This piece is part of “Netflix Cooking School," Delish’s new partnership with Netflix where we bring readers exclusive content tied to the premieres of some of their most popular new (and returning!) food shows.
Update, 9/24/21: OK, so the first episode of the new season of Great British Bake Off officially dropped on Netflix, and it's everything we ever wanted and more. Btw, *light* spoilers ahead.
It starts out with a slightly odd rendition of the hosts and judges singing a sweetened version of Billy Ray Cyrus's hit "Achey Breaky Heart" complete with mullets and all. But then things settle down, and we are comforted by the sight of the familiar tent. With that, we get the first challenge—mini Swiss rolls.
As the contestants start to make their little swirls of joy, we meet a few of them. There's Maggie, a retired mid-wife, Giuseppe, an Italian engineer who compares stepping into the tent like the Sistine Chapel, and Lizzie, who has a KitchenAid mixer with Paul Hollywood on it.
For the technical challenge, the bakers must make a malt loaf. If you don't know what that is, don't worry. I was also lost. Apparently, it's a yeasty, traditional British cake. Often it has raisins and is smeared with butter and served with tea. So British-sounding.
And finally, the signature challenge is gravity defying cakes, which you know will cause some drama. We get a flower bouquet cake, a Jack and the Beanstalk-inspired design, and a cake of a cake being baked.
In between the laughs and stress-outs, we find out that contestant Lizzie was once attacked by an ostrich, Freya is only 19 and also a vegan, Tom sells model trains, and Amanda is a detective. We won't give anything away, but the first episode is as delightful as you would imagine. Now we just have to countdown the days until episode two drops on October 1.
Update, 9/16/21: Get excited, folks! The new season of Great British Bake Off is hitting Netflix on September 24 and will continue dropping episodes every Friday following at 12:01 am PST. To hold us over until then, the official GBBO Instagram account posted a cast reveal and we absolutely cannot wait to see them under the tent.
The contestant list includes Amanda, Chigi, Crystelle, Freya, George, Giuseppe, Jairzeno, Jürgon, Lizzie, Maggie, Rochica, and Tom. Formal introductions of each baker are posted on the GBBO Instagram so you can learn more about their hometown, occupation, hobbies, and their baking specialties. You can get acquainted with this season's cast by scrolling through Instagram and be sure to set an alarm for next Friday while you're at it!
Update, 9/8/21: Netflix has confirmed that the new season of GBBO will come to the platform on September 24. That's a little more than two weeks from now and just three days after the show airs in the U.K. in real time. That means you have a little more than two weeks to get your ideal snack line-up in order and prepare for the absolute best season: aul and Prue season.
Original post, 8/4/21: Great British Bake Off fans have likely had a cake-shaped hole in their heart following last season's finale. COVID-19 put a halt to filming television shows which led to some filming adjustments, but thankfully we have official confirmation from Netflix about the upcoming season.
Get ready for fall, because that's when Netflix is dropping the next season of GBBO to transport you to the tent (we'll have a more specific date for you in the next few weeks). With the new season, you can expect the same set-up of challenges including signature bakes, technical challenges, and show-stoppers.
You can also prepare to see some familiar faces on your screen as Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood are both returning as judges yet again. As for hosts, comedian Matt Lucas is coming back since starting on the series in 2020. Last season, Noel Fielding was not a part of the season due to parental leave but this time around, he'll be back for more on-screen banter with Matt, which is something to look forward to.
Of course, the ongoing pandemic has impacted the way Bake Off is shot; a strict bubble has been implemented to keep contestants, judges, and crew safe. This bubble also allows judges to taste test the bakes safely, so let's hope there are many Paul Hollywood handshakes to be seen.
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GBBO’s next season will stream this September on Netflix.
