'Great British Bake Off': The testify'south biggest controversies over the years

Amy Johnson
  • British comedian and actor
Great British Bake Off judges and presenters Paul, Matt, Prue and Noel. (Love Productions/Channel 4)
Peachy British Bake Off judges and presenters Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith, Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas. (Beloved Productions/Channel 4)

The Swell British Broil Off will return for a new series on 21 September.

Equally summer unfolds into autumn GBBO is reliably comforting fare for this time of year and a welcome lark but that doesn't hateful it's guaranteed to ever be plainly sailing.

Contestants interfering in each other's bakes and blunders from the judges have raised the stakes — and undoubtedly claret pressure — for both bakers and viewers akin in past years.

Read more: Matt Lucas says GBBO schedule was gruelling for bakers

While the plan is a tried and tested formula, human unpredictability means drama could however be itinerant fifty-fifty in the near gentle of shows.

Then while viewers wait to see if there will be whatsoever block catastrophes or dough disasters this twelvemonth, permit'south revisit the controversies of years gone by.

Paul Hollywood'southward favouritism row

Paul Hollywood rejected claims he was giving Ruby Tandoh preferential treatment. (Love Productions/Netflix)
Paul Hollywood rejected claims he was giving Reddish Tandoh preferential treatment. (Love Productions/Netflix)

The quaternary series of the bear witness in 2013 saw fans levy accusations of favouritism against Paul Hollywood as it was suggested he gave preferential treatment to then 21-year-old contestant Ruby Tandoh due to her looks.

He denied the claims with little tact, implying it couldn't be true because he found another contestant "far prettier".

Tandoh, who was runner-up to winner Frances Quinn, came out equally gay in 2015 and criticised the "misogynists" who accused her of flirting with Hollywood at the time.

"For those who thought I fancied Paul Hollywood or that I'd ever bang him to get alee – JOKE'South ON Yous, You lot MASSIVE S****ING MISOGYNISTS," she wrote.

Custardgate

Deborah was distressed when she realised her error, though Howard took it well. (Love Productions/Netflix)
Deborah was distressed when she realised her error, though Howard took it well. (Love Productions/Netflix)

Deborah Manger was a dentist-turned-baker-turned-accidental-thief when she unwittingly took poor Howard Middleton's custard in serial four.

She owned upwards to the mistake to Sue Perkins later pinching from her competitor, who took the news rather graciously, as they made a trifle for their first claiming of Dessert Week.

Middleton used Manger's custard for his cosmos every bit it was as well belatedly to retrieve the 1 he'd fabricated but the judges were fabricated enlightened of the mistake and so they were judged on the custard of their ain making.

He managed to arrive through to another week while Manger left the tent for adept.

The baked Alaska fiasco

Diana was accused of sabotaging Iain's Baked Alaska. (Love Productions/Netflix)
Diana was accused of sabotaging Iain's Broiled Alaska. (Love Productions/Netflix)

Diana Bristles stirred upwards a storm on series five when it appeared she had taken Iain Watters' Broiled Alaska ice foam out of the freezer.

A frustrated Iain threw his creation into the bin and even presented said disposal unit to the judges when information technology was time to bring his bake up to the forepart of the tent.

It provoked national outrage though as Beard'southward credible devious actions hit the headlines.

However, all might not have been as it seemed as in the wake of the backfire Sue Perkins stated the ice cream had barely been out of the freezer.

"Iain's Alaska was out of the freezer for 40 secs. That'southward it. No sabotage. forty secs of normal temp would NOT be enough to reduce information technology to liquid," she wrote.

Beard quit the prove – which had been filmed in the spring – before the adjacent episode due to reasons unrelated to the dessert drama with Iain later expressing dismay at the style she had been treated online.

Although he did as well tell The Guardian he didn't believe the programme-maker'south claims the dessert was out of the freezer for only 40 seconds.

Channel 4 modify-upwards

Paul Hollywood, Mel Giedroyc, Mary Berry and Sue Perkins arrive for the British Academy Television Awards BAFTA, in London, Sunday, May. 12, 2013. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Paul Hollywood, Mel Giedroyc, Mary Drupe and Sue Perkins make it at the 2013 Baftas. (Invision/AP)

GBBO institute dandy success on BBC Two then was promoted to BBC One afterwards four series, but in 2016 the programme'southward makers Love Productions jumped transport to Channel 4 after a disagreement over price.

Mary Berry, Perkins and Mel Giedroyc stayed loyal to the BBC while Hollywood followed the programme to Channel 4.

The split in the original GBBO team appeared to be a source of friction for the foursome as Hollywood claimed Berry, Perkins and Giedroyc had "abandoned" the programme while he became "the most hated human being in the state".

Read more: Candice Brown's hubby says Paul Hollywood kiss put strain on marriage

Earlier this year, Perkins reflected on the divide, describing the fallout with the baker as "painful" although didn't delve into the nitty-gritty of what went on.

Speaking on Jessie Ware'southward Table Manners podcast, she said: "When we were at that place, Paul was really good fun - and stuff happened that made united states incredibly sad and incredibly hurt.

"But he was e'er similar family for years and years and years, and it'due south painful when those things stop, peculiarly in the fashion that they did terminate."

Noel Fielding's fridge antics

Noel Fielding caused mild controversy when he got inside a fridge. (Photo by Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage)
Noel Fielding caused mild controversy when he got inside a refrigerator. (Photograph past Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage)

Noel Fielding was brought onto the programme on its movement to Channel 4 but he got off to a flake of a rocky start on his debut season.

While playing around in the large white tent, his co-star Sandi Toksvig opened a refrigerator to reveal the comedian crouched inside in a move that prompted 55 complaints to Ofcom.

Some feared the joke could prove harmful if children attempted to re-create his actions, however, the dissemination watchdog decided the programme did not need to be investigated.

Prue Leith's premature announcement

Prue Leith attends a photocall during the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2019 on August 10, 2019 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images)
Prue Leith attends a photocall during the Edinburgh International Volume Festival 2019 on August ten, 2019 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images)

The first series of GBBO to air on Channel iv had its finale overshadowed somewhat by a Twitter blunder made by new judge Prue Leith.

Ahead of the airing of the last episode which saw Sophie Faldo win the coveted cake stand, Leith congratulated her in a tweet.

Read more than: Prue Leith says UK is the 'about unbelievably course-ridden state'

After realising her fault the cook apologised and explained she was in a different timezone as she holidayed in Bhutan.

She afterwards described her mishap equally "the most idiotic thing in the world" – but it can't accept been too bad in Aqueduct four's optics as they kept her on for more.

The Keen British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 at 8pm on Tuesday, 21 September.