Wendi Peters narrates while sugar-craft specialist Mich Turner and chef Peter Sidwell criss-cross the country tasting Chelsea buns, Bakewell tarts and lardy cake from 60 independents. Each week-day heat pits two bakeries against each other in a “Speciality Bake” and a speed “Baker’s Dozen” before the daily winner returns on Friday for a bespoke “Judge’s Choice Cake”; regional victors meet in a final week that demands wedding cakes for strangers and buns for the Chelsea Pensioners. Hambleton Bakery, a Rutland outfit that fires its loaves in wood-fuelled ovens, took the first title; siblings David and Lindsay Wright from The Cake Shop in Woodbridge lifted the second, watched by 1.2 million viewers.
The format, sold by Shine TV to broadcasters in France, Portugal, Germany, Finland and Italy, has never been recommissioned in Britain after the second run ended on 14 February 2014. Episodes still surface on ITV Food repeats and the odd Sunday-morning slot, where the lingering shots of cracked loaves and Turner’s polite grimace remain the series’ sharpest pleasure.
Production Details
ITV1 / 2 Seasons / 50 Episodes / 2012 - Present
Main Cast
