The Great British Bake Off will see a range of past contestants make a comeback to the tent for two spectacular festive episodes of the hit baking contest, just a month after The Great British Bake Off 2023 final aired.
As the bakers rustle up some seasonal culinary treats in The Great Christmas Bake Off and The Great New Year Bake Off, Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith will judge their efforts. But who has learned their lessons from their previous stints on the show and will emerge victorious?
Here’s everything you need to know about The Great British Bake Off festive specials — a Christmas TV highlight!
The Great British Bake Off festive specials release date
The Great Christmas Bake Off will air on Christmas Eve on Channel 4 at 8.15 pm and The Great New Year Bake Off will air on New Year’s Day on Channel 4 at 7.40 pm.
The episodes will also be available on the Channel 4 streaming site and will air at a later date in the US on Netflix as The Great British Baking Show.
See our Christmas TV guide for more show to enjoy.
The Great British Bake Off festive specials — who will appear?
Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith will be on hand to judge the bakers’ offerings as usual, while hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond will oversee proceedings and offer a shoulder to cry on for the bakers!
“It’s lovely having the old bakers in the tent because they know what they’re doing. They were all pretty good!” says Paul Hollywood.
The Great Christmas Bake Off will see Sophie (the series eight winner), Dan (series 9), Amelia (series 10), Linda (series 11), George (series 12) and Carole (series 13) return to whip up Yuletide bakes.
"I was nervous at first, but soon settled down, it all felt very familiar again, at least I knew where everything was!’ laughs Carole. “I still had the heebie jeebies when we were running out of time at the end of a challenge though. My best moment was when Paul Hollywood gave me praise for my Signature bake. But my worst was when history repeated itself in the Technical…”
Meanwhile in The Great New Year Bake Off, Mark (series 11), Jürgen (series 12), Maggie (series 12) and Maxy (series 13) brandish their wooden spoons once more to celebrate Hogmanay with some tasty offerings.
“Being back in the tent with the wonderful crew and bakers, it was like coming home and it was very festive,” says Jürgen. “I am far more relaxed and confident about my baking now. But I accidentally switched off my oven!”
The Great British Bake Off festive specials — what will the contestants be baking?
In The Great Christmas Bake Off, the bakers make mince pies for the Signature Challenge, tackle a tricky Technical and bake a Redemption Cake in the Showstopper.
“The Redemption Cake is one that's been keeping them awake since they were in the tent before. We wanted to see if they could rectify the mistakes they made,” explains Paul Hollywood.
“Most redeem themselves and talk about their terrible previous experiences!” shares Dame Prue Leith. “Now, of course, they are not so nervous.”
In The Great New Year Bake Off, they make stacked choux buns for a religieuse in the Signature, before they face another fiendish Technical and then make a ‘Smash Cake’ inside a chocolate shell for the Showstopper.
“It’s difficult stacking choux buns and getting them all to look the same,” says Dame Prue. “Choux is unpredictable!”
“I’m a big fan of choux buns and they did a great job,” adds Paul. “And who doesn’t want to smash a chocolate shell to get to a cake!”
Will there be any festive entertainment?
Yes, each episode ends with a seasonal performance. In The Great Christmas Bake Off, a Citizens of the World Choir, made up of refugees, sings. Meanwhile in The Great New Year Bake Off, Jürgen plays the Bake Off theme tune with trombone quartet Bone-Afide.
“The choir was amazing,” says Noel Fielding. “They sang Carol of the Bells. It felt like Christmas even though it was boiling hot filming in summer!”
“The Christmas choir was brilliant,” agrees Alison Hammond. “We wanted them to do it again, because it was beautiful. We had fake snow too and our winter coats on – we were roasting! And Jürgen’s band was amazing at New Year!”
