The Great British Bake Off’s hilarious celebrity cake challenge reminds us why we fell in love with the show
A wobbling sculpture of Sir David Attenborough’s head fashioned from sponge? A spectacularly unflattering icing rendition of Louis Theroux? A very woebegone Freddie Mercury cake? It could only happen in the Bake Off tent.
The Great British Bake Off made its much-anticipated return to screens last night, landing on Channel 4 a little later in the season than usual due to the challenges of filming during the coronavirus pandemic.
12 brave contestants put themselves forward for a form of cake-based national service, leaving friends and family behind to form a ‘Bake Off bubble’ to allow for Covid-secure filming.
The first episode (delayed slightly by the Prime Minister’s address to the nation) saw the hopefuls attempt a Battenburg cake and head back to the 70s with a retro technical challenge, with judge Paul Hollywood asking them to whip up a tray of pineapple upside-down cakes.
Meet Lupita Nyong'o in cake form...()
Sadly for contestant Dave, this became an omen of things to come - his creations end up on the floor when his co-star Sura accidentally bumped into him in dramatic scenes reminiscent of series five’s ‘Bingate’ row.
But the most chaotic moments of episode one arguably came in the final third, as the bakers were tasked with fashioning the likeness of their idols… from cake.
What could possibly go wrong? A lot, it turned out. What followed was the sort of very British madness that Bake Off does so well.
A slow motion shot of a David Attenborough cake falling off its plinth seemed like a perfect visual metaphor for 2020
It’s our public duty to run to the need of Sir David Attenborough if he ever needs us. In cake and in life. ❤️ #GBBO pic.twitter.com/0mch0IyhJL
— British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff)
Me laying in bed watching TikTok’s until 4am #GBBO #bakeoff pic.twitter.com/17t12S1II3
— jessica 🐰 (@Solotravelbug_)
This year has been hard on Louis Theroux…
Uncanny, isn’t it? pic.twitter.com/qKE4Iq3Edb
— British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff)
Or should that be a certain football manager?
Louis Theroux? Mate that’s Jürgen Klopp #GBBO pic.twitter.com/hVHdqrePiL
— Paul Ferguson (@pokemon_paul)
Petition for an animated remake of Bohemian Rhapsody starring… this
#QueenBakeOffSongs
I've made my chouxs,
Time after time,
I've baked my cheesecake
And flavoured it Lime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of my cakes on the floor
But I've come through...#weAreTheChampions #GBBO pic.twitter.com/RUdygBuqUk— Ceri Williamson (@CeriWilliamson)
#QueenBakeOffSongs
I've made my chouxs,
Time after time,
I've baked my cheesecake
And flavoured it Lime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of my cakes on the floor
But I've come through...#weAreTheChampions #GBBO pic.twitter.com/RUdygBuqUk— Ceri Williamson (@CeriWilliamson)
To be fair, the likeness is uncanny #GBBO @BritishBakeOff https://t.co/fHPSd1HYTg pic.twitter.com/aiqrqoF6jQ
— COVID Secure Marshall (@marsh_ross)
Pringles Man, is that you?
Is that the bloke from the front of the Pringles cans? #GBBO pic.twitter.com/xG97O45fwt
— Brutally Honest Bake Off (@HonestBakeOff)
Documentary footage from the next Zoom quiz we’re forced into
If 2020 was a zoom meeting. #GBBO #gbbo2020 #BakeOff pic.twitter.com/cAHndDFwEH
— Forest Jonny (@JonnyHeald6)
Has the Bake Off been taking cues from RuPaul’s Drag Race?
This is Bake Off’s answer to Snatch Game, I love it #gbbo
— Shaun Kitchener (@ShaunKitchener)
Wakanda forever?
I can’t. 😭 Lupita I am so sorry #GBBO pic.twitter.com/Q2I2Tgdmgq
— Hol ♡ (@hollierebekahx)
Cake Oddity, Life On Marzipan… we could go on
Tonight’s nightmare sorted #GBBO pic.twitter.com/T4uNbznloi
— Ryan Love (@RyanJL)
therapist: the david bowie cake from bake off isn't real. he can't hurt you
the david bowie cake from bake off: pic.twitter.com/LZtNS2pZwn— Jack (@jack_thelad)
But top marks go to this Celebrity Big Brother crossover
David's head. #GBBO pic.twitter.com/v5HTSY4SjN
— shane reaction ☘️ (@shane_reaction_)
We will never sleep soundly again
One of the most terrifying show stoppers on Bake Off. Ever. #GBBO #GreatBritishBakeOff pic.twitter.com/E4m9viTwQJ
— Sangita Lal (@sangitalal)
Here’s to yet more cake-based madness next time...
The Great British Bake Off continues on Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4