The Great British Bake Off: Where do the leftovers go?
We'll take it, if there's some going 🍰
When it comes to feel-good shows, we think it's safe to say that The Great British Bake Off is a top tier contender! After hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith gave us a thrilling 2023 series, we are already counting down the days for next year's show.
But as we wait, an age old question still haunts our minds... And our stomachs, for that matter - what happens to the leftover food once filming has wrapped?! Well, we've done some digging, and can now shed some light on the situation...
What happens to the leftover food on the Bake Off?
You will be happy to know that the goodies do not go to waste, as the leftover baked goods are shared between the crew and the bakers themselves. Bake Off's Chief Home Economist Faenia Moore told BBC Good Food: "It’s important for the bakers to eat what they’ve slaved over, so after each challenge I make up a 'baker’s basket' to go to their lunchroom."
Any food then left over goes to crew members, with former series four contestant Ali telling Birmingham Mail: "The cameramen literally stand there with forks in their back pockets, waiting to swoop as soon as filming stops."
It appears, however, that leftovers are but a myth in the Bake Off tent, with Ali admitting: "The cakes are meant to be taken to a lunch area where everyone can share them, but they don’t usually get that far because the crew eat them first."
How much food is left over on the Bake Off?
Well, as fans of the show will know, there are three rounds to be completed during one episode of the show - their signature bake, the technical and the showstopper. Of course, this means that there are three tasty treats produced by each contestant - with just one slice taken by the judges - so PLENTY of treats left for the bakers and crew to enjoy.
However, 2013's Ali also revealed that there are more baked goods than we may think, confessing that in order to test the ovens, the technical team bake a Victoria sponge in each one every day! That's a lot of cake...
Explaining the reasoning behind the mass cake production, he said: "They do that to make sure that all the ovens are working properly and no-one can blame a bad bake on a technical malfunction.
"And on the first day, everyone gets an hour practice run-through so they know where everything is."
So, there we have it! Although our dreams of finding a location filled with all the sweet treat leftovers we could ever imagine are shattered, we know they go to the hardworking cast and crew - well deserved, we think!
Check out the Bake Off cast for 2023 below:
Matty - WINNER
Age: 28
From: Cambridgeshire
Occupation: PE and science teacher
Dan - FINALIST
Age: 42
From: Cheshire
Occupation: Civil engineer
Josh - FINALIST
Age: 27
From: Leicestershire
Occupation: Post-doctoral research associate
Tasha - ELMINATED
Age: 27
From: Bristol
Occupation: Participation officer
Cristy - ELIMINATED
Age: 33
From: East London
Occupation: PA
Saku - ELIMINATED
Age: 50
From: Hertfordshire
Occupation: Intelligence analyst
Dana - ELIMINATED
Age: 25
From: Essex
Occupation: Database administrator
Nicky - ELIMINATED
Age: 52
From: West Midlands
Occupation: Retired cabin crew member
Rowan - ELIMINATED
Age: 21
From: West Yorkshire
Occupation: Student
Abbi - ELIMINATED
Age: 27
From: Cumbria
Occupation: Veg grower and delivery driver
Keith - ELIMINATED
Age: 60
From: Hampshire
Occupation: Chartered accountant
Amos - ELIMINATED
Age: 43
From: North London
Occupation: Deli and grocery manager
The Great British Bake Off will return to Channel 4 in 2024.
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The Great British Bake Off: 17 things you didn't know about the hit series