The Great British Baking Show Season 5 Available on DVD

PBS’s Great British Baking Show has an almost cult-like following, but I must confess that until I received Season 5 on DVD to review, I was unfamiliar with this imported baking competition series. Now, however, I am truly a fan! As an avid home baker myself, I loved watching the contestants take on the challenges, cheering their successes and sympathizing when they fell short.

* Complimentary Product Received for Review.

The season starts with 12 amateur bakers from all walks of life, such as a medical student, a sales manager, and a midwife. None bake professionally but all love baking for friends, family, coworkers, etc. For the show, they gather in a beautifully outfitted tent in the English countryside, with a workstation for each baker. The judges are cookbook author Mary Berry and expert bread-baker Paul Hollywood, and they are joined by two hosts, Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, who provide encouragement for the contestants as well as a touch of humor.

Like other competition shows, each episode ends with a winner and a loser, with the loser being eliminated. Unlike other competition shows, there is no bickering or belittling of each other. It’s all about the food, from the ingredients through the processes to the final baked goods. Of the two judges, Mary always tries to find something positive to say, whereas Paul is more likely to level criticism. As a viewer, I found myself pulling for the bakers and wishing I could taste their goodies right along with the judges.

Each episode is just under an hour long and centers on one category such as cakes, biscuits, pies, or bread. Within each episode, there are three challenges:

• The Signature Challenge, where the bakers make their own best recipes for a designated baked item
• The Technical Challenge, a blind-judged contest in which the bakers must interpret the same assigned recipe
• The Showstopper Challenge, where the bakers use their own recipes to demonstrate their skills in baking something beautiful that also tastes great

I won’t give away any spoilers about who is ultimately named Britain’s Best Amateur Baker for Season 5, but I will tell you that whether or not you’re already a fan of The Great British Baking Show, you will enjoy watching these skillful bakers trying their best to make the cut.

You can find Information about the show, contestants, judges, and hosts at the PBS website. While you’re there, browse through the extensive recipe collection that includes gems such as Mary’s Christmas Cake, Baklava Bites, and Mincemeat Streusel. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for the three-DVD set of Season 5 of The Great British Baking Show, available on September 11th ($19.99 SRP).

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Disclaimer: A. Bailey received complimentary products for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we will receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thanks!