What’s the deal with The Big American Bake Off?

by Rachel Ropella

In The Cake, Della is preparing to be a contestant from the fictional reality TV contest trophy). Each episode has a theme such as Bread Week or Vegan Week, with the latter theme-week often going as well as Della’s disastrous dream. These themes have led to iconic victories such as Paul's lion bread and devastating blows such as Iain throwing away his melted Baked Alaska (yes, in 2014, this went viral online #BinGate). The two judges, originally Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, sample the treats and give critiques. After the three challenges are finished, the judges choose the Star Baker of the week and eliminate the contestant who wasn’t up to their standards. With lovable hosts who give comedic commentary, intense but charming soundtrack, and an ever-rotating cast of plucky bakers to become invested in and tweet about, GBBO quickly became a hit in the UK as well as in America, hitting over 9 million viewers per season in the UK alone.

The Big American Bake-Off. This fictional contest is a parody of the popular show The Great British Bake Off. Below is a quick guide to the original show, as well as some other references The Cake alludes to!

But Who is This Handsome Judge?

The Original Premise:

The Great British Bake Off (often shortened to GBBO ) began in 2010 on the UK TV channel BBC 2 and is now in its thirteenth season. Each season features twelve amateur bakers competing against each other to win the title of Greatest British Baker across a series of weeks in the summer. Each episode contains three challenges: The Signature (a classic/ basic recipe), The Technical (a challenging recipe with few instructions given), and The Showstopper (a chance to show off skills and talent). Within a limited period of time, the bakers have to make the tastiest and most unique treats in order to reach the final round to win the title (and a cake stand

Now that you know the original GBBO , you might be wondering: who is George based on? In The Cake , Della speaks of a handsome judge named George who has “got a voice like a king. He speaks and it’s true." In The Cake , this judge is a parody of GBBO judge Paul Hollywood. Known for his piercing blue eyes and his often harsh but honest critique of the contestants’ baking ability, Hollywood has been a mainstay of GBBO while other judges have come and gone. While some fans of the show have felt Hollywood can be overly critical of contestants’ work, the "Hollywood Handshake" has become a coveted thing for contestants to earn during the competition. If Paul is truly impressed with your technical skill and baking prowess, he’s been known to break into a rare smile and shake your hand in congratulations.

The Great American Spin-Off: With GBBO’ s popularity in America, it wasn’t long before an American spin-off was developed. In 2015, the first season of The Great American Baking Show aired on ABC as a direct adaptation of GBBO .

Curious about the title change? When GBBO originally aired in the United States, it was under the title The Great British Baking Show , which quickly was switched back to the title we know and love when it moved to Netflix. The Great American Baking Show has run for five seasons and has a rotating cast of hosts, including actress Ellie Kemper and Spice Girls singer Emma Bunton, as well as different judges, which have of course included GBBO favorites Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. The Great American Baking Show has also produced special holiday mini-season with celebrity contestants, which was won by actress D'Arcy Carden in 2022. Similar to the original GBBO , the show has been praised for its compelling contestants from across the country, such as Brother Andrew, a FilipinoAmerican Franciscan friar who won season 5, and its unique bakes like Stephanie Chen's pineapple bread Santa. No matter what side of the pond, both shows have found an enthusiastic fan base of amateur bakers who dream of winning the coveted title of Greatest Baker.