Welcome to Fix It, our series examining projects we love — save for one tiny change we wish we could make.
It’s becoming harder and harder to enjoy The Great British Baking Show. The imported competition series that was once defined by its sweetness is turning sour because Matt Lucas is throwing off the show's delicate balance. So, it's time to reinvent this recipe (again).
The original recipe of The Great British Baking Show, which made it a smashing global success, boasted co-hosts/comedy duo Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins (as well as soggy-bottom-determining judge Mary Berry). It was a jolt to the system when after seven seasons, comedians Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig were substituted for the dynamic duo of Mel and Sue, who worked as perfectly together as peanut butter and jelly. Yet Noel and Sandi shared their plucky predecessors' warmth and wackiness. They'd put on silly costumes for the show's cold opens. They'd jaunt about with props and make silly voices. But they always understood the real star of the show is the bakers — average Joes and Joans who are too busy being tested by the judges' challenges to focus on entertaining us lollygaggers at home. So, Mel and Sue — then Noel and Sandi — did their jobs. They played host. They cheerfully introduced the bakers to the audience in bite-sized moments of light-hearted fun. They understood their role was to be sure everyone (audience and the bakers) were having fun.
Sadly, no sooner did I acquire the taste for the Noel-Sandi recipe than it was changed again. After just three seasons, Sandi walked away from the tent too. And the show announced they were teaming Noel Fielding with another big-name British comedian, Matt Lucas (Little Britain, Bridesmaids, and Doctor Who). Perhaps he felt he'd been hired for his name and his wacky cache of kooky characters, so he ignored the directions laid out by those who came before. Because when Lucas came onto The Great British Baking Show, he seemed to think it became The Matt Lucas Show. He doesn’t behave as a host; he has behaved as a star.
He doesn’t behave as a host; he has behaved as a star.
Sure, he does all the standard GBBS host duties, chatting with contestants, joshing with the judges, and announcing the remaining time on the clock. But through costume changes and shenanigans, there’s an aftertaste of ego and smugness. His energy is wrong for the show. He's too on and too self-focused. He treats the tried-and-true beats of the episodes with a slight attitude as if he's above them even as he's performing them. When he cracks jokes at the baker's stations, it too often feels like the contestants aren't in on the joke. Or that they're not amused.
Because The Great British Baking Show is so devoid of conflict, slight friction stands out. In Dessert Week, Amanda got noticeably annoyed by Matt putting on a caterwauling cockney accent. She looked to the hovering camera crew and said, "I can't believe people get paid for doing that." (Lucas hollered back, "Amanda, neither can we!")
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The tensions grew in German Week, when Lucas kept dipping into a stereotypical "German" accent, jokingly insisting he was speaking the language. Some fans took to social media to note that these juvenile japes seemed to irk German baker Jürgen, who seems so cool under pressure that butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. More ire followed. Once Episode 8 aired in the UK, fans there complained that Lucas mocked Guiseppe, by attempting a cringe-worthy Italian accent.
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In a now-deleted tweet, Lucas responded to the German Week backlash by writing, "I am Anglo-German. I am a citizen of both countries, with passports for each, so I'll do a ropey German accent any time I like. Mind you, I’ll probably also do a French accent and an Italian one, if I fancy. Cause, acting, innit."
In a show that's been dedicated to embracing the great diversity found within the United Kingdom, their people, and culinary culture, juvenile jokes based in accents are in bad taste. Lucas doesn't seem to understand that the bakers are not there to be mocked but celebrated. When they're forced to interact with him, there are strained expressions.
Throughout the series, there have been jokes lobbed back and forth between hosts and bakers. Typically, these are of a light-hearted nature, where it's playful and seemingly mutual fun. (See Noel's every interaction with Lizzie, who matches him for quips and bold fashion sense!) However, Lucas has a slight edge to his comedy, that seems like he's trying to cut the bakers down a bit. And if they come up with a better quip — as Linda does when he clumsily attempted an erection joke — he gets flustered and dashes off!
Lucas has a slight edge to his comedy, that seems like he’s trying to cut the bakers down.
His smugness also spoils the show's cheeky signature double entendres. There have been all kinds of saucy jokes about soggy bottoms bakes, buns that didn’t get hard enough, or a bread sculpture that looked less like a snail and mushroom and more like genitalia. Yet few would feel squeamish watching this show with their grandmother, because dick jokes to nuts, the hosts and judges typically treat these double entendre's with a shy smile or a light giggle, and then move on from a bit of randy fun. Lucas, however, pushes on these bits and makes them lose their charm, like declaring Pru's shudder of delight over a dessert a "Pru-gasm." Instead of a wink and a nudge, it's as if he's putting up a smutty neon sign that blares "IT’S A SEX JOKE. GET IT?"
Despite being a competition show, The Great British Baking Show is about teamwork. Mel and Sue took decades of their comedy collaborations and channeled that into a camaraderie that became the foundation of this series. They regarded Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood with a mixture of respect and familial cheek, so that the judges never seemed too intimidating — despite their high standards and Paul's intense stare. Noel and Sandi carried on this tradition admirably, while finding their own winsome melange. This community atmosphere is carried on by the bakers, creating a reliable comfort watch for fans. When someone’s pastry tower is wobbling, other contestants will rush in to help. They'll console each other when a soufflé falls or a cookie crumbles. They cheer for each other’s victories and cry at their defeats. And we cheer and weep with them. Meanwhile, Lucas goes through the motions, yet doesn't blend in and doesn't seem to want to.
To put it plainly, Lucas is wrong for The Great British Baking Show. He might be famous. Many might find him funny, but he’s too salty for this sweet, sweet show.
The Great British Baking Show is on Netflix.
UPDATE: Feb. 10, 2023, 5:13 p.m. EST Matt Lucas announced in December via Twitter that he was leaving the show after three seasons. His replacement has not yet been announced.
