7 Things You Need To Know About The New ‘Great British Baking Show’ Seasons On Netflix
The show is a lot different — but it’s still a delight.
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The wait is over: There are finally more episodes of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. On August 31, the streaming service will offer a season of the show, which is called The Great British Bake Off in the U.K. but changed its name in the U.S. because of a copyright dispute with Pillsbury.
If you’re following the seasons on Netflix only, this will be technically Season 5 of the series, but it’s actually Season 8, since not all the seasons have aired in the United States. And don’t be surprised to see a few different faces in the tent. There’s no more Mary Berry — but there’s still plenty of innuendos and soggy bottoms to go around.
Here’s what you need to know about the new Netflix seasons.
The show is no longer on the BBC in the U.K.
Back in 2016, the company that produced The Great British Bake Off struck a lucrative new deal with Channel 4, meaning new episodes of the show would air on that network instead of the BBC. Fans were furious about the decision, calling it a cash grab and worrying about how commercials would impact the show, since the BBC doesn’t run ads. But when you're streaming, the ads don't show up, and the show maintains the same feel as usual.
Bye, Mary Berry. Hi, Prue Leith.
After the show moved away from the BBC, Mary Berry decided to stay with the network rather than follow Bake Off to Channel 4. But Paul Hollywood opted to remain on the show. So he’s now paired up with Prue Leith, a restaurateur and cookbook writer who previously was a judge on Great British Menu and My Kitchen Rules. She also knows how to rock a pair of bright-colored glasses.
Prue does an admirable job, but nobody else is Mary Berry, and her absence is felt throughout the show. Prue revealed she tried to pay tribute to Mary, who is a longtime friend, by wearing an apron that read “What Would Mary Do,” but that idea got axed during Bake Off’s finale.
The hosts are different, too.
Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins sided with Mary and decided not to stick with the show on a new network. The new seasons of the show feature two brand-new hosts, Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding. You might recognize Sandi from her time hosting the British trivia series QI, when she took over from Stephen Fry. And you might know Noel from The Mighty Boosh.
Sandi and Noel bring a decidedly goofier vibe, and not just because of their ridiculous height difference. And in case you were curious, the two new hosts are getting equal pay.
It’s not airing on PBS anymore.
Previously, if you wanted to watch The Great British Baking Show in the United States, you could first check out the seasons on PBS. That network aired the BBC series, and then those episodes later ended up on Netflix. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix will now be the first place to air episodes of the show in the United States.
Do NOT Google the cast until you’re done with the season.
The season that hits Netflix actually aired last year on Channel 4, which means there are tons of spoilers out there online. Even Prue, who was in another time zone when the finale aired, mistakenly tweeted the winner’s name before fans even got to watch the episode live.
And a new season, which won't air on Netflix immediately, is airing on Channel 4 this season. So if you Google, you’ll get spoiled for not just one season, but potentially two. Consider yourself warned.
You won’t have to wait long for more.
After you’re done bingeing the 10 episodes in the new season, which arrives on Netflix August 31, don’t worry — there will be more coming soon. Netflix says they will add the next season later this year, and yet another in fall 2019. And there will be holiday specials that are scheduled for 2018, 2019, and 2020.
And you can still watch more Mary Berry.
Netflix announced they will stream a new collection, The Great British Baking Show: The Beginnings, hitting Netflix later in the year. That collection first aired in 2012, so Mary Berry is definitely involved. These days, Mary hosts several shows on the BBC, from Mary Berry’s Quick Cooking to Britain’s Best Home Cook to Mary, Mel and Sue’s Surprise Party, in which she reunites with the former Bake Off hosts. But sadly, none of these are available to stream on Netflix in the States just yet.
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