The Great British Bake Off's Biggest Controversies and Soggiest Bottoms (2024)

The Great British Bake Off is a wholesome, binge-able competition series that has captured the hearts of audiences across the world for 14 seasons. Fans of the beloved program can’t get enough of the wildly entertaining antics of its hilarious hosts like Noel Fielding and savvy judges including Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The show premiered on August 17, 2010 and has had a rotation of both judges and presenters, with celebrity chef Hollywood being a consistent presence since its premiere.

The BAFTA-winning reality series has seen many talented and acclaimed bakers come through its tent, with countless contestants going on to open their own bakeries and establish successful culinary careers. While there is no denying GBBO has charmed viewers everywhere, it has faced its fair share of issues over the years. Let’s take a look at The Great British Bake Off's biggest controversies and soggiest bottoms over its impressive run.

10 The Great Baked Alaska Debacle — Season 5, Episode 4

In season 5 of the beloved baking program, contestant Iain Watters experienced some of the worst luck possible and had his baked Alaska completely destroyed after fellow competitor Diana Beard removed his intricate dessert from the freezer, which resulted in the ice cream dish melting. Fans all across the world were outraged after Watters' dessert masterpiece was seemingly sabotaged by Beard, and the baker's frustration and fury got the best of him as he ended up throwing the creation in the garbage in the heat of the moment.

Watters was ultimately eliminated during the episode after presenting the remnants of the baked Alaska to the judges, who critiqued him for losing his cool during the challenge. While audiences were angered on behalf of Watters, former Bake Off host Sue Perkins later came to the defense of Beard and wrote in a social media post "Iain's Alaska was out of the freezer for 40 secs. That's it. No sabotage. 40 secs of normal temp would NOT be enough to reduce it to liquid."

9 Custardgate — Season 4, Episode 3

Some of the most controversial GBBO moments were committed by accident by the often nervous and tightly-wound contestants, which proved to be the case in season 4 when Deborah Manger took Howard Middleton's custard by mistake during dessert week. A completely horrified Manger swiftly confessed her oversight to host Sue Perkins, and the bakers ended up using one another's custards in the challenge with Middleton handling the goof-up like a true gentleman.

Thankfully, the snafu did not prove to be the kiss of death for the competitor, as Middleton went on to bake another day in the coveted tent while Manger was subsequently sent home. Audiences were thoroughly impressed by Middleton's grace during the situation, and they quickly took to the internet to dub the costly mistake #custardgate.

8 Prue Leith's Online Blunder

The spirited and colorfully-dressed restaurateur Prue Leith has been a celebrated staple on the hit show since replacing Mary Berry in 2017, and while the new judge was warmly welcomed by fans, that doesn't mean she didn't experience a few hiccups here and there in her first outing on the show. Prior to the airing of the finale episode of season 8, Leith ended up congratulating winner Sophie Faldo for taking home the baking crown on X (formerly known as Twitter) despite doing so 12 hours before the episode premiered.

An obviously embarrassed Leith was quick to apologize for her major online blunder. She went on to explain that she was actually out of the country and on a holiday in Bhutan at the time, and in a completely different time zone. While the accidental reveal was certainly a major oversight on Leith's part, viewers and Channel 4 couldn't get enough of the vibrant chef, and she remains a lovable presence on the program.

7 Major Production Shake-Up

After seven successful and buzzed about installments, The Great British Bake Off experienced a massive production shake-up when its production company Love Productions moved the acclaimed program from BBC One to Channel 4 following a price dispute. Judge Mary Berry and hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins remained loyal to BBC One and decided not to return to the show when it moved to Channel 4, though chef Paul Hollywood opted to remain as a judge on the series.

Hollywood was then joined by Prue Leith and new presenters Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig for the following eighth season, though there appeared to be some resentment between the famous judge and the trio who departed. He revealed to Radio Times magazine later that year that he wanted to stick around for future bakers, having stated, "I stayed with Bake Off. The girls abandoned it. But I was the one put under siege. I became the most hated man in the country!" before adding, "I didn't set out to be on the telly, I set out to be a good baker. And I didn't want this."

6 Store-Bought Fondant — Season 5, Episode 2

A massive no-no for longtime devoted viewers is cutting corners during challenges, and unfortunately for season 5 contestant Enwezor Nzegwu he was forced to learn that lesson the hard way. For biscuit week, the baker decided to get a little extra help and use a store-bought fondant for his showstopper instead of making it completely from scratch. The judges were left completely flabbergasted by Nzegwu's decision to cheat and use pre-prepared fondant, which resulted in Paul and Mary eliminating the contestant even though they were impressed by the biscuits themselves.

5 Salt & Sugar Mix-Up — Season 3, Episode 1

Things can get a little chaotic in the tent and anxiety runs rampant in the competition, and series three baker John Waite made one of the most honest mistakes possible when he accidentally used salt instead of sugar in a recipe. During the first week in which the challengers were tasked with making rum babas, Waite unintentionally added salt to his batter and the huge error was quickly realized by judge Paul Hollywood, who promptly spit out the dessert in disgust. Luckily for Waite, the misstep did not mess with his chances of winning the competition, and he wound up claiming the prize and emerging triumphant as the season's victor.

4 Ruby's Vegan Cake Debacle — Season 9, Episode 7

Series nine standout Ruby Bhogal rapidly emerged as one of the season's most charming and likable bakers, and she established herself as a major threat among her competitors. However, during Bake Off's vegan week, the contestants were tasked with creating a vegan celebratory cake during a scorching heat wave and Bhogal's two-tier chocolate, lemon, and coconut cake tragically ended up collapsing from both gravity and the heat and toppled over at her workstation. Nonetheless, she remained safe during the episode and ultimately punched her ticket to appear in the show's highly-anticipated finale.

3 The Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Incident — Season 11, Episode 1

The talented Sura Mitib dazzled both the judges and audiences with her exceptional flavor profiles and decadent creations, and she proved to be a major threat in the program's 11th season. In the first episode of the new season, bakers were told they had 90 minutes to make six miniature pineapple upside-down cakes and Mitib accidentally ended up knocking down all but two of her fellow contestant Dave's desserts during the technical challenge after trying to swat a fly. Sura ended up coming in first during the challenge and thankfully Dave was safe in the episode after the unfortunate bug debacle.

2 Paul Hollywood Accused of Favoritism — Season 4

During season 4 judge Paul Hollywood was accused of favoring 21-year-old contestant Ruby Tandoh and giving her special treatment due to her looks, with many even going so far as to suggest the two were having an affair. Hollywood could have perhaps shot down the claims in a more professional and tactful manner. But, unfortunately, he said in 2013 that the claims were "rubbish" and that he felt contestant Kimberely Wilson "far prettier. With all the love in the world, Ruby's not my type. But she's a great baker, one of the most talented bakers who has walked in that tent."

After coming out as gay in 2015, Tandoh hit back at those who accused her of flirting with the judge while in the competition, she passionately declared, "For those who thought I fancied Paul Hollywood or that I'd ever bang him to get ahead – JOKE'S ON YOU, YOU MASSIVE S****ING MISOGYNISTS."

1 Offensive "Mexican Week" Challenge — Season 13, Episode 4

In one of the show's most recent controversies, audiences were left shocked by Mexican week in which the bakers were tasked with creating pan dulce, corn tacos, and tres leches cakes, with many feeling the production and handling of the week's theme was insensitive and offensive.

Hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas dressed up in sombreros and serapes and played maracas while imitating terrible Mexican accents. Fans were also unimpressed with the foods the bakers were given to bake when there is far more intricate cuisine to choose from that are actually baked (unlike tacos). The negative response led to producers eliminating the "national week" completely.

Stream The Great British Bake Off on Netflix