GBBOis known for its drama but its usually a pineapple upside-down cake or baked Alaska’s stealing the headlines. This time, the Great British Bake Off has come under fire for ‘generalising all Asian food’.
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Viewers of the show were hit with the controversial moment during ‘Japanese Week’ when contestants were tasked with making Japanese steamed buns. However, many contestants opted for Chinese, Indian and even American ingredients.
Fans of the show rushed to Twitter to complain about the mix-up, many accusing GBBO of ‘generalising all Asian food’ and labelling the move as ‘borderline racist’. One person commented:
Why is everyone cooking Chinese on Japanese week? This is so rude/racist. #gbbo.
The Great British Bake Off contestants using Chinese ingredients for "Japanese Week."🙄
— Mike Broderick VO ♿ (@MikeBroderickVO) October 27, 2020
Another viewer, also appalled at the results of the Japanese week stated:
I had hopes for Japanese week but generalising all Asian food with Japan feeds the racist narrative that all Asians are the same, which is not cool in any time but especially now as East Asians are being racially abused due to Coronavirus. #GBBO.
A third person chimed in echoing the same concerns as many other viewers:
This is an absolute trainwreck of an episode. It's borderline racist #GBBO
Why can no one on #GBBO follow the brief?! Half of them aren’t using Japanese flavours at all.
— B i t e Y o u r B r u m (@BiteYourBrum) October 27, 2020
Next week: “Hey it’s pancake week, so I’ve made a doll house out of some Lego, crab meat and TipEx.”
TheGreat British Bake Off’slatest season has not been shy of the controversial spotlight as the Ofcom has received a slew of complaints about new host Matt Lucas’ smutty jokes as well as his Boris Johnson impression...Although why anyone would complain about that we have no idea, his impression was spot on.
Judge Paul Hollywood also made headlines this season for ignorance after claiming that GBBO’s rainbow bagels were in dedication to the NHS. While it was still a nice gesture and the NHS deserves every credit it can, Hollywood failed to recognise the LGBT+ origins of the symbol, isolating and infuriating many viewers.
