It’s the biggest controversy that the Great British Bake Off has ever seen.
Bigger than the risqué shot of a male squirrel. Bigger even than last year’s scandal Custardgate, when Deborah accidentally stole Howard’s creme anglaise. It’s Bingate. And it’s got the nation buzzing.
Fans of the show tuned into the fourth episode, “Desserts”, expecting bad puns and baking. But what they got was the most shocking event in GBBO history when Diana appeared to sabotage fellow contestant Iain.
Judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry charged the contestants with creating a baked Alaska. This tricky confectionary consists of a cake based topped with ice-cream and covered in meringue.
With soaring summer temperatures, blazing ovens and three freezers reportedly broken, this was already a challenge like no other.
And when Irish-born construction worker Iain Watters went to take his ice-cream from the freezer, disaster struck. Women’s Institute Judge Diana Bird had removed it and left it on the counter.
Upon discovering that his dessert had turned to sludge, Iain suffered a similar meltdown. He binned the whole thing and walked out. Regretting his actions, he returned, only to present Paul and Mary with a bin instead of a baked Alaska. And after a gentle scolding from Mary, the judges eliminated Iain from the competition.
What was the response? Britain was furious.
Thousands took to Twitter to dispute Paul and Mary’s decision and condemn Diana’s actions. Iain’s ice-cream melting nemesis was soon dubbed “Dirty Diana”. A #JusticeForIain hashtag took to flight.
And even the Belfast Telegraph got in on the action, creating a petition to demand that the BBC apologise to Iain.
But was everything as underhanded as it appeared? It seems that the editing of the show could be to blame rather than Diana herself. Presenter Sue Perkins waded into the Twitter maelstrom to clarify.
According to her tweet, Iain’s Alaksa was only “out of the freezer for 40 secs“, which would not be enough to melt it. And Paul Hollywood defended his and Mary’s decision by explaining that they “need something to judge“. Both also called for peace. Sue requested viewers “save the ire for real stuff“, and Paul commented that the comments would upset Mary were she on Twitter.
But whether editing, accident or malice were to blame, it’s all too late for Diana. She was forced to leave the competition the very next episode due to ill health. Reports say that she suffered a severed olfactory nerve, robbing her of her senses of smell and taste.
Whether you believe that Diana is a wicked witch or wrongly accused, it’s clear that Bingate is the most scandal to ever hit the Bake Off tent. When it comes to baking, the British are certainly passionate.
And it all goes to show that the Great British Bake Off is certainly not a piece of cake.
But where do you stand? Do you want #JusticeForIain or do you stand with Diana? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter (@HerCampusCCCU) or in the comments!