‘The Great British Baking Show’s Bold New Twist Just Saved It From the Brink

5 days ago 12

The Great British Bake Off hosts and judges eat treats and smile and laugh in a promo photo.

Published Feb 6, 2026, 3:33 PM EST

Greer Riddell (pronounced Gre-er Rid-dell) is a very tired Londoner who is fuelled by tea and rarely looks up from her laptop. Before joining Collider in March 2024, Greer spent over a decade making social, content and video for UK media brands and freelance clients including the BBC, Bauer Media and Glastonbury Festivals. Greer is first and foremost the Social Media Coordinator at Collider, looking after Social Video and TikTok but is an occasional Features Writer.

After years of fading charm, gimmicky challenges, and declining viewer interest, The Great British Baking Show is finally getting the reset it desperately needs. Channel 4 has confirmed that culinary icon Nigella Lawson will replace Dame Prue Leith as head judge, injecting the tent with her sophisticated style and flirtatious cooking quips. With Lawson joining Paul Hollywood at the gingham altar, the competition that was once seen as the best thing since sliced bread looks set to make a bold return with its upcoming 17th season.

The Great British Baking Show Has Been In Decline Since 2020

The hosts and judges of The Great British Bake Off smile and stand outside the white tent.

Since its debut in August 2010, The Great British Baking Show has been must-watch television, celebrated for its focus on traditional home baking and its comforting, gentle tone. Beginning on the BBC, the series reflected the broadcaster’s ethos of educating as well as entertaining. Each episode offered mini-history lessons on the bakes being made, and the judges provided practical, thoughtful advice to contestants, helping them improve their skills rather than simply complaining about drama. But by 2020, the Baking Show began to crumble and faced criticism from both viewers and critics. What was once rooted in classic cakes now felt stressful and excessive.

Much of the criticism has centered on the show’s challenges. Where contestants once crafted Victoria sponges and other reproducible bakes, they were now tasked with spectacle-driven creations akin to viral Instagram recipes. From intricate 3D illusion cakes to 17th-century puddings that enclosed a whole unpeeled lemon, these half-baked ideas often seemed intentionally designed to trip contestants up. Impossible technical requirements and unreasonably tight time constraints have shifted the focus from skill to “making great television,” undermining the supportive, community spirit that defined the show at its BBC peak. The traditional themed weeks also changed, with the introduction of controversial international challenges damaging the show’s reputation. Episodes like “Mexican Week” and “Japanese Week” drew backlash for relying on stereotypes and anglicized adaptations rather than respectful representations of baking traditions. In one particularly dismal international task, the bakers were asked to cook naan over a campfire! These format changes signal a deeper identity crisis for The Great British Baking Show, one that has driven away both its loyal audience and its presenters.

The Great British Baking Show Has Gone Through A Major Shake-Up Already

The Great British Baking Show has gone through significant changes over more than a decade on air. Its move from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2016 marked a clear shift in both tone and crew. During its BBC heyday, the series was hosted by the comedy duo Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, alongside Dame Mary Berry, a British culinary staple. Berry’s career began with the publication of her first recipe book in 1970, and she has famously cooked for the British Royal Family. Her kind, grandmotherly presence embodied the spirit of the show, evoking memories for viewers of baking with their own Nanas and anchoring the series in comfort, tradition, and familiarity. However, Berry chose not to follow the program to Channel 4 when it changed broadcasters in 2016. The program makers, Love Productions, failed to reach a new financial agreement with the BBC, so they found a new bidder. Channel 4, known for championing more outspoken voices and edgier opinions, offered a fresh platform for the series. While this broadened the show’s audience and allowed for a new creative direction, it also fundamentally altered the atmosphere, and Berry’s persona no longer fit.

A tough cookie, South African Dame Prue Leith replaced Berry as head judge from 2017. Equally qualified, Leith brought a more direct and modern presenting style and offered sharp critiques with her signature sense of humor. However, her tenure was complicated by scrutiny outside the tent, particularly due to the political affiliations of her son, Danny Kruger, a Member of Parliament who defected to a new right-wing party. For a show that is apolitical, these associations create an additional layer of tension, especially on Channel 4, which has a perceived liberal lean.

Alongside changes in judging, the Baking Show’s presenter lineup has been in constant flux since the move. The Mighty Boosh’s Noel Fielding has become a long-term fixture, but other presenters have left under a dark cloud. QI host Sandi Toksvig finished her run in 2019 and publicly denounced her time on the show, telling The Times, “I’d never watched it… I didn’t understand it. Cakes are readily available in the shops. I didn’t enjoy the process.” She was replaced by Matt Lucas, a comedian and controversial figure due to his work on Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, both criticized for their reliance on racial stereotypes and blackface. A later addition to the presenter lineup is Alison Hammond, host of the Bridgerton podcast, who joined in 2022. She brings a warm, comedic, and chaotic energy to her daytime television career. With constant change and a decline in quality, The Great British Baking Show was left in a stale situation heading into 2026, but it looks like critics will soon be eating humble pie.

Paul Hollywood, Alison Hammond, Prue Leith, and Noel Fielding 'GBBO' S14 Promo

Alison Hammond Has Revived 'The Great British Baking Show'

Hosting ‘The Great British Baking Show’ is a very important role to fill, and Alison Hammond does it brilliantly.

Nigella Lawson Is About To Revitalize The Great British Baking Show

The Great British Baking Show is entering a make-or-break era. After nearly a decade as a judge, Dame Prue Leith has announced she will step down. The 86-year-old shared the news on Instagram, saying: “Now feels like the right time to step back… After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges.” Her replacement is Nigella Lawson, one of Britain’s most recognizable food figures. With decades of television experience, bestselling cookbooks, and a global following built on indulgence rather than perfection, Lawson is a household name and strangely responsible for Brits pronouncing "microwave" as “meecro-wah-vey.” She isn’t preachy, super-technical, or focused on healthy eating and instead is all about butter, cream, and eating for pleasure. Nigella is known for flirting with the camera, laughing at herself, and talking passionately about food. Gone are the days of the comforting grandmother figure in the Baking Show tent!

The 66-year-old admitted to Channel 4 that she was “bubbling with excitement,” adding, “The Great British Baking Show is more than a television program, it’s a national treasure.” Dame Prue Leith expressed delight at Lawson taking over, calling her “sassy, fun and knowing her onions—and her croissants, cake, and crumble.” Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer Ian Katz described the pairing of Lawson and the Baking Show as “the marriage of two Great British icons.” Unlike Leith and Berry, Lawson is not a formally trained chef, and she is all about making food approachable and pleasurable, which looks set to bring the Baking Show back to its bread and butter: home cooking with realistic roots but in a more modern fashion.

Nigella Lawson’s appointment as head judge marks a potentially game-changing moment for The Great British Baking Show. Once a comforting national treasure, the show recently looked to be toast, struggling to retain its relevance. Lawson’s arrival signals the series’ third major iteration, blending tradition with fresh and playful energy. By leaning into the enjoyment of baking and indulgence rather than spectacle and viral gimmicks, the Baking Show looks set to rediscover what made audiences fall in love with it in the first place. If successful, Season 17 could be the show’s most triumphant reinvention yet, and Nigella Lawson will be the cherry on top.

The Great British Baking Show is currently streaming on Netflix.