The Great British Bake Off series 13

The Great British Bake Off
Series 13
British digital release
Starring	Noel Fielding Matt Lucas Paul Hollywood Prue Leith
No. of episodes	10
Release
Original network	Channel 4
Original release	13 September (2022-09-13) – 15 November 2022 (2022-11-15)
Series chronology
← Previous Series 12 Next → Series 14

The thirteenth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 13 September 2022.^[1] It is again presented by Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas and judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.^[2] The bakers competing in the series were announced on 2 September 2022.^[3][4] The series was filmed at Welford Park, an estate near Newbury, Berkshire which was previously used for the programme from 2014 to 2019.^[5]

The season was won by Syabira Yusoff, with Abdul Rehman Sharif and Nelsandro "Sandro" Farmhouse finishing as the runners-up. Yusoff is the first female winner since Sophie Faldo from Season 8.^[6][7]

This was the final series presented by Matt Lucas, who announced his departure from the programme on 6 December 2022.

^[a] Abdul and Rebs were ill and unable to compete in episode 3; at the end of the episode, the judges decided it was unfair to eliminate anyone in their absence.

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For the first signature challenge, the bakers were required to bake twelve identical mini sandwich cakes in two hours. For the technical challenge, set by Paul, the bakers were tasked with making a six-layered red velvet cake in two hours, each layer sandwiched with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with red crumbs. A 3D cake replica of a home that the bakers once lived in was set as the showstopper; the bakers were given four hours, the judges expecting the bake to be full of detail.

The signature bake was eighteen Decorative macarons with a twist – they must be made to appear like something else. Two hours was given for the challenge. For the technical challenge, set by Prue, the bakers were given one hour and forty-five minutes to bake twelve Garibaldi biscuits with feathered chocolate on top. A 3D biscuit mask to be completed in 4 hours was the showstopper challenge.

The bakers were set the task of making two sharing-size pizzas in two hours for the signature challenge. The technical challenge, set by Paul, was the baking of twelve pain aux raisins, to be completed in two hours and forty-five minutes. Finally, for their 4+1⁄2-hour showstopper, the bakers were asked to create their own interpretation of a Swedish celebration 'cake', the Smörgåstårta, topped with exquisite decorations.

^1 Both Abdul and Rebs did not compete due to falling ill. Consequently, no one was eliminated this week but the following week would be a double elimination.

For their signature challenge, the bakers were asked to make twelve individual Pan dulce ("sweet bread" pastries) in 2+1⁄2 hours. Paul's technical challenge required them to make eight Mexican hand-pressed corn tacos and their fillings, in two hours. The showstopper gave them four hours to make their own four-layer version of a Tres Leches Cake ('three-milk cake', a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk).

For the signature the bakers had two hours to make eight individual steamed puddings, with an accompaniment of their choice. Prue's technical challenge gave them two hours to bake her favorite classic lemon meringue pie. The showstopper challenge required the bakers to produce a three-element mousse-based dessert with a surprise inside, and including three other dessert elements, in four hours, thirty minutes.

In the program's first-ever Halloween Week, the signature bake was a decorated Apple Cake, to be produced in two hours. The technical challenge set by Paul gave them two hours to produce eight toasted marshmallow and chocolate campfire snack S'mores. The four-hour showstopper challenge asked them to make a Halloween piñata hanging lantern filled with sweet treats.

The signature challenge gave the bakers ninety minutes to produce eight Floating Islands. Prue set a technical challenge giving two hours, forty-five minutes to make six cones filled with pistachio and praline ice cream. The time-sensitive nature of the technical challenge required that the bakers' starting times be staggered (in order—Sandro, Janusz, Syabira, Maxy, Kevin, Abdul) and the judges taste each ice cream cone right after it was completed by the bakers. The showstopper challenge required them to bake a multi-layered gateau featuring a set custard, in four hours.

The bakers produced a dozen vol-au-vents with a sweet (not the more common savory) filling in the two-hour signature challenge, The technical challenge set by Prue required them to make eight crispy deep-fried spring rolls with a dipping sauce, in one hour, twenty minutes. For the showstopper they were asked to create a spectacular 3D pie scene inspired by favorite childhood story or nursery rhyme, consisteing of at least eight pies, all in four hours.

In the Patisserie Week signature challenge, the semi-finalist bakers were asked to make six Mini Charlottes in 2+1⁄2 hours. Prue's technical challenge required they bake four precisely assembled shortcrust pastry vertical tarts in two hours. The showstopper challenge was to make their own version of the Swedish Krokan multi-tiered almond biscuit dough creation in four hours.

The signature challenge asked the finalists to produce a perfect picnic, using seasonal British ingredients to make six mini-cakes, six individual vegetarian pies, and six finger sandwiches (first making a classic white bread loaf), in three hours. Paul set the technical challenge, allowing two hours to make a Summer pudding bombe. For the outer shell of their bombe, the bakers were given the unused white bread loaf they baked from their signature challenge. For the 4+1⁄2 hour showstopper, they needed to make a large edible sculpture on the theme of "Our Beautiful Planet" that consisted of a large cake base and demonstrating three additional baking skills.

Two specials were commissioned for the festive season:

The Great Christmas Bake Off featured Channel 4 legends Miquita Oliver, Terry Christian, Tony Robinson, Gaby Roslin and Claire Sweeney.

The signature challenge was for the bakers to bake eight individual cakes shaped like baubles, which had to include a filling or an icing, in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, asked the bakers to make a tear and share, with Camembert, in the shape of a Christmas tree, with rough-puff pastry, in one hour and forty-five minutes. The showstopper challenge tasked the bakers to make an edible wreath, made of choux pastry and/or meringue, which had to have a festive filling in three hours.

The Great New Year Bake Off featured Antony Amourdoux and Manon Lagrève (Series 9), Lottie Bedlow (Series 11) and Chigs Parmar (Series 12).

The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making a savoury Wellington in two and a half hours. The technical challenge, set by Prue, was a vegan Baked Alaska in two hours and forty-five minutes. The showstopper challenge was for the bakers to make a bûche entremet in four hours.

Fans on social media criticised the thirteenth series, including the following aspects of the final week: time limit as too short, tasks as heavily complex within time allowed, bakes as short on quality, and judges' perceived overly negative comments.^[21]

Besides what fans noted, Nicola Austin of Digital Spy further criticised the series's Technical challenges as the production's intentions for amateur bakers "to fail", highlight one-step instruction, "Make a lemon meringue pie", for week five's (Dessert) "Lemon Meringue Pie"; and lack of instructions to properly use vegetarian gelatin for the finale's "Summer Pudding Bombe". Austin further stated, "[M]uch of the judges' precise specifications, timings and presentation requirements now lean more towards professional standards," different from what Bake Off initially intended to be. She further criticised the series's "stereotypical presentation of Mexican culture" in episode five and other "faux pas on display", like Halloween-themed bakes in episode six and spring rolls as a Technical challenge.^[22]

In response to the fan backlash, especially toward the Mexican Week, the producers' decision not to produce nationality-themed challenges for the following fourteenth series was made although this was met with further backlash from TV chef Antony Worrall Thompson.^[23]

Contestant Dawn Hollyoak died on 5 July 2024, aged 61, with Hollywood and Leith leading tributes.^[24][25]