A New Season of “Great British Bake Off” Is Finally Airing This Month

Naomi Tomky
Naomi Tomky
Seattle-based writer Naomi Tomky uses her unrelenting enthusiasm for eating everything to propel herself around the world as an award-winning food and travel writer.
updated Sep 15, 2020
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Contestants presenting their cakes in the Great British Bake Off
Credit: Netflix

Update: Netflix just announced that this season of The Great British Bake-Off will air in the United States on Friday, September 25. After that, the episodes will air on Fridays until the end of the season. Hurray!

The tents are set up, the COVID tests are complete, and hopefully none of the bottoms are soggy: yes, the most deliciously uplifting show on television is coming back this month, just when we most need the soothing sight of British baked goods. The show’s Instagram posted a photo announcing “Bake Off Returns” on Tuesday, September 22nd, with a photo of returning judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, as well as returning host Noel Fielding. But there is also a new face: comedian Matt Lucas, who will be replacing Sandi Toksvig this season as co-host. “Put a little love in your tart,” the post quips.

It was the season that almost didn’t happen: early on in the pandemic, the show delayed filming indefinitely while they figured out how to safely proceed. But in July they announced filming would resume with a quarantine bubble. 120 cast and crew members lived together for six weeks to safely film the series. The results of that are here now — or at least they are there now: there’s no word on when the new season will come to U.S. television or streaming services. While recent seasons have streamed on Netflix in the U.S. the same week they broadcast, this season’s arrangement has yet to be confirmed.

A teaser ran on British television’s Channel 4 last week, showing bakers of all ages trying to find flour — a joke referencing the flour shortages at points early on in the pandemic. But viewers will get to really dive into the series when it starts in a few weeks because it is slated to open with three long episodes — 75-90 minutes, reports RadioTimes. Kicking off on the first day of fall, that might just be enough puddings and pies, tarts and tortes, biscuits and baguettes to keep us all a little more sane as the days get shorter.