Christopher Stevens, TV critic for the Daily Mail, said the latest episode of The Great British Bake Off pushed the series from home baking into near‑engineering, with a biscuit showstopper that he wrote “requires a degree in dunking.” The review, published on Sept. 9, 2025, argued that the programme’s opening rounds have grown increasingly elaborate and that judges’ expectations are now out of step with the show’s reputation for accessible baking.
Stevens noted that when the series returned the week before, bakers were already tasked with decorating a Swiss roll with intricate designs — a honeycomb with bees, a Ukrainian motif described as “passion petals,” and a depiction of Queen’s University Belfast — examples he used to illustrate what he called over‑engineered challenges. In the episode under review, contestants were asked to produce oblong loaves with a picture pattern running through them, which were then sliced into biscuits bearing portraits, pet faces and other detailed images.
Judges’ comments were cited throughout the review. Paul Hollywood warned bakers at the start of the showstopper round that “engineering, architectural and artistic skills are all integral to this challenge,” while fellow judge Prue Leith asked for creations that were “brave and witty.” Stevens quoted judges and contestants to illustrate the tension between technical baking and showpiece design: Paul’s repeated admonitions to “keep it simple” were contrasted with the complexity of the tasks themselves.
The review described moments of friction between judges and bakers. Stevens wrote that Paul’s criticism reduced one contestant, Aaron, almost to tears after describing the showstopper as “awful” despite praise for the baking. He also highlighted Paul’s rebukes of other contestants for excessive decoration or impractical structures — “You need a machete to cut it, it’s so thick,” and taunts such as “Were you trying to pipe the icing through a hose?” The critic described a terse exchange with contestant Pui Man, whom Paul said he “can’t identify what it is,” to which she quietly replied, “It’s a biscuit.”
Stevens contrasted those moments with the technical challenge in the same episode, noting that baker Toby swept the technical for a second consecutive week with a tray of chocolate‑coated iced caramel hobnobs, while some rivals struggled. The critic argued that contestants who produce straightforward, traditional bakes risk penalisation for lacking theatrical flair.
The review also questioned the show’s tone, suggesting some interactions — including banter between co‑presenter Alison Hammond and baker Leighton about Hammond’s past Celebrity Bake Off appearance — appeared scripted. Stevens wrote that the programme’s humour had shifted and that Paul Hollywood’s famously exacting demeanour felt harsher than in previous seasons, characterising his critiques as less the familiar “handshake” and more like a “slap in the face.”
The Great British Bake Off, which airs on Channel 4 and features judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith with presenters including Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding, has been widely celebrated for making home baking accessible to television audiences. Stevens’s review framed the most recent episodes as a departure from that tradition, saying simplicity — once one of the show’s joys — has been sidelined by increasingly ambitious artistic demands.
The review did not question the technical skill of the contestants, many of whom produced intricate and technically accomplished work. Instead, Stevens argued the central question is whether the programme’s identity has shifted: from a show that celebrates approachable baking to one that prioritises spectacle and design. The critic concluded that, at least in the episodes he reviewed, the balance appeared to favour style over substance.
Channel 4 and the show’s production team did not provide a response to the review in time for publication. The Great British Bake Off continues to air new episodes this season with weekly eliminations and a mix of signature, technical and showstopper rounds testing the contestants’ baking and presentation skills.