The first promotional footage of the all new Great British Bake Off has arrived, featuring bubbling cheese scones and singing croissants.
The short clip was launched on social media today, and features a selection of animated food items - pots of white chocolate, dancing tarts and an assortment of pastries - singing along to the cheering camaraderie of Paul McCartney’s We All Stand Together. While not a radical departure from the twee aesthetics of the original series, the advert certainly positions the new show as a quaint and surreal reboot.
Aside from the equally odd image of its new presenters - the mannequin-like shot of Paul Hollywood, Sandi Toksvig, Noel Fielding and Prue Leith holding an array of white and red cupcakes - this is the first viewers have seen of the new franchise since it was bought by Channel 4 in September 2016.
With 14 million viewers watching its final last year, the show’s controversial relocation from the BBC to Channel 4 subsequently prompted a fan and media meltdown. In the wake of the shake up, Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc have cut ties with the show, and have been confirmed as presenters of the new The Generation Game, while Mary Berry, who has also remained loyal to the channel, is to return to her role as a judge on the BBC in a new programme called Britain’s Best Cook.
Last month, Channel 4 boss Jay Hunt suggested the new series would be given a “modern” revamp.
“I have seen the first episode and the first thing you think is that this is Bake Off but with an extraordinarily high calibre of contributors but with a slight Channel 4 feel to it,” she said in the broadcaster’s annual report.
“It’s got a new tone to it; it’s got a new comic riff to it and I think that feels modern and future-facing. So it’s a show that a lot of people love but with a slight Channel 4 spin which is exactly what I hoped it would be.”
