The Great British Bake Off (GBBO) has teased a huge change for this year’s series as the show has made a "confession" to viewers.
The 15th edition of the programme is thought to be only weeks away from airing on Channel 4, with judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith set to be returning as well as presenters Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond.
But now fans could be in for a shock, as one of the most anticipated themed weeks is potentially not going ahead.
Great British Bake Off hints at missing segment from 2024 series
Over on the GBBO Instagram account, a post including three videos was shared yesterday evening (August 7), captioned: “We’re not saying the rainy summer is 100% our fault but... #GBBO.”
The first video shows text that reads “we have a confession…” while rain can be seen pouring onto the Bake Off tent.
In the second, GBBO followers can see a montage of clips taken from the iconic chocolate week over the years, where bakers are getting very hot in the sweltering summer heat.
One previous baker says: “Hopefully the ambient temperature in here doesn’t go above 20 otherwise we’re all in for a bit of a worry.”
Before he adds: “The thermometer is saying it’s 25 degrees, not ideal for white chocolate,” as Bake Off star Laura Adlington pats her face.
Create your tart trio. #GBBO pic.twitter.com/49PT42PJxT
— British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) July 4, 2024
“I’m sweating at the moment, literally. It’s very hot,” chimes 2023 contestant Dana Conway.
“It’s hot”, “it’s going to melt” other bakers can be heard saying.
The next shot shows white chocolate melting in the hands of a former GBBO contestant as she tries to curl it up with a tool for decoration.
The video ends with “there is no chocolate week this year…” as the final installment shows rain battering the tent once more before “sorry about that” appears.
So, could chocolate week really be a miss for the 2024 series?
Over the years, fans have often been left outraged when bakers' technical and show-stopper bakes have been ruined during chocolate week because of high temperatures, as the show is filmed during spring and summer in a tent.
Sometimes, chocolate week has been filmed on the hottest day of the year.
Last year, one viewer took to X, sharing: “Isn’t it just uncanny how filming chocolate week in #GBBO always coincides with the hottest day of the year?
“In a tent.
“Disaster by design.
“I love this show, but I wish they wouldn’t do this.
“Better to see what the bakers can do in normal conditions.”
Reacting to the speculated change, 2018’s GBBO winner Rahul Mandal commented on the Instagram post: “I was just thinking that, there got to be no chocolate or may be no icecream week either.”
Semi-finalist of series 14, Tasha, joked: “Plot twist, every episode is bread week.”
Meanwhile, a Bake Off fan said: “As much as I love chocolate week. This does make sense. Shame you could get the tent air conditioned.”
Recommended reading:
- Where is The Great British Bake Off filmed and can you visit the Tent?
- Paul Hollywood leads tributes for Bake Off star Dawn Hollyoak following death
- Alison Hammond caught in apparent sweary blunder on new Celebrity Bake Off
Someone shared: “I always feel for the contestants on chocolate week for that very reason. It’s them against the tent AND the heat. Can’t wait to see what you replace it with!”
This viewer wrote: “I mean telling us when it's back would help us forgive you.....”
Newsquest has approached Channel 4 and Love Productions Limited for comment.
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