The Great British Bake Off returned for its seventh series on BBC One, attracting an average of 10.4 million viewers – a record opener for the show. The episode captured 47.5% of all television viewers, with a peak audience of 11.2 million at 20:50 BST, surpassing the most-watched moments of the Rio Olympics.
Judge Paul Hollywood described the series as going 'back to basics,' a sentiment echoed by critics. The episode featured 12 new bakers tackling drizzle cakes, Jaffa cakes, and a genoise sponge. Jane Beedle, 61, was named star baker, while Lee Banfield, 67, became the first contestant to leave after Hollywood deemed one of his cakes too dry.
Banfield joked about his experience, saying he would not repeat the Jaffa cake challenge. Beedle expressed shock at her accolade, having impressed with a lemon and poppy seed drizzle cake and a chocolate and orange cake.
Critics praised the show's return. Michael Hogan of The Telegraph noted its timing to lift the nation from a post-Olympic slump, while Jan Moir of the Daily Mail called it a 'triumphant return.' The Guardian's Tim Dowling observed that while the show remains cosy, it now feels like a 'wildly popular spectator sport.'
The previous series finale, won by Nadiya Hussain, drew 13.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched programme of 2015. Last year's opener had 9.3 million viewers. Following Bake Off, The Chronicles of Nadiya, hosted by Hussain, attracted 4.5 million viewers.
