In the first seven seasons, when contestants started to melt down, hosts
Mel and Sue would come over and console them, shielding them from the cameras and using profanity to ensure the BBC wouldn’t be able to air the footage. They were very protective of the contestants and did their best to make sure they weren’t exploited to gin up emotional beats for the show. This season has featured several teary moments, but unlike in previous seasons, the camera has stayed right in the bakers’ faces, with one of the hosts eventually stepping in to buck up the struggling baker. Noel and Sandi seem to have strong relationships with the bakers and come across well, but swooping in to reassure a contestant is one thing. Making sure their breakdowns can’t be aired is something else entirely. By highlighting these emotionally fraught moments, rather than granting the bakers privacy until they regain their composure,
Baking Show has sacrificed its defining element, its kindness. One instance of this would be concerning. Two would be disappointing. In season 10, it’s happened over and over, and Steph’s tears through the technical are just the latest example.
Baking Show used to be better than this. In season 10, it’s just another reality show happy to exploit its contestants’ vulnerabilities.