SPOILER ALERT!

‘The Great British Baking Show’ Underwhelming Finale Crowns a Surprise Winner

An unexpected winner added a jolt to a finale that was otherwise lacking in excitement—something that seemed to be true of this entire season.

This year’s new season of The Great British Baking Show has come to a close with a soggy whimper instead of its usual flavorful bang. After hiring a new host with a more calming presence than their last, giving the win to a fan-favorite, and having no controversies, everything feels a bit…uneventful. But is that a good thing?

(Warning: Spoilers ahead for the finale of Series 14 of The Great British Baking Show, including this year’s winner.)

After Tasha, who would’ve been the first deaf winner of GBBS, was eliminated from the competition during last week’s semifinals, the final round was looking a little dry. Dan, a baker who killed at the technical challenges but struggled when it came to creativity, had a promising shot at coming out on top. Josh, who won star baker twice, also had a similar chance. And Matty, a beloved hunk and the baking world’s version of Paul Mescal, made the finale—but with fewer wins under his belt, he seemed to be the underdog.

On finale day, the Baking Show tent felt a little quieter without some much-needed feminine energy around. Prue Leith and Alison Hammond—who was hired to replace host Matt Lucas—could only do so much to keep the power of girlhood alive in the competition.

While Dan may have been a beast at technical challenges in the weeks leading up to the finale, it was actually Josh who won first place this time for his perfect recreation of lardy cake slices. (This pastry, which has the most British name ever, looks more tasty than it sounds.) Josh, who had earned a flurry of high remarks for his three bakes, appeared to be heading for the win.

But it was ultimately sweet Matty who won this year’s GBBS, surprising fans who were expecting judges’ favorites like Dan or Josh to take home the title. We love to see an underdog take the cake—no pun intended!

As fans celebrated Matty’s big win, they also rallied around another one of their faves: Alison Hammond. Alison knocked her first season of GBBS out of the park, finding the perfect balance between teasing the contestants and giving them personal space to finish their bakes. Alison and fellow host Noel Fielding have a perfect dynamic. After Saku, this year’s fan favorite award—if there was one—goes to none other than Alison.

All in all, this year’s season of GBBS felt shocking because it was so unshocking. The last few years have brought us conflict in the form of Matt Lucas, as well as offensive country weeks that bastardized Japanese and Mexican cultures. Other than an uptick of dirty jokes from Paul Hollywood and Prue—which are certainly welcome in my house—this season was relatively dull.

But it’s fun to have a little controversy, so long as it’s harmless! We’re not looking for something as abhorrent as last week’s Mexican Week, which was an abomination. Still, events like a huge upset (we’re thinking in the same vein as Janusz or Jurgen’s eliminations), a really hot day in the tent, or a baker who serves as the villain can really make GBBS come alive. This season lacked any pizzazz.

But maybe a tame season of The Great British Baking Show is actually a good thing. After all, it’s meant to be a comfort show. The last few years, which have included an irritating host and a few controversial challenges, were just flukes in the timeline of GBBS history. Now, thanks to better challenges and a perfect new host, GBBS has returned to form.

Fletcher PetersEntertainment Reporter

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