The Great British Bake Off has returned, with Nigella Lawson joining Paul Hollywood as the show's new judge and a fresh batch of bakers entering the famous tent.
Ahead of biscuit week, former contestant Howard Middleton has lifted the lid on what life inside the tent is really like – revealing the secret tactic Mel and Sue used to protect struggling bakers from the cameras.
Speaking to Smooth Spins Casino – Smooth Radio's gaming brand – Howard also shares his thoughts on new judge Nigella, what she could bring to the show compared to previous judges, and his thoughts on this year's line-up.
Nigella's judging style
Asked what Nigella Lawson can bring to Bake Off that previous judges haven't, Howard said: "Oh, interesting. I think she's already very knowledgeable about her style of baking. With Nigella, flavour is really, really important. She's also got a slightly more laid-back approach to technique. I think a lot of her recipes are about doing things that are low in terms of effort, but the impact and flavour of them are high. I think she'll be looking for slightly different things to what Mary and Prue were looking for. She's also known for her sense of humour, so I'm looking for a little bit more quirkiness and warmth from her too."
Mel and Sue's secret tactic
Howard, who was on the show when Mel and Sue were hosts, described them as "so funny" and "lovely". He recalled an occasion when Mel asked if he wanted a cup of tea, and although she didn't make it herself, she asked a runner to get one for him. "It was just that consideration and warmth, which was very genuine," he said.
Asked about other secret things contestants used to do, Howard said: "I think it was certainly something that Mel and Sue would do. If they thought that one of the bakers was getting in a bit of a pickle or frustrated by something, they would swear so that footage couldn't be used. I had the full uncensored version of Bake Off that included all kinds of dirty jokes, swearing and things like that."
Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry
Howard explained that the judges have a job to do and that contestants don't realise how little time they're actually in the tent. "They will come and walk around to ask you what you're actually baking, and then they'll revisit for the judging. They might pop up for a few shots in between, but most of the time they are out of the tent, relaxing, watching box sets or whatever," he said.
The part where they come round to your station is known as the royal tour, with an announcement made before it begins. Howard said Paul and Mary appeared to get on off-camera, with a relationship that developed over the seasons. "There was more humour and definitely more respect for each other's different views. So, I think they have become very close as far as I could see," he added.
Current hosts and this year's line-up
On current hosts Alison and Noel, Howard said: "I think they're lovely. Noel has really kind of become the stalwart of it, hasn't he? You always expect that really surreal sense of humour. And then Alison is just so bubbly and friendly and prepared to do stuff that is likely to end up with her on her back or whatever. I think the dynamic between them is really special."
Of this year's line-up, he said: "Yeah, they look like a very confident bunch - they look very exuberant. They're quite a young bunch, which is nice to have a mix from other seasons. It will be interesting to see how that contrasts, and how the promotional photos actually contrast with what they're like when they're in the Bake Off tent."
Reflecting on how the show has changed, Howard noted that during the Mary Berry period there was a lot of focus on bakers making everything from scratch. He recalled that Mary was not happy when he used marmalade he hadn't made himself. "I think they've relaxed it a little bit now," he said. "During Prue's time, you could take some fondant in and still do something wonderful. You don't have to make your icing completely from scratch. I'm hopeful that we'll see a bit more of that with Nigella as well, just accepting that there are different ways of showing your skill and making everything from scratch is not necessarily a test of that."
