Dorret’s tears 2015
The heartstrings of legions of viewers were wrenched when Dorret Conway was reduced to tears after her Black Forest gateau collapsed messily as she tried to remove it from a plastic harness. The molten mess, covered in cream and cherries, was still presented to judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. Hollywood described it as a “mudslide” and added that the taste was like “chewing on a rubber tyre”.
Bingate 2014
The hopes of Iain Watters collapsed along with his baked alaska after fellow contestant Diana Beard removed it from a freezer, cueing a social media backlash against her. The moment Watters faced Hollywood and Berry carrying the bin containing his discarded dish remains etched in the memory.
Custardgate 2013
Howard Middleton was left struggling to locate the custard he needed for a trifle, before it emerged that fellow contestant Deborah Manger had accidentally used it in her dish. A clash was averted when Manger gave her custard to Howard; she exited the competition after the judges tasted the finished products.
Biscuitgate 2013
Presenter Mel Giedroyc managed to topple a tower that had been carefully constructed with biscuits as a ‘signature bake’ by contestant Frances Quinn. Teary-eyed, Quinn picked herself up and went on to emerge as the winner of series.
Rob’s deceased sponge 2011
A nervy Rob Billington managed to drop his chocolate genoise sponge cake on the floor as he was in the final stages of preparing it. A layer was salvaged with the help of Paul Hollywood and it was presented for scrutiny.
Squirrelgate 2011
A cutaway camera shot of a rodent and its considerable genitals launched a thousand internet memes and disturbed some fans, who felt it needlessly overshadowed the pastries at a time when all attention should have been focused on the creations of winning baker Joanne Wheatley.
Saltgate 2010
John Whaite eventually went on to win the series but not before committing the major baking error of using salt rather than sugar in his rum babas. Whaite only realised his error when Hollywood spat out the offending babas and cautioned Berry against trying them.
Bloodgate 2010
Whaite was at the centre of drama again when he managed to slice his finger open in the act of making a strudel. He had to withdraw from the round, but out of fairness no contestants were sent home that week.
