We’ll be the ones giving Paul Hollywood a handshake this time: The Great British Baking Show has not only finished filming its upcoming 11th season amid the coronavirus pandemic, but Netflix will be premiering the new season on September 25. (We did the math … only a few more days!) Per an article in Radio Times, though, expect some noticeable differences to adapt to our new normal. The show’s signature countryside tent wasn’t used at all, with the bakers, judges, presenters (there’s a new one), and crew all forced to quarantine and remain in a “biosphere†for six weeks at a nearby hotel. And unlike the previous format of bakers sneaking away from family and friends to film Baking Show on the weekends, this season was filmed consecutively for nearly two months.
“Everything was complicated, everything was different,†an executive producer explained to Radio Times, “but everybody wanted to do it.†Ensuring the safety of ingredients was integral, too — no morsel of butter or teaspoon of flour was spared upon delivery. “They cleaned all the packages, left them under UV lights, and they were then packaged and sent by courier,†another executive producer explained. “When the packages arrived, the bakers then had to clean them again.†Ready, set, bake responsibly.