Great British Bake Off to undergo huge revamp after flurry of viewer complaints

28 February 2023 , 19:30

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The Great British Bake Off tasks are undergoing a 'back to basics' makeover (Image: Channel 4 / Love Productions)

The Great British Bake Off is to be given a “back to basics” revamp after being blasted with ­complaints about the last series.

Fans objected to the tasks being too complicated, including the Halloween lantern that had to be a piñata, and the “mission impossible” time constraints.

One insider has revealed the next run will have easier tasks and more classic bakes. They said: “There is a realisation last year’s show didn’t really work. We’re going to strip it back to basics, with a few twists.”

The comments came as the boss of Love Productions, which makes the long-running show, insisted he had listened to fans.

Fans objected to the tasks being too complicated in the last series, which saw Syabira win

Richard McKerrow said the team would strive to put things right for series 14, which starts filming in April.

GBBO's Prue Leith shares the big question all fans ask her about Channel 4 hit

“I’d be the first to hold up our hands and say I feel the last series was not our strongest,” he admitted in The Media Podcast.

“You’ve got to take a look and go, ‘Sh*t, are the challenges too ­complicated?’. We’re looking very, very, very hard at making sure it’s as good a series as it can be.”

Fans complained many of the tasks were “silly”, with “ridiculous” time constraints blamed for an ­underwhelming final, featuring eventual winner Syabira Yusoff.

A production company boss said they were 'looking very, very, very hard at making sure it’s as good a series as it can be' (PA)

The final was watched by just 5.2million viewers, compared with 7.2m the previous year.

One viewer, who stopped watching, explained: “I don’t watch Bake Off to see people stressed out and upset.”

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith are expected to return to the show while a new presenter to replace Matt Lucas alongside Noel Fielding is being finalised.

Nicola Methven