Great British Bake Off Returns Channel 4 With 12 Contestants, Contestant Elimination Begins

The 16th season of The Great British Bake Off debuted on Channel 4 with 12 new contestants, including two Scots, Tom and Jasmine. The first episode, themed cake week, featured challenges such as baking a patterned Swiss roll, fondant fancies in the technical challenge, and a landscape cake showstopper, which saw some dramatic mishaps including a contestant's cake collapsing and another's creation sliding off its platform. Hassan, a scientist from Yorkshire, was the first contestant eliminated, expressing disappointment but appreciating the support from fellow bakers. Viewers and fans found the initial technical challenge particularly harsh due to the twist of having to identify the correct ingredients by taste and observation. Despite the show's continued popularity, fans noticed a lack of older contestants in the new lineup, sparking some concern. Overall, the series maintains its cozy and competitive spirit with hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding guiding the bakers under the watchful eyes of judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.