The Great British Bake Off (series 2)

In the 2011 series of The Great British Bake Off, twelve amateur bakers started the competition and they were gradually eliminated during each round of the contest. Unlike series 1, the competition was held in a single location - in the ground of Valentines Mansion, a 17th-century mansion house in Redbridge.^[1][2] In addition to their on-screen presenting roles, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins also took over the narration of the show, which in series 1 had been done by Stephen Noonan. Series 2 also introduced the "star baker" award for the most impressive performer each week.

Three and a half thousand people applied for the competition, and 12 were selected. Each episode was filmed over two 14-hour days.^[3] The competition was won by Joanne Wheatley.^[4]

The Bakers

Results summary

^[1] There was no Star Baker this week, as Paul and Mary felt it wouldn't be right to single out one baker when they had all done so well.

Colour key:

     – Baker got through to the next round

     – Baker was eliminated

     – Baker was one of the judges' least favourite bakers that week, but was not eliminated.

     – Baker was the Star Baker

     – Baker was one of the judges' favourite bakers that week, but did not win star baker

     – Baker was the series runner-up

     – Baker was the series winner

Episodes

     Baker eliminated      Star Baker      Winner

Episode 1: Cakes

Episode 2: Tarts

Episode 3: Bread

Episode 4: Biscuits

Episode 5: Pies

Episode 6: Desserts

Episode 7: Patisserie

Episode 8: Final

Extras and special episodes

Both episodes 9 and 10 were Masterclasses by Paul and Mary where they demonstrated how to make the Technical Challenges that they had set throughout the series. Episode 9 showed the first four of the series; Coffee and walnut Battenberg, Tarte au Citron, Focaccia and Brandy Snaps. Episode 10 showed the last four of the series; Pork pies, Chocolate roulade, Iced fingers and Sachertorte. Episode 11 went back and revisited the bakers from Series 1 to catch up on what the contestants had been doing since they had been on the show.

Post-show career

Some of the contestants went on to a career in baking or have a change of career as a result of appearing on the show.

Joanne Wheatley has written two best selling books on baking, A Passion for Baking published on 16 May 2013,^[3] and Home Baking initially as a Sainsbury's exclusive. She writes a monthly column for Sainsbury's magazine and is a regular guest columnist for The Sun newspaper.^[5][6] She runs cookery courses from her home in Essex,^[7][8] and has appeared in various television shows such as The Alan Titchmarsh Show and What's Cooking.^[9]

Holly Bell teaches baking classes and for a time worked as an occasional radio presenter on BBC Radio Leicester.^[10] She also appeared as a guest presenter on QVC shopping channel.^[11] She wrote an eBook called Ready, Steady, Bake! which was published on 5 July 2012,^[12] and published a book Recipes from a Normal Mum on 17 July 2014.^[13]

Mary-Anne Boermans wrote a book on baking, Great British Bakes: Forgotten Treasures for Modern Bakers, which was published on 7 November 2013.^[14]

Ratings

Official episode viewing figures are from BARB.^[15]

Specials

References