The Great British Bake Off - Why Does It Offend Some People?

[sp1814]

Appparently having eight out of the twelve contestants being of white Northern European extraction isn't enough. The BBC had the audacity to include two from Asian background, a biracial woman and a bloke from S.E. Asia.

One of the contestants had tattoos, which was enough for Quinten Letts to remark on (only God knows why)!

If this is evidence of the BBC 'box ticking', what is the answer? Should competitions such as these be open only to those who can prove their Britishness going back ten generations?

And does this suggest that those on the political right secretly believe that if you have brown skin, any success you may have is nothing to do with your skills or qualities, but because of preferential treatment (ie. if you're not white, you're not as good)?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-3178064/I-adore-Great-British-Bake-does-right-Asks-QUENTIN-LETTS.html

[woofgang]

The bloke is an idiot.

[lindapalmara]

With the exception of seagulls!

[-Talbot-]

Yep, the bloke is an idiot. Just like Lenny Henry is for calling for laws to have more black people on TV.

[tonyav]

Mmmmmm !
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/tv/topnews/great-british-bake-off-2015-ladbrokes-suspends-bets-amid-fears-of-leaked-winner/ar-BBlqN4Z?ocid=U206DHP

[sp1814]

-Talbot-

I hear you...but back to the question at hand, eh?

[DaisyNonna]

Why not just cancel it?

[jourdain2]

I don't watch it - apart from a couple of episodes of the first series. I think it got silly; so probably no point in debating. It'll all be to do with producers and their perceived reality. 'Bye.

[ummmm]

I thought this question was about the BBC and using GBBO as an example.

[EcclesCake]

The only answer is to have all the contestants cooking behind screens so that we cannot see their skin tone, hear their accents or see if they have any disabilities.

We could spend an hour listening to Mel and Thingy conversing with the contestants who will be having distortion applied just in case we detect a hint of 'foreign' accent.

When the cakes and bakes are finished the contestants will don a glove so that we cannot see how deep their tan is and will pass their cakes through an opening in the screen.

Paul and Mary taste, pass judgement and then declare which 'screen' has won.

Alternatively, we watch PEOPLE cooking not ethnicities...............

[rockyracoon]

Some people exist to get offended. Presumably all the contestants had to go through rounds before getting on the show, they all seem to be competant bakers. It's nice seeing different ingredients and flavourings being used in British favourites, that's what comes with the diversity.

[sp1814]

divebuddy - I guarantee to you, you would not even know she was a bodybuilder. She is simply someone who trains at the gym - she doesn't even look that muscular.

I think that's her 'story'. Reality competitions like people with quirks. For instance, last year they had a contestant who was an army major. That was a bit of a coup because of the juxtaposition between someone doing a traditionally macho job (they have a fireman this year), making cakes with spin sugar and getting into a flap as to whether his sponges will rise.

[sherrardk]

I'm quite new to GBBO but I'm amazed by how much fuss it stirs up. I'm enjoying it but it's a cooking programme at the end of the day.

[-Talbot-]

-Talbot-

I hear you...but back to the question at hand, eh?


Clearly you using 'eh' You seem to have taken umbrage...It's a perfectly valid opinion I gave. He's an idiot Lenny's an idiot.
I don't care what creed or colour people are on a cooking show, I don't care if it is an imbalance on today's society. I don't care that I've never seen an Asian on a building site, I don't care that black people are overly represented in football.(are you getting the gist?) It's called life!

rockyracoon's best answer ....is that aimed at you or the DM reporter?

[rockyracoon]

Oi! Leave my BA alone ;)

[sp1814]

I'm certainly not offended by the mix of contestants on GBBO.

If anything, the demographic that is over-represented...is men.

There are twelve contestants on the show, and half are men. That's a surprisingly high number - how many men have you met who have impressed you with their flapjacks?

[chrissa1]

I think I'm right in saying that more people watched the final of GBBO last year than watched the FA Cup Final.

[ummmm]

But look at all the professional chefs and bakers that are male.

[douglas9401]

Yer, but 75% of BAME contestants are in the front row of the group shot.

Wot's that all abaht ven?