Well it has been nearly two weeks since The Great British Bake Off was last on our screens with the much anticipated series 6. The series certainly didn’t disappoint fans with its awe-inspiring bakes, a hint of controversy, an abundance of innuendos and a worthy winner.
What was entertaining throughout the series was the humorous tweets, memes and GIFs created by fans of the series which were all over social media platforms. During every episode many viewers were utilising Twitter, which saw #GBBO trending every week during the show’s air time. People were pitching their opinions and were curious to see others’ verdicts on the show in real time. This is happening more and more; people no longer just sit and watch a television programme, but are actively engaging with the content online and voicing their opinions through social media – very exciting!
One of the stand out bakes that captured tweeters imaginations was Paul’s showstopper lion sculpture made from varieties of bread during bread week. While other bakers created a flower pot, a bicycle and a bed, Paul created a magnificent lion (complete with black olive eyes and almond claws, of course). It has since featured in many memes, including a re-make of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Lion King movie posters as well as its face being imposed onto the MGM lion.
Another memorable moment was the discussion surrounding Mary Berry’s £495 vintage Hermès belt worn during a couple of episodes. Twitter exploded with memes commenting on her brand choice, with some even calling her a ‘gangster’. A popular tweet said that ‘she must have left her Louboutins in the other tent’ but it generally saw many people applauding the 80-year-old for choosing a brand that is associated with a younger demographic. Go Mary!
Also to emerge from the series was the lust displayed by many women for finalist Tamal. Twitter was filled with tweets such as ‘Tamal puts bae into Bake Off’ and ‘Relationship status: lusting after Tamal’ – he was undoubtedly the heart throb of the series. Since the show’s completion, he announced that he was gay; you could almost hear womens’ hearts shattering up and down the country. Though much to their frustration, he has not yet divulged his relationship status…
The series was another terrific success for the BBC, with 14 million of us tuning into the series 6 final to see Nadiya win the crown. But it could also be classed as a success for gaining such huge involvement on social media, people were very keen to talk about it and share humorous images. So keep up the mild innuendos, bakers that send hearts into a spin and some interesting attire and all will be set for next year!