or


[12/04/14 - 11:51 AM]
PBS Heats Up Sundays With the U.K.'s Smash-Hit Competition Series "The Great British Baking Show," Sundays, Starting December 28
Renowned British bakers Mary Berry, the U.K.'s "doyenne of baking" and a leading cookbook writer, and Paul Hollywood, one of Britain's top artisan bakers, serve as the series' judges.

[via press release from ABC]

PBS Heats Up Sundays With the U.K.'s Smash-Hit Competition Series "THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW," Sundays, Starting December 28

- The 10-week series provides a delicious appetizer to fifth season of DOWNTON ABBEY on MASTERPIECE, beginning January 4 -

ARLINGTON, VA; December 4, 2014 - On the heels of a record-breaking U.K. ratings bonanza - with its recent season finale reaching half of the country's television viewership - THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW (called "The Great British Bake Off" in the U.K.) makes its U.S. premiere on Sundays from 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET, starting December 28, 2014, on PBS (check local listings). Renowned British bakers Mary Berry, the U.K.'s "doyenne of baking" and a leading cookbook writer, and Paul Hollywood, one of Britain's top artisan bakers, serve as the series' judges. Together with hosts and comic foils Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, Berry and Hollywood search for the country's best amateur bakers by testing their competitors' skills on cakes, breads, pastries and desserts of all kinds, ultimately crowning a winner after 10 weeks of competition. The series is produced by Love Productions, a U.K. and U.S. based production company that has made several award-wining series in both the United Kingdom and the U.S. The U.K. version of "Bake Off" has become the highest-rated food show ever made in Britain.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW features 12 passionate amateur bakers whose goal is to be the U.K.'s best. The series follows the trials and tribulations of the competitors - young and old, from diverse backgrounds across Britain - as they work to prove their baking prowess. Each week, the bakers tackle a different skill, the difficulty of which increases as the competition unfolds. PBS will present the BBC's recent fifth season of the series, which received both critical and audience acclaim for its quick pace, lively comedic tone and competitor diversity.

In each episode, the challenges come in three categories: the Signature Bake that tests the bakers' personality, creative flair and baking ability; the Technical Bake, when bakers are given one basic recipe, with the same ingredients and instructions, but no other guidance; and the Showstopper Bake, in which the competitors showcase their depth of skill and talent. In this category, judges seek the most impressive and elaborate creations - which must taste first-class, too.

Co-hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc are a successful British comedy writing duo whose antics add lighthearted flare and a dash of naughtiness to the kitchen, as they tease and encourage the bakers while serving as comedic foils to Berry and Hollywood.

"From Julia Child to Jacques Pepin to Martha Stewart, PBS has had a long history of presenting fun and educational cooking shows to the American viewer, and THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW continues that tradition," said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming at PBS. "This series encourages contestants to succeed, emphasizing warmth and humor over humiliation and intimidation. We're proud to share this delicious and hilarious series with our audience."

"We are delighted that PBS has decided to broadcast THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW after its stellar success in the U.K., where it's known as 'The Great British Bake Off.' We have watched the series grow into a great show full of surprising bits of cooking information that, once learned, are never forgotten. It also has an essential generosity and good-heartedness that makes it exceptional among competitive formats. You feel that everyone involved wants the best outcome; even though they know they have to be steely in their final judgements. We're very pleased it is coming to America," said Richard Mckerrow and Anna Beattie of Love Productions.

The series was created by Anna Beattie and Richard McKerrow. Executive producer is Anna Beattie. Editor is Simon Evans. Director is Andy Devonshire. Series producer is Samantha Beddoes. The series is produced by Love Productions for BBC.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW will be available to stream through PBS stations' video sites each morning after broadcast, including video.pbs.org, PBS station-branded digital platforms, such as ROKU, Apple TV and Xbox, and on PBS iPad and iPhone apps. Throughout the season, fans can visit PBS Food (pbs.org/food) to learn more about the contestants and get exclusive recipes, photos and video clips from the program. The program will also be available for digital download.

About the Judges

With nearly 60 years of cooking experience, Mary Berry is truly Britain's "doyenne of baking." Having learned the art from her mother, the adult Berry quickly established herself as a leading food writer and broadcaster. Over the years, she has published 70 cookbooks that are enjoyed by millions around the world. In 2012, Berry's contribution to the culinary arts was recognized by the queen - she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honors. Paul Hollywood is one of the U.K.'s leading artisan bakers. The son of a baker, Hollywood trained as a sculptor until his father persuaded him to change careers. By combining his artistic and culinary passions, Hollywood has established himself as an innovator. During his time as head baker, he worked in some of the world's most exclusive hotels, including the Dorchester in London. He cemented his reputation as a leading authority by publishing the best-selling 100 Great Breads, which to date has been translated into seven languages.

About the U.K.'s "The Great British Bake Off"

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF has won two BAFTA Awards in the five seasons that have transmitted in the U.K. In 2014, it moved from BBC Two to BBC One. The ratings have grown over five seasons, and most recently the finale beat the World Cup finale and was BBC One's highest-rated show of the year with an almost 50 percent audience share. THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF has spawned several spin offs: Celebrity Bake Off, Junior Bake Off, which just secured a BAFTA Award for children's entertainment, and many Bake Off master classes. There is also The Great British Sewing Bee and Britain's Best Potter. The Bake Off format has sold in over 15 territories and is one of the most successfully returning series in France and Scandinavia.

About Love Productions

Love Productions is an award-winning production company based in London, Bristol, New York and Los Angeles. It has produced Baby Borrowers for the BBC in the U.K. and for NBC in the U.S. It has produced the award-winning series Famous Rich and Homeless and Make Bradford British. More recently it has produced the highest-rated Channel 4 series Benefits Street, and a version is being made in the U.S. More recently Love sold a 70 percent stake to Sky.

About PBS

PBS, with its over 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 109 million people through television and over 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices.





  [december 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, THE (UNITED KINGDOM) (NETFLIX)





[11/26/24 - 12:03 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of Nov. 18: "The Merry Gentlemen" and "A Man on the Inside" Take the Top Spots
Season 2 of the animated series "Arcane" laid siege to #2 (6.4M views), while Season 1 took #5 with 2.2M views.

[11/26/24 - 11:44 AM]
TNT Sports to Debut "Evolve and Flex" with Lance Fresh Friday, Dec. 6, on truTV and Max
The show is hosted by sports-lifestyle expert Lance Fresh and features candid conversations with guests to discuss how life's events have contributed to their sense of style.

[11/26/24 - 11:19 AM]
MGM+ Announces 2025 Premiere Date for "NFL Icons" Season Four
In the upcoming fourth season, the docuseries will feature Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana, DeMarcus Ware, Kurt Warner and Gale Sayers.

[11/26/24 - 10:24 AM]
Video: "Rogue Heroes" (MGM+ 2025 Series) Season 2 Tease
"Rogue Heroes" is a dramatized account of how the world's greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two.

[11/26/24 - 10:09 AM]
Video: Acorn TV Releases Official Trailer for Second Season of Hit Australian Drama, "Darby and Joan"
The new season debuts with a two-episode premiere, exclusively on Acorn TV, on December 30, followed by weekly episodes through January 27.

[11/26/24 - 10:01 AM]
ABC News Studios Announces Fourth Season of Hit True-Crime Series "Wild Crime," Streaming Dec. 5 Only on Hulu
"Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls" delves into the haunting 2012 disappearance of Samantha Koenig, an 18-year-old Anchorage barista last seen leaving her place of work with an unknown man on a dark winter night.

[11/26/24 - 08:32 AM]
Bravo Greenlights "Vanderpump Rules" Season 12 with a New Group of SUR-vers
In addition, "Vanderpump Rules" will celebrate the past decade of heartbreaks, friendship rifts and scandals with a retrospective special highlighting the past 11 seasons.

[11/26/24 - 08:30 AM]
Video: Paramount+ and Nickelodeon Reveal Teaser, First-Look Images and Premiere Date for "Henry Danger The Movie"
"Henry Danger The Movie" will be available to stream in the U.S. on Paramount+ Friday, January 17, and premiere on Nickelodeon that same day at 7 p.m. (ET/PT).

[11/26/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Makayla is a teenage girl who has spent her life grappling with a rare form of autism that rendered her essentially nonverbal until her parents, filled with unwavering belief in their daughter's potential, embarked on a transformative journey to discover the true depth of Makayla's inner world.

[11/26/24 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Announces Ian Bonhote & Peter Ettedgui's Award-Winning "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story," Debuting December 7 on HBO and Max
The critically acclaimed film had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and recently won six Critics Choice Documentary Awards.

[11/26/24 - 08:00 AM]
HGTV Greenlights Gutsy Las Vegas Renovation Series "Sin City Rehab" (wt) Starring Indomitable Designer Alison Victoria
The eight-episode series will document Alison, best known for her Emmy-nominated series "Windy City Rehab," taking the biggest gamble of her career as she expands her successful design business out West.

[11/26/24 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Manny" Season 2 - Release Date Announcement - Netflix
A busy executive hires a cowboy to care for her kids in a moment of panic. Little does she know he'll challenge her views of gender roles - and of love.

[11/26/24 - 06:58 AM]
"The Talk" Series Finale to Air Live on Friday, December 20
Over the show's 15 season run, "The Talk" will have aired 2,993 episodes, garnered over 70 awards/nominations, promoted over 10,800 guests, gifted over $103 million in giveaways, and welcomed over 250,000 audience members.

[11/26/24 - 06:01 AM]
"Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" Will Debut Early - Watch the Two-Episode Premiere Streaming December 2 Only on Disney+!
Look for new weekly episodes every Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. PT on December 10.

[11/26/24 - 06:01 AM]
Paramount+ Sets December 9 Premiere for Docuseries on American Soccer Star Christian Pulisic
The first episode will premiere in December, while episodes two and three will premiere in January.