With this year's set of contestants for The Great British Bake Off now announced, fans have already begun to speculate about who will rise to the top. One thing was immediately clear from the line-up, though, with observers noting the overall youthfulness of the contestants. Paul Hollywood has already hinted at what lies ahead this season, with the judge telling the Mirror about an abundance of tears in the tent.
The GBBO has never been shy about showing emotion, but Hollywood has suggested that this year’s contestants are particularly predisposed to tearful outbursts. “Upset one and they all get upset”, Hollywood told the Mirror regarding this new batch of would-be star bakers. Ordinarily, such an observation might encourage a judge to change their approach. However, this is Paul Hollywood. Perhaps in response to claims that he was dishing out his famous handshakes too liberally last season, Hollywood declared that he felt a need to be even firmer with this younger set of contestants. There is a definite millennial/Generation Z skew to this year’s line-up, with over half of the contestants in their 20s. This is no surprise given how baking has become increasingly adopted by equally younger viewers in recent years. Some people may resent the idea that there was a time when baking wasn’t “cool” (hence the diplomatic use of inverted commas), but there is no doubt that popular culture has only recently embraced baking.
The success of the GBBO has inspired a multitude of new baking shows. Netflix has sought to ride the wave, with their original series Nailed It! seemingly tailored to a millennial audience. Older generations can still find enjoyment in it, but the name of the show alone suggests that Netflix was aiming to attract the new wave of baking fans inspired by GBBO.
The trend of baking has even migrated beyond television and into gaming. Casino Wings have ranked Casilando as a provider of a great selection of games online, a selection which includes the slot Donuts. The game uses doughnut symbols on the reel, while deploying a colour scheme reminiscent of the GBBO tent. While, My Bakery Empire is a more business-focused baking game, but the app still employs the bright colours and lavish cakes made popular by the GBBO. It is clear that television executives and game developers are seeking to tap into what makes the GBBO appeal to a millennial audience. The show's humour, its relaxed atmosphere, and its showcase of incredible skills have opened up millennials’ eyes to an activity that was not previously given a platform in popular culture.
There is direct proof of that influence in this year's series. With an average age of 31, this year’s contestants are hardly in nappies. However, that average age is four years younger than previous seasons, while two contestants (Henry and Jamie) are just 20. Both 20-year-olds have cited The Great British Bake Off, which first aired in 2010, as a key influence in their desire to take up baking.
It is an interesting and inspirational concept to consider - that those who were initially inspired to start baking because of the show have now developed enough skills to actually star on the show. Watching these contestants showing off their self-taught skills will likely inspire a whole new set of bakers to take to the kitchen. Hollywood might have declared that there will be more tears than usual, but everything that has made The Great British Bake Off so successful will still be there too.
The Great British Bake Off begins Tuesday, August 27th on Channel 4.
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