ADVERT breaks were not a hit with Great British Bake Off viewers, amid mixed reviews of the baking show’s first outing on leaving the BBC.
The hit programme returned to television in its new home on Channel 4, meaning it was the first time it had been broadcast with adverts in its seven-year-run.
There were four breaks of around 16 minutes overall during the the cookery show, which also included slots for new sponsors Dr Oetker and Lyle’s Golden Syrup.
One user tweeted “Worst thing about #GBBO now being on channel 4 is the adverts,”
One said: “I hate adverts!!! So long and ruins the flow,” while another said: “Well the adverts take a while to get used to but im loving the new #GBBO.”
Previously head of Channel 4, Jay Hunt, said of the adverts: “We need to be really careful that audiences go with the programme and they’re comfortable watching it and they’re not a distraction.”
The new presenters also divided views, with some saying they missed the previous stars Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins and judge Mary Berry.
However others said they liked new judge Prue Leith and presenters Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, who embraced the show’s tradition for innuendo
Leith took over the baton from previous judge Berry, while Toksvig and Fielding stepped into the shoes of Giedroyc and Perkins.
Paul Hollywood was the only presenter to stay with the programme after the trio decided not to follow when Love Productions controversially moved the show from the BBC.
At the time, the BBC released a statement saying it and the production company were a ‘considerable distance apart on money’.
The new presenters were introduced to the series by looking for the tent in a giant hot air balloon, with Toksvig on the phone: “Sorry Sue, did you say a white tent?”
Hollywood heralded the arrival of the new judge by saying: “This year is going to be very special.
“The bakers may think they know what I want but when it comes to Prue they have absolutely no idea.”
Meanwhile Leith, who has 50 years experience, promised to be “firm by fair.”
During the episode the amateur bakers were tasked with a signature challenge of a family-sized cake using fresh fruit before a technical challenge of 12 chocolate covered mini rolls.
The showstopper challenge to create an illusion cake was described by Hollywood as “the most complex showstopper challenge ever set in the first week of Bake Off.”
Architect Tom, 29, who lives in Edinburgh, said he hoped to be the “first Scottish bake off winner” as he tried to impress the judges.
However it was contestant Steven’s bonfire night cake and illusion cake in the shape of a BLT sandwich and loaf of bread, described by Leith as “absolutely astonishing”, which landed him the title of star baker.
Meanwhile Essex resident Peter was the first to leave after his showstopper cake in the shape of a bread and bread board proved to be too dry and too simple for the judges.
The 52-year-old also failed to impress after his coconut cake contained too much baking powder.
He said: “I’m disappointed to be the first off, but it has been a lovely experience throughout. It was quite surreal from day one, and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.
“No matter how far you go in the series, it’s still great to be part of the show. And it doesn’t end for me on week one, as all of the bakers are my friends now, and they are amazing in their own way.
“They are a wonderful bunch of guys and we keep in touch regularly. I will be watching them throughout of course.”
He added: “My daughter Temi always wanted me to apply in previous years, and this year she let me know when the applications were open and really encouraged me to apply.
“Although I am the first baker to leave the tent it doesn’t mean it’s a bad experience. To be shortlisted from such a large list of applications and to be one of the 12 bakers to enter the tent was a huge personal achievement.”
Ms Hunt, has said she would be happy if the programme draws in fewer than half of the viewers the programme had when it went out on BBC One. She said she would be “absolutely delighted” if the new series was watched by “five, six, seven million”.
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