S07.E11: Class of 2015

[Athena]

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A catch-up with the contestants from The Great British Bake Off 2015.

When Nadiya won last year's Great British Bake Off, the nation watched, she cried, we cried. Now the bakers of 2015 return to the tent for a special look back at last year's show. We see the baking disasters and the baking triumphs as the bakers give a rare insight into life in the tent and life after the tent. A lot has happened in the year since they hung up their Bake Off aprons.

The Class Of 2015 share their memories, relive their highlights of the series and reveal what they are up to now.

[halopub]

This bonus episode does highlight how much more memorable last year's group of contestants were compared to this season's. I even remembered Stu.

I chuckled at some of the new interviews, including how contestant Paul had anticipated the physical comparisons to the judge but was convinced by his wife not to change up his existing look. Where was Alvin, though?

It's wonderful to see Nadiya so much more comfortable in her own skin and taking on all these projects like the books and TV appearances. To think, last year she suffered from such anxiety that she couldn't take mass transit by herself. In her case, it's not hyperbole to say that Bake Off really has been life changing.

I'm still on the fashion fence with regards to Nadia's turban-style hijab. On one hand, it complements her growing self-confidence with a touch of sophistication. In my mind, though, I associate that look with old school Hollywood glam and wonder if the turban style ages her a bit. I do love the variety of colorful scarves she's been choosing for her different TV appearances. They help reflect her vibrant personality.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Even though it's obvious that being on a show like this is a high pressure situation, it's very humanizing to hear the specifics of just how stressed they get and their minds go blank. First Mat talked about how you could have seen twenty baguettes the day before but when you are told that's the technical challenge, you can't even picture what a baguette looks like and then later Ian said that he couldn't remember how to make a crème pâtissière even though he'd just made one. It's the same reason why game show contestants blurt out the wrong answers even though they know the correct answers - your adrenaline gets pumping and you start freaking out and then your mind goes kerflooey.

Similarly, Tamal was cracking me up though when he said that even when he knew he was making a huge mistake but he just committed to it. Also hilarious when he admitted he had no idea what his Chinese fishing village theme for his finale cake was about.

Loved hearing all the bakers speak so fondly of Mel and Sue. It was also nice to be reminded how they comforted Dorret after her disastrous cake. Sue telling her, "It's just cake," reminded me of Santino on Project Runway singing, "Lighten up! It's just fashion!" It's easy to get laser focused on the show and then feel like your entire world is collapsing when you make a mistake. But I also love that for all their joking, Mel and Sue are always there when a baker has a meltdown.

Ha, I totally love that Nadiya's mom's reaction to seeing the final showstopper cakes was "I love your cake but Tamal's is so much better!" Seeing Mary get teary eyed about Nadiya winning made me go awww! But what I really love about Nadiya's win is that the aftermath isn't about her having a career in baking but that she has come out of her shell and it has really changed her life (again in a non-baking kind of way). Of course I love that the bakers said they're still in touch and they talk almost every week. But I also like that the updates on the bakers weren't a barrage of "we all have cookbook deals!"

@halopub I had actually forgotten about Stu until I saw his douchey hat again.

Was Alvin the only one who wasn't shown? I wish we had seen all of the bakers reunited again, even briefly, not just the individual talking heads.

[halopub]

I'd have to rewatch but I think Alvin was the only missing contestant.

I also just cracked up at Tamal not remembering that the Bake Off tent had peaks.

[BradyB66]

Yeah!  We get to see them all again!  Not sure who I'm most excited to see - Mat, Tamal, Ugne, or Sandy.  Loved all four of them for their gentle good humor.  And it's always good to see Nadiya.

[Schweedie]

I loved this episode. So great to see them again! I don't know what it was about this group that was special, but I enjoyed them more than any other. They were all so adorable. And sure, the flaouna challange may have been a silly one from Paul, but oh, it brought the hilarity from all of them.

So many great moments, like Nadiya about Flora always doing something extra - "We call it Florification" - and Sandy about Paul's criticisms going on for longer than necessary: "You feel like saying, okaaay. Leave it, shall we?!" With that brilliant accent! Man, I just want to hang out with Sandy. She's hilarious. "Creme brulake was the term we used, and I think it could catch on." And I was reminded how some of them grew on me, like Paul - from alternative ingredients week and onwards, I loved him. Mel with her "It's the gusset!" and Paul cracking up remains one of my all time favourite Bake Off moments. 

On 28 oktober 2016 at 4:00 AM, halopub said:

I'm still on the fashion fence with regards to Nadia's turban-style hijab. On one hand, it complements her growing self-confidence with a touch of sophistication. In my mind, though, I associate that look with old school Hollywood glam and wonder if the turban style ages her a bit.
 

I'm not sure why, but I really like it! It does look sort of glamorous. And man, how beautiful is Nadiya? She really has become a different person that the nervous woman we saw early on.

[M. Darcy]

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Was Alvin the only one who wasn't shown?

I might just not remember seeing her but was Marie shown?

I'm such a sap - I still tear up when Nadiya and Mary start crying.  And, Sandy's speech at the end got to me too.

Edited October 31, 2016 by M. Darcy

[tenativelyyours]

I really like Nadiya's new look.  Plus it just looks safer around a stove.  Maybe it isn't but it looks it.
 

I think they threw in a Marie talking head from from their series but she was not a new updater nor was Alvin.  Two I would liked to have heard some updates on. 

I wish they did this episode at the start of a new series rather than at the end.  In part because I always have had a refresher if I catch any of the PBS re-air here in the US. 

Which makes me wonder if they will have a Class of 2016 episode at all?