I'm a bit late coming to this show, this year's is the only one I've watched religiously and I watched last year occasionally.
What I like about this is the judging is done fairly, with just straightforward praise and constructive criticism, given in a manner the baker can take something from and learn. There's no agenda to it, unlike those ghastly judges on X Factor etc and Paul and Mary work so well together and they select the right person to go every week. it's such a lovely change..
Mel and Sue I can do without and generally FF their bits (especially the cringing 'bake' shout!).
I am finding Martha's tears a little irritating - I know she's only 17 but she applied to go on the show, so should get a grip.
I think they're the icing on the cake
For me they enhance what is already a great little programme. They make me laugh
What I like about this is the judging is done fairly, with just straightforward praise and constructive criticism, given in a manner the baker can take something from and learn. There's no agenda to it, unlike those ghastly judges on X Factor etc and Paul and Mary work so well together and they select the right person to go every week. it's such a lovely change..
Let's be thankful TGBBO doesn't have a public vote otherwise it would be a complete farce. lol
Really loving this series, Mel and Sue on great form and I really don't have a favourite at all, the remaining contestants are all a really likeable bunch!
My Kouign amann arrived this morning, along with a dozen crepes. Cheers aunty !!. God, they're good. If you haven't had a taste, try the recipe or get your favourite aunt to bring one over from Brittany
I'm a bit late coming to this show, this year's is the only one I've watched religiously and I watched last year occasionally.
What I like about this is the judging is done fairly, with just straightforward praise and constructive criticism, given in a manner the baker can take something from and learn. There's no agenda to it, unlike those ghastly judges on X Factor etc and Paul and Mary work so well together and they select the right person to go every week. it's such a lovely change..
Mel and Sue I can do without and generally FF their bits (especially the cringing 'bake' shout!).
I am finding Martha's tears a little irritating - I know she's only 17 but she applied to go on the show, so should get a grip.
Having worked a lot with teenagers, it's possible she might not be able to "get a grip". Many around that age (some a bit before, some a bit after) have a few tears about all sorts of things and get over it as quickly as it comes on. It doesn't mean a lot as it would with the older contestants - she's still got all sorts of changes happening both physically and mentally.
Even at my advanced age, I don't always keep my emotions under control - I can shed tears in both happy and sad situations, but they're not actually crying; just a release. I think that's all Martha is doing, while the older contestants (including the men) are obviously on the verge of weeping a bit sometimes, but have the maturity to keep it under control (unlike me and Martha).
I'm 47 and I have cried more times at work over 'silly things' in the past 12 months than I have in my entire life. To criticise Martha for her tears isn't fair - many of us can't control how emotional we get in certain situations, but it has nothing at all do with either weakness or sympathy-gaining. In fact (in commone with Janet above, who seems to agree with me) it's annoying to be seen as the 'weepy one' at work, and I do try so hard not to be.
But I wear my heart on my sleeve, and to be honest I'd rather be like that than someone who appears to be one thing (e.g. sympathetic, empathetic etc) but isn't at all like that underneath. Martha seems like a genuinely sympathetic and empathetic person who wears her heart on her sleeve. I don't see any 'favouritism' with the comments to her either - in teaching you don't give feedback in exactly the same terms for every student either, you vary the way you express things otherwise it gets very robotic, and generally people don't like that as they don't feel like you're being unique to them.
I also didn't see too much wrong with Ruby last year as a person (the editing is a different matter) because I'm like that too - I can't take compliments well because I just can't believe people think I can do things well, and I can get defensive because my lack of confidence can be misinterpreted as being 'bolshy' when it's just self-doubt. For example, even though I got an 89% pass rate with my GCSE English class back in August I'm as unsure and sure I'm just some kind of fraud about to be caught out this year when my colleagues point that out. I can't help it - I've always been like that with no self-confidence or self-belief.
I'd never go on the GBBO - the spotlight is not for me, I know that, and I've lost so many chances in life because I've chosen to stay in the shadows, watching others do things I know inside I could do, but haven't had the guts to speak out about. Likewise, I do bake, and it's a hobby I've turned into a kind of informal business I get paid for in between teaching. My colleagues say every time I take in bakes from home (which is almost weekly) "Have you ever thought about doing GBBO?" But I just couldn't. I couldn't bear to be torn apart by people I don't know on a forum like this, not because I can't bake, but because I'm a total mix of Ruby and Martha... and sometimes I don't think people appreciate quite how their comments come across, even to someone who isn't directly involved, but who recognises the same criticisms of someone else on the show as the same ones they've battled throughout life.
And I don't want to put myself through that on here and in other arenas thank you very much!
But I digress. I love Chetna and Martha, and don't mind Richard. I can't warm so much to Luis and Nancy, but I'd have no problem with whoever won, and seeing anyone go now is so hard!
The technical challenge seemed liked an awful lot of time and effort to me for what basically looked like a puff pastry cake with a sugar topping. I can't really see many people making that at home.
What a palaver for what looked like little more than some puff pastry stuffed into a muffin tin. :D
Noticed lots of comments this week about the sherriff's badge.
I read on twitter (either Kate's or Chetna's), that Luis bought it in the second week and each star baker has had it passed over from the previous one since then.
Re Martha I just want to make it clear I don't have a problem with her tearfulness, as I don't think she can help it (I too wear my heart on my sleeve). All I'm saying is I think Paul and Mary - but Paul in particular - seem to phrase criticism of her bakes in a more gentler way than they do with the others. At the end of the day, they don't want to have Martha in tears if something hasn't gone well.
Loving the Sheriff badge idea and must watch out for it next week!
When I first started watch the show, I couldn't see the point of Mel and Sue and they got on my nerves a bit. Now I think they are brilliant and even my husband laughs at their jokes - and that's saying something! They are part of the show now for me and I'd hate to see them go.
For me they enhance what is already a great little programme. They make me laugh
Agree 100%.
They make me laugh a lot, I enjoy them in the little educational bit in the middle and Mel collecting pies and pasties last night was just brilliant. :D
As another FM said - I could happily have eaten at least one of every single offering in the first round yesterday. They were all lovely.
They make me laugh a lot, I enjoy them in the little educational bit in the middle and Mel collecting pies and pasties last night was just brilliant. :D
As another FM said - I could happily have eaten at least one of every single offering in the first round yesterday. They were all lovely.
Would have been funnier if she had tried collecting a few of the eclairs!
[QUOTE.
Even at my advanced age, I don't always keep my emotions under control - I can shed tears in both happy and sad situations, but they're not actually crying; just a release. I think that's all Martha is doing, while the older contestants (including the men) are obviously on the verge of weeping a bit sometimes, but have the maturity to keep it under control (unlike me and Martha).[/QUOTE]
Also she was doing her AS exams at the time of filming. My daughter who was doing the same is in awe of how she managed to do that and practice and film for Bake Off as well.
Apparently, it's an M&S jacket & it's now sold out!!
I only came on here to see if anybody else had thought the same! was it M&S 1976?
LOL. Maybe it was an online 'exclusive'. I was in a large M&S store a week ago and had a good browse. I didn't see anything that bad! It did look rather 'retro'.
LOL. Maybe it was an online 'exclusive'. I was in a large M&S store a week ago and had a good browse. I didn't see anything that bad! It did look rather 'retro'.
Clearly you don't work at M&S we sell some real hideous stuff and people buy it
Kate was a little cryptic at one stage - wonder if there were tensions in the tent?
After the Iain, Diana and Kate interviews, I'm starting to wonder if the BBC tells them not to say anything that could be considered even slightly controversial!
Kate was a little cryptic at one stage - wonder if there were tensions in the tent?
Yes, I noticed too. Anyone you will miss? Laughs nervously ...errrr no, hides face , laughs again....Looked like Jo enjoyed asking the question like she has inside info
Yes, I noticed too. Anyone you will miss? Laughs nervously ...errrr no, hides face , laughs again....Looked like Jo enjoyed asking the question like she has inside info
That's what I thought but they never edited any terse moments with anyone - in fact quite the opposite - she seemed to be well liked and liked everyone! Even Norman!
After the Iain, Diana and Kate interviews, I'm starting to wonder if the BBC tells them not to say anything that could be considered even slightly controversial!
Didn't the interview with Martha that was linked to, a few days ago, say they are given a bit of a briefing on dealing with the media. Quite possibly warned that if they say anything remotely controversial then the press latch on to it and try to make it into a story by exaggerating it.
Comments
I think they're the icing on the cake
For me they enhance what is already a great little programme. They make me laugh
Let's be thankful TGBBO doesn't have a public vote otherwise it would be a complete farce. lol
http://i.imgur.com/JFis8K4.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/YYwuHBd.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dNQ8rw7.jpg
I'm 47 and I have cried more times at work over 'silly things' in the past 12 months than I have in my entire life. To criticise Martha for her tears isn't fair - many of us can't control how emotional we get in certain situations, but it has nothing at all do with either weakness or sympathy-gaining. In fact (in commone with Janet above, who seems to agree with me) it's annoying to be seen as the 'weepy one' at work, and I do try so hard not to be.
But I wear my heart on my sleeve, and to be honest I'd rather be like that than someone who appears to be one thing (e.g. sympathetic, empathetic etc) but isn't at all like that underneath. Martha seems like a genuinely sympathetic and empathetic person who wears her heart on her sleeve. I don't see any 'favouritism' with the comments to her either - in teaching you don't give feedback in exactly the same terms for every student either, you vary the way you express things otherwise it gets very robotic, and generally people don't like that as they don't feel like you're being unique to them.
I also didn't see too much wrong with Ruby last year as a person (the editing is a different matter) because I'm like that too - I can't take compliments well because I just can't believe people think I can do things well, and I can get defensive because my lack of confidence can be misinterpreted as being 'bolshy' when it's just self-doubt. For example, even though I got an 89% pass rate with my GCSE English class back in August I'm as unsure and sure I'm just some kind of fraud about to be caught out this year when my colleagues point that out. I can't help it - I've always been like that with no self-confidence or self-belief.
I'd never go on the GBBO - the spotlight is not for me, I know that, and I've lost so many chances in life because I've chosen to stay in the shadows, watching others do things I know inside I could do, but haven't had the guts to speak out about. Likewise, I do bake, and it's a hobby I've turned into a kind of informal business I get paid for in between teaching. My colleagues say every time I take in bakes from home (which is almost weekly) "Have you ever thought about doing GBBO?" But I just couldn't. I couldn't bear to be torn apart by people I don't know on a forum like this, not because I can't bake, but because I'm a total mix of Ruby and Martha... and sometimes I don't think people appreciate quite how their comments come across, even to someone who isn't directly involved, but who recognises the same criticisms of someone else on the show as the same ones they've battled throughout life.
And I don't want to put myself through that on here and in other arenas thank you very much!
But I digress. I love Chetna and Martha, and don't mind Richard. I can't warm so much to Luis and Nancy, but I'd have no problem with whoever won, and seeing anyone go now is so hard!
What a palaver for what looked like little more than some puff pastry stuffed into a muffin tin.
I read on twitter (either Kate's or Chetna's), that Luis bought it in the second week and each star baker has had it passed over from the previous one since then.
Nice idea.
Ooops!
Re Martha I just want to make it clear I don't have a problem with her tearfulness, as I don't think she can help it (I too wear my heart on my sleeve). All I'm saying is I think Paul and Mary - but Paul in particular - seem to phrase criticism of her bakes in a more gentler way than they do with the others. At the end of the day, they don't want to have Martha in tears if something hasn't gone well.
Loving the Sheriff badge idea and must watch out for it next week!
When I first started watch the show, I couldn't see the point of Mel and Sue and they got on my nerves a bit. Now I think they are brilliant and even my husband laughs at their jokes - and that's saying something!
Agree 100%.
They make me laugh a lot, I enjoy them in the little educational bit in the middle and Mel collecting pies and pasties last night was just brilliant.
As another FM said - I could happily have eaten at least one of every single offering in the first round yesterday. They were all lovely.
Apparently, it's an M&S jacket & it's now sold out!![/QUOTE]
I only came on here to see if anybody else had thought the same! was it M&S 1976?
Would have been funnier if she had tried collecting a few of the eclairs!
Even at my advanced age, I don't always keep my emotions under control - I can shed tears in both happy and sad situations, but they're not actually crying; just a release. I think that's all Martha is doing, while the older contestants (including the men) are obviously on the verge of weeping a bit sometimes, but have the maturity to keep it under control (unlike me and Martha).[/QUOTE]
Also she was doing her AS exams at the time of filming. My daughter who was doing the same is in awe of how she managed to do that and practice and film for Bake Off as well.
LOL. Maybe it was an online 'exclusive'. I was in a large M&S store a week ago and had a good browse. I didn't see anything that bad! It did look rather 'retro'.
Clearly you don't work at M&S we sell some real hideous stuff and people buy it
Did I miss it?
After the Iain, Diana and Kate interviews, I'm starting to wonder if the BBC tells them not to say anything that could be considered even slightly controversial!
Yes, I noticed too. Anyone you will miss? Laughs nervously ...errrr no, hides face , laughs again....Looked like Jo enjoyed asking the question like she has inside info
That's what I thought but they never edited any terse moments with anyone - in fact quite the opposite - she seemed to be well liked and liked everyone! Even Norman!
Didn't the interview with Martha that was linked to, a few days ago, say they are given a bit of a briefing on dealing with the media. Quite possibly warned that if they say anything remotely controversial then the press latch on to it and try to make it into a story by exaggerating it.