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The Great British Bake Off series 1

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The Great British Bake Off
Series 1
Photo of the main cast and contestants of the first series
Starring
No. of episodes6
Release
Original networkBBC Two
Original release17 August (2010-08-17) –
21 September 2010 (2010-09-21)
Series chronology
Next →
Series 2

The first series of The Great British Bake Off first aired on BBC Two on 17 August 2010. Ten home bakers took part in a bake-off to test their baking skills as they battled to be designated the best amateur baker. Each week the programme bakers participated in three challenges in a particular discipline, with some being eliminated at the end of each episode. The rounds of the competition took place in various locations across the UK following a theme, for example, the episode on puddings took place in Bakewell, bread baking would take place near Sandwich.[1][2] This first series had a voiceover by Stephen Noonan; for the subsequent series this role was taken by the on-screen presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. The competition was won by Edd Kimber.[3][4][5]

Bakers

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Baker Age Occupation Hometown
Annetha Mills 30 Midwife Essex
David Chambers 31 Entrepreneur Milton Keynes
Edward "Edd" Kimber 24 Debt collector for Yorkshire Bank Bradford
Jasminder "Jas" Randhawa 45 Assistant Credit Control Manager Birmingham
Jonathan Shepherd 25 Research Analyst St Albans
Lea Harris 51 Retired Midlothian, Scotland
Louise Brimelow 44 Police Officer Manchester
Mark Whithers 48 Bus Driver South Wales
Miranda Gore Browne 37 Food buyer for Marks & Spencer Midhurst, West Sussex
Ruth Clemens 31 Retail manager/Housewife Poynton, Cheshire

Results summary

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Elimination chart
Baker 1 2 3 4 5 6
Edd SAFE HIGH HIGH LOW HIGH WINNER
Ruth HIGH SAFE HIGH HIGH HIGH Runner-up
Miranda HIGH HIGH SAFE HIGH LOW Third
Jasminder SAFE SAFE LOW SAFE OUT
David LOW LOW LOW OUT
Jonathan SAFE HIGH OUT
Annetha HIGH OUT
Louise LOW OUT
Lea OUT
Mark OUT

Colour key:

  Baker got through to the next round.
  Baker was eliminated
  Baker was one of the judges' least favourite bakers that week, but was not eliminated.
  Baker was one of the judges' favourite bakers that week.
  Baker was the series runner-up.
  Baker was the series winner.

Episodes

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Episode 1: Cakes

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For the first challenge, the bakers were instructed to bake any cake they want using their creativity within three hours. It had to be evenly baked, evenly risen, and moist. For the technical challenge, the bakers were to make a Victoria Sandwich using Mary Berry's recipe. For the final challenge, the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to make a Chocolate Celebration Cake, with perfect execution, original ideas and their own flair.

Episode 2: Biscuits

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For the signature bake, the bakers were asked to bake their Signature Personality Biscuits within two hours. The technical challenge required them to bake scones using Paul Hollywood's recipe within an hour. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to produce three different Petit Fours: Meringues, Choux Pastry, and Macarons, within four hours.

Episode 3: Bread

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For their signature bake, the bakers were given 3+12 hours to produce their signature bread loaf. The technical challenge required them to bake a traditional round cob loaf, using Paul's recipe in 2+12 hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake 12 sweet rolls and another dozen savoury rolls, with three flavours of each, within 6 hours.

Episode 4: Puddings

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For the first challenge, the bakers were asked to bake their own classic pudding, steamed or baked, in 2+12 hours. In the technical challenge, the bakers were required to use Mary's recipe to bake four miniature lemon souffles within 40 minutes. The bakers started to bake at different time intervals. The showstopper gave the bakers five hours to produce three puddings: crumble, bread, and suet.

Episode 5: Pastry

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For the signature challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a savoury pie in 2+12 hours. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake 4 Cornish pasties in 1+12 hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake 2 pastry platters containing savory canapés and sweet tartlets, in 5 hours.

Episode 6: Tea Party (Final)

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In the final, one of the three finalists was eliminated after the first bake, and only two bakers competed in the final day. For the first challenge, they were asked to bake 24 professional-quality miniature cakes in 2+12 hours. For the final challenge, the 2 finalists were given 5 hours to bake 24 miniature tarts, 24 scones, 24 choux buns, and 24 brown and white bread finger sandwiches for afternoon tea on the garden lawn for 40 guests (including all the bakers from earlier rounds).

It took the judges nearly five hours to determine whom to eliminate, and had to look back at their performances over the series as a whole to make a decision. The idea of eliminating a contestant in the final was dropped from future series.

Post-show career

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After winning the competition, Edd Kimber is able to make his living from baking.[6] He worked in the pastry kitchen at Raymond Blanc's restaurant Le Manoir. He has written three books on baking, The Boy Who Bakes, Say It With Cake,[7] and Patisserie Made Simple: From Macaron to Millefeuille and More. He has taught macaron making classes in London, run a pop-up bakery in Fortnum & Mason, and appeared as a 'resident baker' on The Alan Titchmarsh Show.[8]

Ruth Clemens has written a number of books on cake making and baking, including Busy Girls Guide to Cake Decorating, The Pink Whisk Guide to Cake Making, The Pink Whisk Guide to Baking and Creative Éclairs.[9][10]

Miranda Gore Browne wrote a book, Biscuit, published on 5 April 2012.[11] Her second book, Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can, was published in August 2014.[12]

Jonathan Shepherd left his job in the pharmaceutical company and launched a new business, The Pudding Stop, in St Albans.[13] It started as a portable street-food vendor and a supplier of puddings to restaurants.[14] Shepherd has since also opened a shop, also in St Albans.[15][16]

Mark Whithers, who was eliminated in Episode 1, died on 11 May 2013 after suffering from cancer.[17]

The Great British Wedding Cake

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In this one-off special edition, the three finalists from series one (Edd, Ruth and Miranda) returned. Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry set them the challenge of making and baking two spectacular Wedding Cakes each in just sixteen hours, one being traditional and the other contemporary. Paul and Mary explore the history of the Great British Wedding Cake, looking at the dramatic changes through the eras; from the Tudors and the Victorians, wartime Britain and the eighties to the present day. Although Paul and Mary judged the results, no individual winner was declared.

Ratings

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Official episode viewing figures are from BARB.[18]

Episode
no.
Airdate Viewers
(millions)
BBC Two
weekly ranking
Nightly ranking
1 17 August 2010 (2010-08-17) 2.24 7 12
2 24 August 2010 (2010-08-24) 3.00 3 10
3 31 August 2010 (2010-08-31) 2 11
4 7 September 2010 (2010-09-07) 2.60 4
5 14 September 2010 (2010-09-14) 3.03 1 10
6 21 September 2010 (2010-09-21) 2.75

Specials

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The Great British Wedding Cake
Episode
no.
Airdate Viewers
(millions)
BBC Two
weekly ranking
20 April 2011 (2011-04-20) 1.60 19

References

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  1. ^ "The Great British Bake Off". TVDb.com.
  2. ^ Sarah Stephens (14 August 2012). "Behind the scenes at the Great British Bake-Off". The Daily Telegraph.
  3. ^ Sarah Rainey (9 December 2011). "Edd Kimber: the great British baker". The Daily Telegraph.
  4. ^ Aisha Iqbal (23 September 2010), "Leeds man wins BBC's Great British Bake-Off", Yorkshire Evening Post
  5. ^ Emma Clayton (23 September 2010), "Thackley baker Edd Kimber wins BBC TV's Great British Bake Off", Bradford Telegraph and Argus
  6. ^ "Edd Kimber and Jo Wheatley: Great British Bake Off changed our lives". Metro. 28 August 2012.
  7. ^ Daisy Wyatt (22 October 2013). "Great British Bake Off winners: Where are they now?". The Independent.
  8. ^ Jess Denham (7 October 2014). "Great British Bake Off 2014: What past winners are doing now from Edd Kimber to last year's Frances Quinn". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Poynton Mum in the Spotlight – Ruth Clemens – The Pink Whisk!". Mums in the Know. 2 December 2012. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  10. ^ "Interview with Ruth Clemens, The Pink Whisk". The Diary of a Cake Maker. 7 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Interview & cookbook giveaway: Miranda Gore Browne, Great British Bake Off". Peach Trees and Bumblebees. 13 June 2013.
  12. ^ Carolyn Hart (11 September 2014). "Cookbook of the Week: Bake Me A Cake As Fast As You Can". The Daily Telegraph.
  13. ^ Charlotte Morgan (9 September 2010). "St Albans baker takes the plunge with puddings". The Herts Advertiser.
  14. ^ Monique Hall (8 October 2012). "St Albans' Pudding Stop shortlisted for award". The Herts Advertiser.
  15. ^ Charlotte Morgan (19 August 2014). "Great British Bake Off: where are they now?".
  16. ^ "The Pudding Stop".
  17. ^ Hope, Hannah; Rowney, Jo-Anne; Hards, Shannon (11 September 2018). "Where are the past GBBO winners now?". CornwallLive. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
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