I honestly get a moment of butterflies where i genuinely think it could poss be Damien.. which is entirely possible of course, except that he is such a busy man, I doubt he'd manage to commit to such a schedule.

Hurrah for GBBO being back ! I always need a sweet treat when I watch though !

I wasn't sure who most of the celebrities were in Masterchef ! I'm not sure if I should be proud or worried ?!

GBBO for the win!

Tamal is doing really well. I agree that Nadiya 's show stopper was amazing. The fizz coming out of the can was brilliant !

Alvin was such a sweetie ! Tamal's still my favourite.

I've seen Valentine a couple of times at food festivals, domino. He was stood right behind my brother and I at one point and we were both a bit star struck !

I think that it will be Tamal, Nadiya and Ian in the final. I'd like Tamal to win.

I'd be happy if either Nadiya or Tamal won. I think they are all pretty even so I think it's going to be very much what happens on the day. Someone could have a real disaster.

Who is watching GBBO? I'm loving it so far, my faves are Selasi and Rav but think that Candice or Jane might win!

It's absoutely mortifying and shocking that the show has been bought by Channel 4. But with Mel, Sue and Mary announcing they are not making the move to channel 4 (which I am glad about) what show will there be left? 

It is delightful news however that the BBC may be launching a new show with Mary, Mel and Sue!

BBC could launch Bake Off rival before Channel 4 show, source says

 

They could call it MasterBaker or something...

I'm taking a different direction from most about bake off. I love the programme but the idea and the format were not the brainchild of the BBC. When the Beeb wouldn't pay the fee to continue the programme it was offered elsewhere. I really don't see why channel 4 should get all the flack, they've merely picked up a programme that was going to be dropped by the beeb.

As for Mel and Sue, they can be replaced and Mary is in her eighties! Why not Nadiya to take over from her?

Questions being asked by politicians? It's gone way overboard, it's just a tv programme, for goodness sake!

GBBO is back! 

Looking back at my last comment here, I had very low hopes for the show's transfer to Channel 4! On watching it I have mixed feelings. It is still the same wonderful tent and same captivating format, and still a very entertaining hour of TV. But.. the ad breaks really did irk me and feel like an insult to the gorgeous show and its previously known flow..not just an inconvenient interruption. (Yes I know about funding and the important of adverts but don't care in this instance.)

Having said that, I did watch it all the way through and like the new contestants. Not so keen on Prue (she didn't really grow on me in the Great British Menu either) and miss Queen Mary Berry terribly.. it feels like another massive blow to the what makes the show what it is for it to air without her. But I'm a massive Noel Fielding fan and found myself waiting for more weirdness and Boosh-ness from him.. I suspect more will come which is delightful! I'm slightly indifferent about Sandy Toksvic, she's no Mel or Sue (who are perfection, aren't they?) but you do feel safe in her hands and she has a wonderfully dry humour.

Did anyone else watch? What did  you think of the contestants and any early favourites? How about the new presenters and the adverts? 

Well, I loved it! Didn't mind the advert breaks, recorded and fast-forwarded when needed - made a cup of tea at one point!
It was the same format, just as expected - that's what Channel 4 paid for, after all.
I wasn't a great Mel and Sue fan (the constant innuendos grated) but I like Sandi and think she fits in well. I knew nothing about Noel Fielding but he came over as sweet, and I think the two of them go well together. Love the way they do the bake countdown together.
I like Prue Leith (I've had her 'Bible' for so long it's just about dropping to bits) and prefer her to Mary Berry. Paul Hollywood seems easier to please at the moment - we'll have to wait and see how long that lasts.
I thought the standard was high this year, the challenges interesting.
All in all, I don't think the move to a different channel has harmed the GBBO at all - I actually think the changeover has gone smoothly and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
It was a shame the 'greenhouse' cake wasn't finished, though, it looked to be a spectacular design. I think I'd have had to dislocate my jaw to eat the winning 'sandwich'. Just a shame we don't have the ability to taste what's been made!

Love Kim Joy and Rahul. My daughter really enjoyed vegan week. She said she felt smug that she's not the only one to have problems with cakes!