The Great British Bake Off slammed by viewers, here's why

Judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood welcomed bakers under the tent for what they named ‘Mexican Week’ this week on the most recent episode of the 14th season of The Great British Bake Off.

Cliché

The contestants had to make pan dulce, tacos and tres leches cake – particularly the dishes that critics thought were cliché and uninspired. To top it all, the hosts made failed attempts to make Mexican jokes that were neither well-received nor funny, to say the least.

The programme, which also included Fielding and Lucas playing the maracas, drew criticism from viewers for its representation of Mexicans.

Associate Professor of Latin American History at Cambridge – Dr Gabriela Ramos – said that the recent episode just showed a ‘problem of education,’ and added:

[It indicated] a lack of interest and poor information in this country about other parts and people of the world.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph reports that Prof Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado, a professor of Mexican cultural studies at Washington University in the US said:

The fundamental issue is that the episode and its campaign follow a script on Mexican culture that us Mexicans, from either side of the US-Mexico border, see very frequently.

The use of cartoonish sarapes and sombreros as props and disguises, the misidentification of Mexican food with the stuff sold in Taco Bell, the borrowing of beloved dishes like tres leches to make versions that have little recognisability to Mexicans, this is something that we see every Cinco de Mayo and every Hispanic Heritage Month.

Where’s the baking?

Not only were the viewers irritated by the inappropriate portrayal of Mexican culture, but they also felt the focus was more on cooking than baking. Giuseppe Dell'Anno, last year’s Bake Off champion said:

It felt more like a MasterChef challenge rather than a Bake Off challenge. A lot of attention was focusing actually on the filling of the tacos.

Most of the feedback was about a filling and that felt slightly disappointing in a way. It is a baking show, after all.

Source Used

The Telegraph: Great British Bake Off's maracas and ponchos insensitive, say Mexican viewers

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