Showing posts with label Mel and Sue. Show all posts

Wednesday, 19 October 2016

Andrew Smyth joins Candice Brown and Jane Beedle in next week's Bake Off final

Tensions rise in the Bake Off tent despite Paul and Sue rubbishing 'feud claims', lady in red Candice grabs attention yet again and three bakers win a place in the hotly-contested final

Patisserie-themed semi-final saw tensions rise among remaining bakers
Sue appeared to have a dig at Paul but then dismissed reports of rivalry
Andrew Smyth’s orchestra-inspired fondant fancies took him to top spot
He joins Candice Brown and Jane Beedle in next week's Bake Off final
Selasi is out after serving 'raw palmiers and 'basic' fondant fancies

By LAURA LAMBERT TV AND RADIO REPORTER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 21:07, 19 October 2016 | UPDATED: 23:24, 19 October 2016

The finalists for the last BBC series of The Great British Bake Off were revealed tonight, as Sue Perkins rubbished claims of a ‘feud’ between her and Paul Hollywood.

The patisserie-themed semi-final saw tensions rising in the tent, as Mary Berry said she was expecting ‘sheer perfection’ from the four remaining amateurs.

And Miss Perkins appeared to make a jibe at Hollywood when telling him ‘I think you have an appointment at Banalities R Us’ in response to his commentary.

The tension showed as Selasi, Candice, Andrew and Jane waited to hear who made the final

Candice Brown once again stole the attention of viewers, as she opted for a bright red dress

At one point Candice had her trademark lipstick reapplied by Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc

But following reports of a rivalry having formed between the pair, Miss Perkins today said the rumours were ‘ludicrous’ and proceeded to send a number of amicable messages to Hollywood.

In one message to explain why she had not filmed a video for Stand Up To Cancer, after Hollywood had nominated her online to do so, she called him ‘mate’ and said that she had lost someone close to her to cancer recently.

In another she said she wanted to see him ‘soon’, and he replied referring to her as ‘Sis’.

Candice Brown once again stole the attention of viewers, as she opted for a bright red dress for the occasion and at one point had her trademark lipstick reapplied by Mel Giedroyc.

But the glamorous PE teacher was unable to secure a fourth star baker crown, as Andrew Smyth’s orchestra-inspired fondant fancies took him to top spot.

Meanwhile, Selasi Gbormittah failed to reach next week’s final when he served ‘very raw’ palmiers, came last in the technical challenge and produced fondant fancies that were deemed a ‘little basic’.

The tension got to Selasi who had a terrible evening in the Bake Off tent didn't make the final

Mary Berry had warned she was expecting ‘sheer perfection’ from the four remaining amateurs

Under-pressure Selasi served ‘very raw’ palmiers and came last in the technical challenge too

His departure prompted devastation among his fans, not least because he had indicated at the beginning of the episode that he would have worn a dress if he had reached the final.

He said: ‘It’s been absolutely amazing, splendid, I loved it all. I was almost at the last hurdle, and then I dropped the ball. I can’t blame anyone else but myself.’

And he quashed the frenzied speculation about a blossoming romance between him and Benjamina Ebuehi, who left after the quarter-finals, splitting the duo which viewers had dubbed ‘Benjalasi’.

Candice did better in the technical challenge but failed to secure the star baker crown

Andrew, pictured during the technical challenge, nabbed the top spot in the semi final

Sadly Selasi departed the show after coming last in the technical challenge, devastating fans

Candice faced the judges in her eyecatching dress during the palmier challenge

Selasi added: ‘Benjalasi was hilarious particularly as we have such a good sister/brother relationship.

‘We had such a great bonding in the tent, and she laughed at my jokes.’

Miss Berry, 81, said: ‘No one is more sad than me to say goodbye to Selasi, what a great character and what a baker.’

BBC producers will be hoping that next Wednesday’s final will draw an even greater audience than last year’s final, as fans show their support for the show before it moves to Channel 4.

Around 15million viewers tuned in to watch Nadiya Hussain crowned as champion, making it the most-watched programme of 2015.

The three finalists will be Candice Brown, a 31-year-old PE teacher from Bedford; Andrew Smythe, a 25-year-old aerospace engineer from Derby; and Jane Beedle, 61, from Kent, a garden designer.

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

Great British Bake Off: Mel and Sue to quit as hosts

Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc will step down as hosts of The Great British Bake Off when it moves to Channel 4.

The duo have fronted the show since it began on BBC Two in 2010, alongside judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.

They said in a statement: "We made no secret of our desire for the show to remain where it was... we're not going with the dough."

Love Productions, which makes the show, thanked them for "bringing their unique humour to the tent".

'Rise and rise'

Giedroyc and Perkins said they were "very shocked and saddened" to learn Bake Off will be leaving the BBC.

Their statement continued: "The BBC nurtured the show from its infancy and helped give it its distinctive warmth and charm, growing it from an audience of two million to nearly 15 [million] at its peak.

"We've had the most amazing time on Bake Off, and have loved seeing it rise and rise like a pair of yeasted Latvian baps.

"We're not going with the dough. We wish all the future bakers every success."

Image captionThe BBC's Bake Off team: Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood

In their statement, Love Productions said: "We would like to thank Mel and Sue for bringing their own unique humour to the tent over the past years and we respect their decision not to be part of the Bake Off team on Channel 4."

A spokesman for Channel 4 said earlier today that it "would be delighted if the presenters and judges want to come to Channel 4".

It is not yet known if judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood will stay with the show.

'Joy of Mel and Sue'

The BBC fell £10m short of the amount of money required to keep The Great British Bake Off, BBC News understands.

The corporation is thought to have offered £15m per year to keep the programme on the BBC.

That would have been double the amount the BBC currently pays for the show and its sister programmes such as An Extra Slice and the Sport Relief specials.

But it is understood Love Productions refused to entertain any offers below £25m per year.

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Media captionKate Henry and Edd Kimber give their reaction to the announcement

Channel 4 will begin airing the programme in 2017, starting with a celebrity special in aid of Stand Up To Cancer.

On the news that Giedroyc and Perkins were leaving, former contestant Kate Henry, who was on the show in 2014, told the BBC News channel: "I'm quite sad that future contestants won't get to experience the joy of Mel and Sue in the tent.

"They really make it a fun experience rather than painfully stressful."

She said it would be an "utterly different show" if Berry and Hollywood were also to leave.

Image captionJames Corden also waded in to the debate

Ian Cumming, who was a contestant last year, told the BBC: "I'm really shocked. You're losing the humour of the show (with Giedroyc and Perkins leaving). That was always its charm. I think it will gradually slip down but we'll see."

Richard Burr, a finalist on series five back in 2004, tweeted: "Without Mel and Sue it just isn't Bake Off. @Channel4 has just bought a tent."

John Waite, who won the third series of Bake Off, tweeted that he "was not feeling so hopeful" now Giedroyc and Perkins had left.

Career highlights

Mel and Sue when they presented Light Lunch — Image captionThe pair when they presented Light Lunch in the 90s

Both Giedroyc and Perkins have had plenty of work outside the Bake Off tent.

The pair started on Channel 4 in the 90s with daytime TV show Light Lunch, when their on-screen chemistry and ad-libbing became a popular staple with students and daytime TV viewers.

Giedroyc has co-presented the BBC's Eurovision semi-finals in Stockholm and Eurovison You Decide, as well as the BBC One's The Gift with Matt Baker, a show reuniting people who wanted to say thank you or sorry. She also took to the stage to play housekeeper Frau Schmidt in ITV's live Sound of Music last year.

Perkins has hosted BBC Two panel show Insert Name Here as well as shows with Giles Coren, including BBC Four's Edwardian Supersize Me and BBC Two's The Supersizers Go. She also wrote and starred in BBC Two sitcom Heading Out, set in a vet's surgery, in 2013.

Her work also includes presenting Thronecast on Sky Atlantic, the companion show to the hugely popular Game of Thrones TV series.

TV host and actor James Corden tweeted "huge respect" for the departing presenters, while Youtube vlogger Zoella said the show wouldn't be the same.

Guardian writer Charlotte Higgins tweeted: "Mel and Sue completely essential to #GBBO success."

The Sun's Dan Wootton described Giedroyc and Perkins's departure as a "huge blow".

But Telegraph columnist Neil Midgeley said the BBC should have paid out £25m to keep the show.

"The BBC didn't have to lose its biggest hit, The Great British Bake Off, to Channel 4. For BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall, who is constantly fighting off accusations of financial largesse from Tory MPs, it was a splurge too far.

"But, regardless of the politics, this is one BBC cheque that Lord Hall will come to wish he had written."

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Wednesday, 19 October 2016

Andrew Smyth joins Candice Brown and Jane Beedle in next week's Bake Off final

Tensions rise in the Bake Off tent despite Paul and Sue rubbishing 'feud claims', lady in red Candice grabs attention yet again and three bakers win a place in the hotly-contested final

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

Great British Bake Off: Mel and Sue to quit as hosts

Great British Bake Off: Mel and Sue to quit as hosts

'Rise and rise'

'Joy of Mel and Sue'

Career highlights

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