TV

Viewers angry with new Great British Bake Off

Although some fans thought Prue was BETTER than Mary Berry!

When it was revealed months ago that the Great British Bake Off was switching channels with a new cast of presenters, many feared the worst!

But as it turns out the new look show has gone down a storm.

And yet many viewers found one thing truly irritating – the long advert breaks.

The show had only just started when a juicy fruit baking challenge was interrupted by a load of cooking advertisements.

Read more: Chanelle Hayes announces birth of her second child

Cue some rather hot, cross viewers.

One raged: “#GBBO was going so well and then….. ADVERTS happened and it’s all gone wrong!

“Adverts in the bake off isn’t right #GBBO,” wrote one.

“No but why are all the adverts in between #GBBO food related,” another stirred.

“The ads are irritating. Not because they’re ads, but because they’re awful contrived ads specifically for #GBBO,” steamed a third advert connoisseur.

“That’s it. I’m not watching #GBBO anymore. Don’t like it with ads,” a fourth added to the increasingly bitter mix.

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 attempted to cool down the boiling hot situation.

“Channel 4 puts its profits back into programmes and advertising ensures that UK-produced shows like The Great British Bake Off stay free-to-air for viewers to enjoy.”

Meanwhile, the new presenters received a mixed response, with old favourites Prue Leith and Sandi Toksvig passing the taste-test with lots of approving remarks, but quirky Noel Fielding proving to be more of an acquired taste.

One tweeter tweeted: “Loved everything about #GBBO Sandy and Noel are great fun and Prue Leith seems lovely.”

Another summed up a number of viewers, saying: “Part of me actually prefers Prue to Mary #GBBO.”

Read more: Amber and Kem take on The Chase’s Vixen and fail to answer a question about Love Island correctly 

Turn away now Mary, this viewer might give you a soggy bottom: “Prue Leith is better than Mary Berry, there, I’ve said it… #GBBO.”

Meanwhile most of the stick Noel got was for his narrating, with lots of people thinking he sounded a bit quiet and even creepy.

One tweeted: “#GBBO is not too bad so far apart from Noel’s voiceovers!.”

But another defended him: “OKAY but Noel fielding has always been and will always be the only man for me and the LOVE of my life xxx #GBBO.”

6.5 million viewers tuned in to see the first episode of the GBBO rebirth, Channel 4’s highest rating in years but hold onto your Swiss rolls because that’s still a massive 4 million viewers below the opening of the last series on the BBC.

It’s thought lots of people might have chosen to skip the ads by recording the show and fast forwarding through them, cutting back on the viewer stats.

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, as they say, and it’ll be fascinating to see whether the new Bake Off rises or sinks in the oven.


Christian Guiltenane
Freelance Writer

Related Topics