The Great British Bake Off

The Great British Bake Off, often referred to as simply Bake Off or GBBO, and aired under the name The Great British Baking Show in the United States, is a BAFTA award-winning British television baking competition first shown by BBC Two on 17 August 2010. It is presented by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, and judged by cookery writer Mary Berry and professional baker Paul Hollywood. The competition selects from amongst its contestants the best amateur baker.

The programme was moved to BBC One for its fifth series after it became the most popular show on BBC Two. Its increasing popularity is credited with reinvigorating interest in baking throughout the UK. Many of its participants, including winners, have gone on to start a career based on bakery. The winners are Edd Kimber, Joanne Wheatley, John Whaite, Frances Quinn, Nancy Birtwhistle, and most recently Nadiya Hussain.

The programme has spawned a number of specials and spin-off shows – a celebrity charity series in aid of Sport Relief or Comic Relief, Junior Bake Off for young children (broadcast on the CBBC channel), and An Extra Slice aired on BBC Two after the Bake Off series was moved to BBC One. Its format was also used on the BBC Two series The Great British Sewing Bee. The format has been sold to many countries around the world where local versions of the show are produced. In July 2015, advertisements appeared online looking for teams of professionals to take part in a professional version similar to the amateur bake off, however this will be in groups of three with one of the three acting as 'head chef'.