If You Like GBBO: Other Bake Off Series And Show Recommendations

[Spunkygal]

@UpNorth Whino, I’m only through four episodes of Blown Away and am ready for Chris to be gone. If there’s not a forum for this show, I’ll start one.

[Irlandesa]

46 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

@UpNorth Whino, I’m only through four episodes of Blown Away and am ready for Chris to be gone. If there’s not a forum for this show, I’ll start one.

Oh you're watching Season 2.  Season 1 is also on Netflix.

And the forum is here.

[Ceindreadh]

https://www.channel4.com/press/news/jenny-eclair-takes-channel-4s-drawers

Drawers Off

 

This is starting on Monday 1st March and running Monday to Fridays.

Five artist, each taking it in turn to be the life model and then they get to pick the winning portrait.

It sounds interesting!

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Ceindreadh
to add the actual name of the programme

[Aulty]

On 2/28/2021 at 10:31 PM, Ceindreadh said:

Drawers Off

This is starting on Monday 1st March and running Monday to Fridays.
Five artist, each taking it in turn to be the life model and then they get to pick the winning portrait.
It sounds interesting!

I was a bit sceptical about this when I saw the trailer - its Channel 4, the home of Naked Attraction after all. Its 5 episodes each week and 5 artists. Every day one of them has to bare it (almost) all and the others have an hour to do a live drawing. At the end the model chooses their favourite picture.

Personally I am not that keen on live drawings but they have a great mix of artists who use different styles and mediums on Drawers Off. On The Big Painting Challenge its is mostly brush-based acrylic, oil and the odd watercolour - and speaking of the TBPC: Diana Ali is the resident mentor on this new show.

Shame they didn't shoot it a year earlier, this would have been great Lockdown material.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Just a reminder that S7 of the Great British Sewing Bee started this week!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

There's a new show on Discovery+ called Clipped! (the exclamation point is part of the name, not just me being enthusiastic). It's a topiary competition and Martha Stewart is one of the judges. I haven't watched it yet so I'm not sure if this will lean more towards GBBO vs Top Chef in terms of how gentle or competitive it. I created an episode thread for it here if you want to watch.

[LeDucDiableBleu]

I really enjoyed an Australian show called The Chef's Line. It was 4 home chefs up against a member of a fancy restaurant's chef line. The first round was the home cooks against the lowest member of the chef's line and so on until the final round was one (or two) home chefs against the head chef of that restaurant. Each round they had to make a signature dish of that style of food (Italian, Greek, Turkish, etc) and they were judged blind. Most of the time it was glaringly obvious which one was the restaurant dish. The final show of each group was a showcase of the restaurant, and then the show moved on to the next restaurant and next 4 home chefs. I first saw it on Netflix, then it was on the Roku channel and now I can only see it on youtube, but every once in awhile I'll look it up and catch a few episodes.

[Spunkygal]

52 minutes ago, LeDucDiableBleu said:

I really enjoyed an Australian show called The Chef's Line. It was 4 home chefs up against a member of a fancy restaurant's chef line. The first round was the home cooks against the lowest member of the chef's line and so on until the final round was one (or two) home chefs against the head chef of that restaurant. Each round they had to make a signature dish of that style of food (Italian, Greek, Turkish, etc) and they were judged blind. Most of the time it was glaringly obvious which one was the restaurant dish. The final show of each group was a showcase of the restaurant, and then the show moved on to the next restaurant and next 4 home chefs. I first saw it on Netflix, then it was on the Roku channel and now I can only see it on youtube, but every once in awhile I'll look it up and catch a few episodes.

I stumbled across this show a few weeks ago and have enjoyed it. I have DirecTV and the channel is YUM, channel 563. 

[Spunkygal]

@LeDucDiableBleu, forgot to add that the only thing I don’t like is that the restaurant line chefs can comment and recommend suggestions to their competing member while the home cooks are on their own. I guess they don’t do this so much when the head chef is competing but they do with the lower line chefs.

[LeDucDiableBleu]

13 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

@LeDucDiableBleu, forgot to add that the only thing I don’t like is that the restaurant line chefs can comment and recommend suggestions to their competing member while the home cooks are on their own. I guess they don’t do this so much when the head chef is competing but they do with the lower line chefs.

I totally agree. I don't like that and I don't think it's fair or keeping with the spirit of the show. I remember one of the head chefs who was a control freak actually going down to help the line chef and one of the judges, I think it was Dan, had to shuffle him away!

[Spunkygal]

I usually don’t care for baking challenges that involve construction but Netflix has released Baking Impossible which I really like. The host is Justin Willman who was host for the original Halloween Wars, Cake Wars, and Cupcake Wars on Food Network. He is a great host. There are three judges and one of them is GBBO 2016 finalist Andrew Smyth (Candice was the winner). In addition to being a talented baker, he is an aerospace engineer. I am impressed by this young man—he was charming and had good comments from baking and engineering perspectives. The other two judges are unfamiliar to me but I like them very much! On episode one, they had to construct edible waterproof boats (had to be 2ft in length) that had to float and sail to a certain point and present a tasting element. I’m an engineering idiot and I could tell which boats weren’t going to float. There were some pretty good creations and the winning team killed it.  It was a good way to kill time while on the treadmill. I will definitely watch other episodes. 

[Rammchick]

On 10/7/2021 at 2:12 PM, Spunkygal said:

I usually don’t care for baking challenges that involve construction but Netflix has released Baking Impossible which I really like. The host is Justin Willman who was host for the original Halloween Wars, Cake Wars, and Cupcake Wars on Food Network. He is a great host. There are three judges and one of them is GBBO 2016 finalist Andrew Smyth (Candice was the winner). In addition to being a talented baker, he is an aerospace engineer. I am impressed by this young man—he was charming and had good comments from baking and engineering perspectives. The other two judges are unfamiliar to me but I like them very much! On episode one, they had to construct edible waterproof boats (had to be 2ft in length) that had to float and sail to a certain point and present a tasting element. I’m an engineering idiot and I could tell which boats weren’t going to float. There were some pretty good creations and the winning team killed it.  It was a good way to kill time while on the treadmill. I will definitely watch other episodes. 

I was just coming in here to rec this show.  I enjoyed it very much, and really like the concept.  I didn't understand why Netflix chose to split up the episodes the way they did, putting on all of them in one big bite except the semi-final and final, which are next Wednesday.  It looked like they were only going to add new shows weekly.

[Rickster]

Another Netflix show I enjoyed was Bake Squad, where 4 professional bakers compete against each other to make cakes for a specific event (wedding, birthday, etc.). The host is a well known baker, Christina Tosi. There are no judges - the client picks the winner and the same group of bakers are on each show.

[Cetacean]

The Great Canadian Baking Show season started tonight and SO enjoyable.  The hosts are quiet, tasteful, supportive and there is minimal attention paid to them.  Lovely bunch of contestants.  So far this is far and away more enjoyable than the current GBBO.

[Wicked]

9 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

The Great Canadian Baking Show season started tonight and SO enjoyable.  The hosts are quiet, tasteful, supportive and there is minimal attention paid to them.  Lovely bunch of contestants.  So far this is far and away more enjoyable than the current GBBO.

Where can I watch?

[Cetacean]

17 minutes ago, Wicked said:

Where can I watch?

It's on CBC out of Canada. I live in MI so we get it here.

[Aulty]

Former Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc will host a woodworking competition, Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker. It starts on Thursday, 21st of October on Channel 4.
Couldn't find any information on whether it will come to Netflix.

[Mabinogia]

3 hours ago, Aulty said:

Couldn't find any information on whether it will come to Netflix.

OMG I hope so. I'd watch it. 

[Aulty]

On 10/20/2021 at 12:30 AM, Mabinogia said:

OMG I hope so. I'd watch it. 

I really hope you get to see it. I watched the first episode and its a pretty decent programme.
Having Mel and her incredibly soothing voice back hosting a show like this is just lovely. She started it off with some trademark innuedo (Morning wood ... workers), broke something, slipped in a few decent jokes and happily tested the beds (the main challenge for this episode) during the judging.

Edited October 21, 2021 by Aulty

[xfuse]

On 10/19/2021 at 4:37 PM, Aulty said:

Former Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc will host a woodworking competition, Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker. It starts on Thursday, 21st of October on Channel 4.

I hope it pops up somewhere I can watch it.

[magdalene]

How can I watch the Great Kiwi Bake Off? I am in the US.

[xfuse]

16 hours ago, magdalene said:

How can I watch the Great Kiwi Bake Off? I am in the US.

Don't know but I just watched the first ep of season two and it must of taken me a few hours to get through it. I really liked the hosts but neither judge had much personality. The male judge was had no personality at all.

And this is all on me but the tiny forks drove me nuts.

[xfuse]

On 10/19/2021 at 4:37 PM, Aulty said:

Former Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc will host a woodworking competition, Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker. It starts on Thursday, 21st of October on Channel 4.

I liked it. I miss her and Sue so much.

[kirklandia]

"The Great Canadian Baking Show season started tonight and SO enjoyable.  The hosts are quiet, tasteful, supportive and there is minimal attention paid to them.  Lovely bunch of contestants.  So far this is far and away more enjoyable than the current GBBO."

I discovered this recently by serendipity. I live in the Seattle area, was very excited Saturday night to be able to watch the first home game of our brand new hockey team the Kraken!
To my astonishment, it was not available on any American TV network. However, it was aired on CBUT (the channel representing our opponents and regional rivals, The Vancouver Canucks).   While gratefully watching, I saw a promo for The Great Canadian Baking Show. Missed the first episode, but set my DVR for the rest.

[xfuse]

14 hours ago, kirklandia said:

"The Great Canadian Baking Show season started tonight and SO enjoyable. 

They are two weeks in. Bruno is my favourite judge of all the Bake Off judges. He is quietly supportive but he knows his baking.

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, xfuse said:

They are two weeks in. Bruno is my favourite judge of all the Bake Off judges. He is quietly supportive but he knows his baking.

I totally agree. And as much as I like the British version, I absolutely love the Canadian one. I have really gotten kind of tired of the British one and their choice of hosts has gotten so dreadful.

I know that everyone jokes about Canadians being so polite but they really do seem to like each other and are supportive of each other. And the judges are delightful as well. So glad to see this back!

[FlyerFan]

So I love Bruno on GCBS (though I miss Dan Levy so much!) and I'm excited for Kiwi Baking Show - does anyone have subtitles?? I admit, I struggle with NZ accents but I love the bakes!

[shok]

On 10/27/2021 at 12:02 PM, Cetacean said:

I know that everyone jokes about Canadians being so polite but they really do seem to like each other and are supportive of each other. And the judges are delightful as well. So glad to see this back!

I agree, but what's impressing me so much this year is the quality of the bakes and the bakers. They are all so good! The show on cookies was amazing, what they could do with a basic icebox cookie, and a really tough technical, and then the showstopper of mosaic cookie creations was just wonderful. Aimee is fantastic - star baker twice and she's only what, early twenties? I can see her winning the show. Stephen is very good too. Great season so far.

[NoThyme]

On 9/10/2018 at 1:57 PM, halopub said:

What do you think so far? I don't know that I could take that much Tom Allen. He already dominates Extra Slice. 

How can you watch Extra Slice in the US? 

[Athena]

The forums does not allow sharing of links or means of "Flying to the UK" to watch shows on unofficial channels. We know it happens but please do not share publicly on the forums. Thank you.

[laurakaye]

On 10/17/2021 at 9:04 PM, Cetacean said:

The Great Canadian Baking Show season started tonight and SO enjoyable.  The hosts are quiet, tasteful, supportive and there is minimal attention paid to them.  Lovely bunch of contestants.  So far this is far and away more enjoyable than the current GBBO.

I absolutely need this to come to Netflix ASAP or I need to figure out how to watch CBC.  I too am in Michigan but on the wrong side - too far away from Canada. :(  I have see some episodes on YouTube but I don't think I can watch a full series from start to finish.

Please, Netflix???  We all need this right now.

[labresq]

I was surprised and delighted to find the Canadian version on YouTube tonight.  Not sure how many episodes of each season but saw some from at least 4 seasons.  It's so much like GBBS that I really enjoyed the couple shows I watched.  Even the same music and the same drawings.  And it's the full episode, all three challenges.  

 

[Cetacean]

9 hours ago, labresq said:

I was surprised and delighted to find the Canadian version on YouTube tonight.  Not sure how many episodes of each season but saw some from at least 4 seasons.  It's so much like GBBS that I really enjoyed the couple shows I watched.  Even the same music and the same drawings.  And it's the full episode, all three challenges.  

 

Yep, 4 seasons. It is delightful. I love it. In Michigan I can see it on CBC.

[Rickster]

I've been watching the latest season of the Kiwi Bake-off on Youtube, which I've found very interesting, although some of the accents at times are pretty impenetrable. I've been a bit surprised to see some not too subtle product placement shots of Lindt Chocolate in the show, where I've never seen a branded product in GBBO. They must be a sponsor

I've also seen a few of the Canadian ones too, but I'm not sure Youtube has complete seasons.

[Cetacean]

18 minutes ago, Rickster said:

I've also seen a few of the Canadian ones too, but I'm not sure Youtube has complete seasons.

They are nice to watch, kind judges and hosts.  They are sponsored by King Arthur flour so lots of their distinctive yellow bags on the counters.

[caitmcg]

2 hours ago, Cetacean said:

They are nice to watch, kind judges and hosts.  They are sponsored by King Arthur flour so lots of their distinctive yellow bags on the counters.

That’s Robin Hood flour, a Canadian brand. King Arthur doesn’t come in yellow bags.

 

[Cetacean]

4 minutes ago, caitmcg said:

That’s Robin Hood flour, a Canadian brand. King Arthur doesn’t come in yellow bags.

Oh, you are absolutely right.  Got them mixed up.  And the also have loads of "drink Canadian milk" commercials as well when I watch on CBC.

[Aulty]

21 hours ago, Rickster said:

I've been a bit surprised to see some not too subtle product placement shots of Lindt Chocolate in the show, where I've never seen a branded product in GBBO. They must be a sponsor

It depends on the Network and regulations. Both, the BBC and Channel 4, are public service cooporations and they are not allowed to do proper product placement on the show. There was some hooha about them using SMEG fridges and Kitchen Aid mixers too often or that the logos were shown in shots too often. They have to remove logos or use different appliances for the next series.
Thats why the bakers also get their ingredients in glass containers or wrapped in brown or white paper.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Aulty

[caitmcg]

5 hours ago, Aulty said:

It depends on the Network and regulations. Both, the BBC and Channel 4, are public service cooporations and they are not allowed to do proper product placement in the show. There was some hooha about them using SMEG fridges and Kitchen Aid mixers too often or that the logos were shown in shots too often. They have to remove logos or use different appliances for the next series.
Thats why the bakers also get their ingredients in glass containers or wrapped in brown or white paper.

I can recall a few instances in earlier seasons where there was something obviously in its original container where they’d covered the label with tape, too. 

[caitmcg]

 

On 1/4/2022 at 11:07 AM, Rickster said:

I've been watching the latest season of the Kiwi Bake-off on Youtube, which I've found very interesting, although some of the accents at times are pretty impenetrable. I've been a bit surprised to see some not too subtle product placement shots of Lindt Chocolate in the show, where I've never seen a branded product in GBBO. They must be a sponsor  

It’s not just Lindt. I’ve been watching, and almost all of the ingredients they use are in the original retail packaging, with the camera occasionally zooming in to highlight the brand names. 

I agree it’s interesting, and it’s taught me some Antipodean terms, like hokey pokey for honeycomb or sponge toffee and high-grade flour for bread flour (North America) or strong flour (UK).

[Rickster]

19 hours ago, caitmcg said:

 

It’s not just Lindt. I’ve been watching, and almost all of the ingredients they use are in the original retail packaging, with the camera occasionally zooming in to highlight the brand names. 

I agree it’s interesting, and it’s taught me some Antipodean terms, like hokey pokey for honeycomb or sponge toffee and high-grade flour for bread flour (North America) or strong flour (UK).

Yes, I think I focused on Lindt because it’s so well known.

The other thing that intrigues me most about the most recent season of the show is the treatment and interactions with the two contestants of Maori heritage. For example, their names are always shown with identifying what I understand to be the Maori equivalent of the tribes they belong to, as if here we always showed a Native American contestant’s name with “Navajo” or “Pueblo” underneath.

[magdalene]

I am enjoying the Kiwi bake-off very much. Between the beautiful bakes and and colors and beautiful New Zealand and the super nice contestants I find this very soothing to watch.  I have no problem with the accent.  English is my second language but I grew up watching lots of BBC dramas and comedies and Aussie soaps. One develops an ear for it with lots of exposure.  

[chaifan]

Thanks to this thread, I am now watching Season 1 of the Great Canadian Baking Show.  I love Dan Levy, and he's not disappointing as a host here.   It looks like the tent is a much more permanent structure than GBBO.  Also, why is it that Canada's contestants get to have names on their aprons, yet the British version doesn't?  I always thought that would be very helpful.

[magdalene]

I noticed they advertise for local organic dairy and products a lot on Kiwi bake-off.  That building where they bake is certainly a lot more practical than the British tent.

Everything has a certain gorgeous gloss and vibrancy to it that must be specifically New Zealand itself. Even the bakes look more exciting and colorful.  Perfect to watch on a large HD TV.

 

 

 

 

[Leeds]

Here's a lovely show about the search for a Platinum Jubilee dessert.  The winner was found after a Bake Off type competition and the show features the final five, chosen from 50,000 entrants.  The winning dessert will be served to Her Majesty, but it is hoped it will become a popular classic.

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Leeds

[SuprSuprElevated]

On 5/16/2022 at 9:15 PM, Leeds said:

Here's a lovely show about the search for a Platinum Jubilee dessert.  The winner was found after a Bake Off type competition and the show features the final five, chosen from 50,000 entrants.  The winning dessert will be served to Her Majesty, but it is hoped it will become a popular classic.

 

Wasn't the fellow seated far right a GBBO contestant?  Name escapes me.

[Cetacean]

43 minutes ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Wasn't the fellow seated far right a GBBO contestant?  Name escapes me.

Yes, that was Rahul Mandel.  He was a winner in 2018.

I guess the winning recipe must have tasted great but it certainly did not meet the "easy to make, everyone has the ingredients in the kitchen" criteria.  Not by a long shot.  

[Aulty]

The makers of GBBO have a new show starting on E4 and All 4 next Monday: a hair styling show called The Big Blowout

I remember the BBC's short-lived show 'Hair' that they were sued over by Love Production (=GBBO's studio). Wonder if it's similar to that or if they've found a more interesting angle. Styling without cutting or colouring became a bit repetitive.

They also have some piano talent scouting show coming, but that sounds like a whole different kettle of fish

[Cetacean]

The Great Canadian Baking Show is head and shoulders above the current season of GBBO.  The judges are so measured in their praise and critiques, the bakes are wonderful but also not gimmicky.  Hosts are fun and supportive.  So glad for another season!

[WildPlum]

Have really enjoyed the Great British Pottery Throwdown (on HBO? Netflix? I forget). Back when it was available on the internet, I watched several seasons of the Great British Sewing Bee - I think the last season I saw was pre-covid and then the internet links got pulled.

Blown Away has been fairly good, but uneven. Some very good glass blowers on, but they don't quite grasp the "is it ART?" mandate. It's not enough to be a good glassblower.

Haven't been able to watch the Canadian or Kiwi baking shows because of broadcast rights issues. I'd heard there was also a jewelry maker show along the GBBO line, but I haven't been able to find much on that.

I've watched a few American cooking/baking/dessert shows but have been pretty awful and very gimmicky, which I hate. I did watch a few seasons of Forged In Fire, which was somewhat amusing, but became very repetitive.

There was a furniture show on US TV, ostensibly hosted by Ellen DeGeneris (except she only appeared in finale episodes) that was probably one of the better American things, except it had to have some of the gimmicks ("You won last week's challenge and now you get to pick a bonus!")

I like to watch people make things, preferably in a calm environment without shouting and being stressed by hosts. A few years back, PBS had a "craft" series where they went around the country, showing people who made various craft things (furniture, pottery, jewelry, fabric arts, beading, weaving). Started off well and then they decided to "spice it up" (or they ran out of ideas on what crafts to cover).