Viewers tuning into last night's Great British Bake Off took to social media in anger after Paul Hollywood suggested rainbow bagels represent the NHS.
Tuesday night's episode marked the arrival of Bread Week, where bakers were given the task of creating soda bread for their signature bake.
In the technical round, they were challenged to bake six rainbow bagels.
During the segment of the show, judges Paul Hollywood and Pru Leith discussed the technicalities behind baking the bagels, which called for contestants to not only bake the bagels, but to boil them as well.
Click the video above to watch the segment in full
"I think bagels are a great challenge when making bread." Paul told Pru. "You've got to boil them, which is unusual and bake them as well."
He added: "I think the rainbow colours for me, although it originated over in the States, I think it represents the NHS."
"Well it does now!" Pru laughed.
However, many fans were left furious by Paul's suggestion at the colours representing the NHS as opposed to the LGBTQ+ flag and took to Twitter to correct him.
One tweeted: "NHS = rainbows. I don’t think. #GBBO."
While another joked: "'It represents the NHS' shut up Paul, they’re gay bagels #gbbo."
A third wrote: "Just got to that point in #GBBO when Paul said rainbows reminded him of the NHS and I..."
"You just know they called it “NHS bread” to get the gays talking. Damn, we’re so predictable #GBBO," another quipped.
Someone else wrote: "As if Paul Hollywood just said the rainbow bagels represent the NHS. I can't deal with this gay erasure #GBBO."
Another quipped: "why did it make me mad that paul said the rainbow bagels were for the nhs and not pride lmao #GBBO."
"Watching bake off and they are making rainbow bagels. Paul mentioned it being attributed to the NHS and while I’m glad they are showing support can we let the rainbow-NHS thing go a bit. It’s a gay bagel, end of. #gbbo" Another put.
