‘The Great British Baking Show’: Two Shock Eliminations After ‘Worst Technical Challenge Ever’

After the first-ever Audience Choice Week threw the bakers for a loop last week, The Great British Baking Show returned for its fourth episode with a tried-and-tested favorite, Bread Week.

Hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding announced that the 10 remaining contestants would be taking on three tricky dough-based tasks. For the Signature challenge, the bakers had to make the “ultimate” garlic bread, and for the Showstopper, they had to craft an “exquisite display of enriched bread” with a celebratory theme and large centerpiece.

But it was the Technical challenge that proved a disaster for the entire tent. The contestants had to make flatbreads with roasted grapes and blue cheese, and, let’s just say, judge Paul Hollywood was not happy with the results.

Read on to find out what happened as the show’s Collection 14, Week 4 premiered on Netflix on Friday, October 16…

While the Signature challenge went relatively well, the Technical challenge resulted in disaster. Most of the bakes were underdone, and the judges were served raw, sloppy dough. Hollywood, who has been a judge since the first season, went so far as to say, “It’s probably the worst technical I think I’ve seen in 17 years.”

Even the usually optimistic Nigella Lawson struggled to be complimentary as she battled with one contestant’s disastrous dish. “It’s just difficult. I don’t know what to do. I’m panicking!” she said.

Molly, a 31-year-old accessibility coordinator from London, had the hardest time as she had trouble getting the texture of her bread right. Despite Lawson telling Molly that she’d given them “some beautiful bakes” over the past four weeks, it wasn’t enough to save her from being the latest contestant eliminated from the competition.

However, Molly wasn’t the only baker to leave the tent. In sad news, Hollywood and Lawson revealed that 50-year-old advertising post-producer Nikki had to leave the contest for personal reasons. In an emotional Instagram post, Nikki revealed that her mother passed away earlier this year, and she departed the show to be with her in her final days.

 

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“My beautiful Mama Joycey passed away earlier this year,” Nikki wrote. “This is the reason I had to leave the Bake Off tent — to come home and be with my beautiful mum in her final days. Mama deteriorated quite quickly over a short period of time, and none of us were prepared for how quickly things would change.”

Meanwhile, hairdresser Tom was named Star Baker of the week after being one of the few contestants who didn’t completely botch his Bread Week bakes. This marked Tom’s second Star Baker of the season, making him a clear frontrunner to win the entire competition.