{"id":4731,"date":"2021-09-21T22:35:11","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T20:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1365261"},"modified":"2021-09-21T23:35:09","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T21:35:09","slug":"extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"Extremely tight competition could make Bake Off 2021 the most enjoyable series yet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\"> With so much talent, it&#8217;s very hard to tell who this year&#8217;s Great British Bake Off 2021 winner could be, which could make the series really fun for viewers, writes Grace Henry. <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By Grace Henry\n                \t\t<\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Tuesday, 21 September 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p><hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n\n<div>Channel 4\u2019s<a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-start-date\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\"> The Great British Bake Off<\/a> returned this evening for season 12, as viewers were introduced to a new batch of amateur bakers ready to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, and get that Star Baker title.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>After a comical musical performance from the judges and hosts, the <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-contestants\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Great British Bake Off 2021 contestants<\/a> got stuck in to Week One, also known as Cake Week.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>Although still very early, it\u2019s often possible to spot the strongest contenders from the off. Take last year\u2019s winner Peter for instance, who was crowned Star Baker in Week One after wowing with his cake bust of Sir Chris Hoy. Similarly, finalist Dave was also one of the show\u2019s favourites from very early on.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>However, after watching the first episode of series 12, it was impossible to pick out one particular baker who stood out from the rest, with the competition this year at an all time high.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>Of course, <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-jurgen-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">J\u00fcrgen<\/a> was crowned this week\u2019s Star Baker, as the judges loved his Black Forest mini rolls, and his gravity defying Showstopper not only looked good, but tasted great too. But, it could have easily have been one of the other bakers, with <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-crystelle-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Crystelle<\/a>, and <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-freya-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Freya<\/a> also receiving high praise for their floral bakes during the Showstopper Challenge.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" style=\"padding-bottom:\"> <img class=\"&quot;wp-image-1348623\" align=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/Great-British-Bake-Off-2021-contestant-Jurgen-8480ba2.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413&quot;\" width=\"&quot;620&quot;\" height=\"&quot;413&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;Great\" title=\"&quot;Great-British-Bake-Off-2021-contestant-Jurgen&quot;\" \/><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" \/> Great British Bake Off 2021 contestant Jurgen<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"> <i>Channel 4<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>Last year, we <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/reality-tv\/great-british-bake-off-2020-winner-peter-comment\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">predicted that Peter would win the crown<\/a>, however, this year I think we could be in for a surprise when it comes to the Bake Off 2021 winner, which could make series 12 very exciting for viewers due to the healthy competition.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>With it being the bakers\u2019 very first day in the tent, first time nerves and jitters were to be expected, but what we actually saw in the first episode was a really confident, and ambitious bunch of bakers who hit the ground running.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>Very few played it safe, with psychology student, Freya \u2013 who is the youngest in the competition at just 19-years-old \u2013 opting for gluten free and vegan bakes, and <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-rochica-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Rochica<\/a> making her mini rolls from spelt flour as a nod to her health-conscious dad.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" style=\"padding-bottom:\"> <img class=\"&quot;wp-image-1365191\" align=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/Great-British-Bake-Off-2021--26de6fe.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=620%2C413&quot;\" width=\"&quot;620&quot;\" height=\"&quot;413&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;Great\" title=\"&quot;Great-British-Bake-Off-2021-&quot;\" \/><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" \/> Great British Bake Off 2021<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"> <i>Channel 4<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>Retired nurse and midwife <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-maggie-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Maggie<\/a> ditched the flour altogether, and chose a tricky, meringue-based batter for the Signature challenge, which (despite concerns from Prue) worked!<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>They weren\u2019t the only ones who shone either, with engineer <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-giuseppe-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Giuseppe<\/a> delivering one of the neatest bakes I\u2019ve ever seen on the series. Using a ruler, the 45-year-old dad from Bristol measured each mini roll so they were exactly 8cm each, and displayed the most perfect swirl on each end (if there ever was a public vote, he\u2019d have mine solely based on that!).<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>But as we moved into the Technical Challenge, the competition became even tighter, with Maggie coming first and Freya right behind her. What was perhaps most interesting about this score was the fact that Prue had told the bakers before they started the challenge that a malt loaf would be more familiar to the bakers over the age of 35, and here we had teenager Freya acing it.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div> <\/div>\n<div>By the Showstopper, it was hard to tell who\u2019d be earning the Star Baker title and who\u2019d be going home because most of the bakers managed to present anti-gravity bakes with good flavours, and it was only really <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-jairzeno-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Jairzeno<\/a> and <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/great-british-bake-off-2021-tom-contestant\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Tom<\/a> who completely messed up their bakes.<\/div>\n<div>\n<div \/>\n<div>With so many bakers showing promise from the start, the Bake Off 2021 title could be anyone\u2019s game, which could make season 12 so much more enjoyable as we keep tuning in to watch the fierce competition.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div>The heaps of talent, and minimal errors is bound to keep us guessing and having to rethink who we thought might be this year\u2019s Ultimate Star Baker \u2013 and we\u2019ll no doubt be hanging off the edge of our seats until Paul and Prue, and Noel and Matt deliver the good and bad news.<\/div>\n<div \/>\n<div><strong>The Great British Bake Off airs Tuesdays on Channel 4 at 8pm. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/tv-listings\/&quot;\">TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>or visit our hub for more\u00a0<a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/entertainment\/&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener\">Entertainment<\/a>\u00a0news.<\/strong><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> With so much talent, it&#8217;s very hard to tell who this year&#8217;s Great British Bake Off 2021 winner could be, which could make the series really fun for viewers, writes Grace Henry. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":4732,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/09\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet.jpg",620,413,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/09\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/09\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/09\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet.jpg",620,413,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/09\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet.jpg",620,413,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/09\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet.jpg",620,413,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/09\/extremely-tight-competition-could-make-bake-off-2021-the-most-enjoyable-series-yet.jpg",620,413,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"With so much talent, it's very hard to tell who this year's Great British Bake Off 2021 winner could be, which could make the series really fun for viewers, writes Grace Henry.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/4731"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}