As well as some old faces back in the tent, there was one other familiar element in the festive special of ‘Great British Bake Off’ that wasn’t quite as welcomed by viewers - a baked Alaska.
The ice cream-based desert is remembered by ‘Bake Off’ fans for all the wrong reasons, following 2014′s infamous #BinGate, which saw contestant Ian Watters throw his creation in the bin after a fellow baker took it out of the freezer too early.
With that moment still firmly in viewers’ minds, there was anxiety and trepidation as four bakers from ‘GBBO’ past returned for the special New Year’s Day episode and were set the challenge by judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
Many took to social media during the show, with some complaining it was “too soon” for the challenge to be repeated.
Others called for Iain’s return to be given a second chance at the task:
And it seemed even Iain himself was wondering where his invitation to appear on the show was:
The episode saw series seven’s Rav Bansal crowned Star Baker, after he went up against fellow bakers Benjamina Ebuehi (series seven), Rob Billington (series two) and Sandy Docherty (series six) in the tent.
His win followed that of Paul Jagger who won the first festive special on Christmas Day, after impressing with his decorative penguins.
‘Great British Bake Off’ returns to Channel 4 later this year.
