Ruby... such a pretty girl (those eyes!), and yet so annoying.  Still trying to decide if the self-deprecating remarks were sincere or meant to give the impression of humility.  Loved Kimberley- she was just sweet and happy, and I think she should have won.  I actually thought her wedding cake was lovely, AND apparently it tasted good.  My daughter is getting married next year and she wants a yummy cake as opposed to a showy one.

 

Loved James from season 3.  Glad to see he stuck with medical school.

[Meredith Quill]

Great British Bake Off's Norman Calder standing for local council.

 

Alert: Spoiler in article if you haven't yet seen the latest series.

[7-Zark-7]

I just saw all the episodes (except the Christmas specials and how to eps) and man I can't handle Frances winning season (series) 4.  Really? The style over substance woman wins?  I wanted Kimberly or Ruby (I don't care how gloomy she was) to win from the beginning and there they were in the final and still it goes to Frances. She's the only winner of any season that disappoints me.

Quote

 

imagining for a moment that it were to happen, who would you want to be in it?

Anyone who made the top 3 of their season or all the people who came in dead last.

[NYGirl]

I've been binge watching and I'm up to season 3.  So far my most hated was Janet in Season 2.  Every time they complimented her she'd have this surprised look on her face..not once..not twice but at least 10 times an episode (I'm exaggerating) .  Most of all her hair!!! It was a mop...always in her eyes.. How the hell could she even see what she was doing?

 

I cheered when she was eliminated.

 

I did have a crush on Rob though..so cute...so clueless.

[NYGirl]

Replying to my own post!  I just finished Season 3 and Brendon got robbed!!!!! How unfair.  He hardly had a bad bake throughout the whole series and yet he doesn't win?  That's foul.

 

Paul is no longer my crush.

[shandy]

I don't know about Janet but I really struggled with Jordan last season. It was a real test of values not to judge his appearance. I'm glad this show challenges me in this way - he was a sweet soul. 

[kscoaster]

I don't know about Janet but I really struggled with Jordan last season. It was a real test of values not to judge his appearance. I'm glad this show challenges me in this way - he was a sweet soul.

 

He has a great blog post about his experience on the show here: http://muffinimpossible.com/?p=85

[ElectricBoogaloo]

update on Richard from S5 aka Bob the Builder including the title of his new cookbook BIY: Bake It Yourself

[OnceSane]

Love the title!

[sum]

Some former contestants will be on BBC 'Christmas Kitchen'. One per each episode bar the first one.
Ep 02: Edd Kimber (Series 1)
Ep 03: Jane Beedle (Series 7)
Ep 04: Chetna Makan (Series 5)
Ep 05: Richard Burr (Series 5)
Ep 06: Jo Wheatley (Series 2)
Ep 07: Andrew Smyth (Series 7)
Ep 08: Frances Quinn (Series 4)
Ep 09: Martha Collison (Series 5)
Ep 10: Selasi Gbormittah (Series 7)
About the program: BBC One to broadcast ‘Christmas Kitchen’ fortnight 
'former ‘The Great British Bake Off’ contestants will be revealing how to create food gifts'

[halopub]

Looks like Candace (Series 7) was on episode one, making chocolate, orange and cardamon shortbread. Mary made a fish pie.

[sum]

12 hours ago, halopub said:

Looks like Candace (Series 7) was on episode one, making chocolate, orange and cardamon shortbread. Mary made a fish pie.

Yeah, it's strange that they didn't list her name. Even now it's only 'a Great British Bake Off baker'.
They were talking to her nonstop through the course, I don't know how she managed not to get distracted. It was a simple recipe but she had to be nervous a bit & has little experience in giving a demonstration on TV. 
I hope Mary's taped bit is a recurring segment.

[sum]

§ Nadiya's Family Favourites (Premiered on July 16)

Quote

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2018/29/nadiyas-family-favourites

Nadiya Hussain  returns to BBC Two with a brand new eight-part cooking series, creating recipes for families and friends to fit in with modern life. Whether it’s a treat day, a family trip or a lazy weekend, Nadiya makes tasty and nourishing recipes that keep the whole family happy.

Demonstrating how to create the perfect dishes to compliment shared experiences, Nadiya shows how the real secret to being a good cook is knowing just what to muster up for each occasion and creating dishes that will put smiles on everyone’s faces.

 

About the GBBO series on Channel 4 

Quote

"It's exactly the same show, and it's refreshing actually to see Sandi [Toksvig] and Noel [Fielding] on there because they're two very different characters.

"I never expected them to be the presenters, and I think that's what's great about the show.

"As humans, we're not very good at change. And I think as soon as everyone saw it, they thought, 'oh, it's not that bad', and change is good, there's nothing wrong with change."

In the same report, it's said that Nadiya wouldn't be back for the second series of The Big Family Cooking Showdown due to scheduling conflict.

 

§ Live Well For Longer (On Channel 4, Premiered on July 18)

§ And this is about a contestant from Series 8

Spoiler

 

Quote

Channel 4 commissions Bake Off favourite in new baking show

Liam Charles is on a mission, to get the nation baking. His infectious enthusiasm for masterminding delicious bakes won over the nation in last summer’s The Great British Bake Off but since he cut his teeth in the famous white tent Liam’s passion – and skill – has continued to grow.

As charming as he is cheeky, the Hackney born and bred 20-year-old truly believes that baking is a universal language that brings people together. In this 6x30’, as yet untitled series from Love Productions, he will share this passion, showing us that baking can bring us together.

Embarking on a personal culinary crusade Liam’s will showcase some of his favourite recipes, inspired by his family and friends, whilst also presenting an intimate portrait of Liam’s East London Life.

Filmed in and around East London where he is from Liam will showcase easy to make and easy to follow sweet and savoury bakes. He will also take to the streets of his community to show how his love of baking has been inspired by his life and the street food he loves to eat when out with his friends.

Throughout the series Liam will be joined by those closest to him and see how his culinary creations are inspired by the people and places that mean the most to him.

I feel like he's a bit too young for this type of a show, then again Channel 4 is for younger audience. Hopefully this format is a better fit for his talent, as he didn't seem to have much to offer as a present on BO: The Professionals.

[Occasional Hope]

Candice invited her season's fellow competitors to make cakes for her wedding: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6226709/Bake-winner-Candice-Browns-stars-carefully-craft-12-unique-wedding-cakes.html

[Occasional Hope]

Liam from last year has got  his own C4 show: https://www.whatsontv.co.uk/events/liam-bakes-c4-12-nov/

[oldCJ]

Helena had her first (hilarious) acting job on What We Do in the Shadows. 

[Aulty]

6 hours ago, oldCJ said:

Helena had her first (hilarious) acting job on What We Do in the Shadows. 

Really? I will check out that episode - if its half as funny as the one with Mark Hamil, it'll be a hoot. That show is tailor made for Helena and maybe they can get Noel on it sometime too.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was watching God Shave the Queens (a reality show about the contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race UK while they were on tour) and who should pop up unexpectedly but Michael from S10! Apparently he is friends with Blu Hydrangea, one of the drag queens. He's only on screen for maybe 20 seconds total but it's the S1.E4 episode if anyone wants to check it out.

Edited October 15, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[VanillaBear85]

Luis from series 5 has passed away from cancer

[BradyB66]

3 hours ago, VanillaBear85 said:

Luis from series 5 has passed away from cancer

Oh, that makes me so sad.  He was a lovely man.  I'll never forget his amazing St. George and the Dragon Biscuit Display.

I think that makes him only the second contestant to pass away.  The first being sweet Mark the bus driver from Season 1 who cried when Paul eviscerated his cake.

Edited November 3, 2020 by BradyB66

[ABay]

Oh, FFS! Luis was such a great contestant. As we say in the Celebrity Deaths thread, fuck cancer.

[mertensia]

Season 5 was the first season I saw. Luis was one of my favorites.

[RealityCheck]

Nancy Birtwhistle, winner of season five of GBBO, is heading to the United States to film a new series called The Great American Bakeover.

Quote

The unscripted series will see the star baker traveling across the US and visiting a variety of struggling stores to give them a much need makeover in an effort to prevent them from having to close up shop.

[caitmcg]

Jürgen Krauss has a cookbook out, The German Baking Book. I belong to the Food52 baking club on Facebook, and this is the May book. I haven't checked it out myself, but reports on the bakes people have tried from it have been positive.

Past selections by GBBO alums include Crumb by Ruby Tandoh, the Cardamom Trail by Chetna Makan, and A New Way to Cake by Benjamina Ebuehi. The only one I've used is Chetna's, and everything I've made from it was delicious. All three have multiple cookbooks now (not all baking-centric in the case of Ruby and Chetna), as well as publishing in British media, and I know Benjamina has a Substack newsletter.

[Sailorgirl26]

Awww . . . Matty and Laura got married this weekend -- he put a video and pics on his Insta. Looks like he invited all of his competitors from his season there. Dan isn't in the group picture but there's a glimpse of him in the video. ❤️
 

[ombre]

Sandi has a new series about a project she and her wife are embarking in upon - working with a 40-acre plot of ancient woodland. The series is called sandi's wood and it's on britbox.   I've watched the first ep and am enjoying it (although as someone who does a fair bit of volunteer work in forests near me, much of which is pulling out and cussing at various undesired, aggressive species that get a foothold in the sunlight along paths and then wreck havoc, I'm more than a little antsy with their first step - cutting an access road). Fun to see her using her platform for what is very clearly a labor of love. 

[caitmcg]

On 5/26/2024 at 8:56 PM, caitmcg said:

Jürgen Krauss has a cookbook out, The German Baking Book.

A while back, I looked at a digital preview of this book, and I took a screenshot of the recipe for Birnen-Kuchen mit Guss, or pear tart with sour cream. I made a bit of a riff on it for a family dinner this week, adding a layer of almond frangipane under the pears, and it was excellent and the recipe worked great.

[chaifan]

On 7/10/2023 at 4:35 PM, RealityCheck said:

Nancy Birtwhistle, winner of season five of GBBO, is heading to the United States to film a new series called The Great American Bakeover.

That sounds... interesting.  The big problem I see is that it is most likely not the baking aspect of a "struggling" shop that needs help, it's the boring administrative and financial aspects that cause small businesses to fail.  "We're not making a profit" can't really be solved with "bake more" or "bake better".  So it just seems a bit gimmicky to me, just some way for the GBBO franchise to expand into the "makeover" reality tv world.  

[Orcinus orca]

1 hour ago, chaifan said:

The big problem I see is that it is most likely not the baking aspect of a "struggling" shop that needs help, it's the boring administrative and financial aspects that cause small businesses to fail.  "We're not making a profit" can't really be solved with "bake more" or "bake better". 

There was already a show like that but I cannot remember the name.  I know I watched one episode because it was near my hometown.  And it was usually a combination of poor design for the establishment, poor location, and poor management rather than the food itself.

[RoxiP]

That woman who judged Halloween Baking Championship (Stephanie can't remember her name) was on that show. She would come in, rehab the shop, work on the recipes, etc., and also talk about the finances.

[Salacious Kitty]

Stephanie Boswell. 😀

[Orcinus orca]

13 minutes ago, RoxiP said:

That woman who judged Halloween Baking Championship (Stephanie can't remember her name) was on that show. She would come in, rehab the shop, work on the recipes, etc., and also talk about the finances.

 

2 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Stephanie Boswell. 😀

Yes!  Thanks.

[RoxiP]

Thank you.  All I could think of was Bakewell and I knew that wasn't correct.  LOL!

[kirklandia]

2 hours ago, RoxiP said:

All I could think of was Bakewell and I knew that wasn't correct.  LOL!

We would never call Stephanie a tart!