Great British Sewing Bee Gives Bake Off A Run For Its Money With Innuendo-Heavy 'Flange' Chat

"This sitting room is raucous with filthy giggles. Even the cat's laughing."
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After a truly fantastic series, this year’s run of The Great British Sewing Bee reached its conclusion on Wednesday night, which we know will stick in our minds for a number of reasons.

We definitely won’t be forgetting the contestants’ final creations in a hurry, or Esme Young’s touching speech to the eventual winner.

However, it was host Joe Lycett’s deadpan chat with judge Patrick Grant about flanges that really stood out.

Yes, while it’s the Great British Bake Off that’s usually known for its unabashed use of innuendo, Sewing Bee had a Frankie Howerd moment of its very own during this year’s finale.

During the episode, the final three sewers were tasked with making an intricate bridesmaid’s dress that included a complex buttonhole feature that required… a flange.

Patrick shows off the "even flange" he's looking for from the finalists
Patrick shows off the "even flange" he's looking for from the finalists
BBC

As Patrick explained what was required of the contestants, he declared to Joe Lycett: “It’s incredibly fiddly to achieve two even flanges in the end.”

“If I’m going to have a flange, I’d like it to be even,” Joe responded.

A straight-faced Patrick then announced: “Yes, there’s nothing more satisfying than a lovely, even flange.”

Joe Lycett and Patrick Grant
Joe Lycett and Patrick Grant
BBC

Joe was clearly enjoying the subject too much to leave it there, though, as during his narration, he was heard lamenting that Raph and Serena’s “fraying silk” had “resulted in miniscule flanges”.

Suffice to say, viewers watching along on social media were in bits:

And the show’s official Twitter account even got in on the fun, too:

All seven series of the Great British Sewing Bee are available to stream now on the BBC iPlayer.

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