Common Sense Media Review
Mild, mouth-watering baking contest has mild innuendo.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
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The Great British Baking Show
What's the Story?
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW (known across the pond as The Great British Bake Off), is an award-winning reality competition that tests people on their ability to create delicious, creative, and technically perfect baked concoctions. Twelve contestants of all ages and backgrounds compete in 30 challenges over the course of 10 weeks in the show's signature "big tent," under which state-of-the-art baking stations await them. There they spend two days of every week completing three challenges that revolve around a specific baking category. Though two of the challenges require them to present their personal versions of the baked good using their own personal methods, one requires them to follow a recipe created by one of the show's two renowned judges. Throughout it all, the hosts offer their thoughts and humorous banter. At the end of each episode, a contestant is named star baker for the week and another is eliminated. The last person their oven is crowned Britain's best amateur baker.
Is It Any Good?
Baking fans will delight in this fun, positive, and decidedly British series, which highlights the craft and beauty of baking while underscoring the work it takes to be good at it. It also allows participants, who range from construction workers to college-prep students from various cultural backgrounds to showcase different ingredients, taste profiles, and techniques that they've developed in their own homes.
Contestants are competitive and the judges are direct, but you won't find any Top Chef or Gordon Ramsay-like drama here. Instead, you will find an entertainingly polite show full of endless close-up images of sweet and savory oven-fresh goods and lots of recipe ideas and advice to try at home. The one drawback? It's difficult to watch without having your mouth water.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what inspires bakers like the contestants on The Great British Baking Show. How do people go about creating their own recipes or flavors?
Do you or your family have a favorite baking recipe? Where did it come from? Does it have special ingredients? Is it for a special occasion? How will that recipe be passed down to future generations?
This is known as a very gentle competition show. Does the lack of interpersonal drama detract or add to the show for you?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 17, 2010
- Cast : Mary Berry , Paul Hollywood , Sue Perkins , Nigella Lawson , Noel Fielding , Alison Hammond
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Cooking , Competition
- TV rating :
- Awards : BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Emmy - Emmy Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 23, 2026
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