The Great British Bake Off series 14

The Great British Bake Off
Series 14
British digital release
Starring	Noel Fielding Alison Hammond Paul Hollywood Prue Leith
No. of episodes	10
Release
Original network	Channel 4
Original release	26 September (2023-09-26) – 28 November 2023 (2023-11-28)
Series chronology
← Previous Series 13 Next → Series 15

The fourteenth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 26 September 2023.^[1][2][3] In December 2022, Matt Lucas announced his departure from the show after three series as a co-presenter.^[4][5] In March 2023, Alison Hammond was announced as his replacement and joined Noel Fielding as co-host.^[6][7] Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith returned to judge the series.^[8][9] The bakers competing in the series were announced on 18 September 2023, and included the show’s first ever deaf contestant.^{[10][11][12][13]}

The series was won by Matty Edgell, with Dan Hunter and Josh Smalley finishing as the runners-up.^[14]

^[a] Tasha was ill and unable to compete during the technical and showstopper in episode 4. As a result, the judges decided that it was unfair to eliminate anyone in her absence.

Colour key:

The first episode is Cake Week.^[40][41] For the first signature challenge, the bakers were given two hours to produce a Vertical Layer Cake made of sponge and icing. For the technical challenge, set by Paul, the bakers were tasked with making "The Great British Bake Off Cake" (the one seen in the credits each week^[42][43]) in two hours, comprising two layers of moist chocolate sponge covered with chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries. A 3D cake replica of an animal of the bakers' choosing was set as the showstopper; the bakers were given four hours, the judges expecting the bake to be mostly sponge.

In Biscuit Week the signature bake was twelve Marshmallow biscuits of whatever form in 2+1⁄2 hours. In the technical challenge, set by Prue, the bakers had 1+1⁄2 hours to bake twelve custard cream biscuits. The showstopper challenge gave them four hours to bake an Illusion Biscuit display which represented the bakers favourite meal.

The bakers were tasked with making their own cottage loaf in 2+3⁄4 hours for the signature challenge. For the technical challenge, set by Paul, the task was baking 8 Devonshire Splits, i.e. buns which are split in half and are filled with jam, clotted cream and strawberries, in 2+1⁄2 hours. In the showstopper, the bakers were given four hours to make a sweet or savoury Plaited Centrepiece Loaf that featured two different types of flour.

A "luxurious" chocolate torte, to be made without wheat flour in 2+1⁄2 hours, was set as the signature challenge. The technical challenge, set by Prue, required six individual-sized white chocolate and blackcurrant cheesecakes to be baked in two hours. For the showstopper the bakers were given four hours to make an "Edible Chocolate Box Cake"—an edible chocolate box with filled molded chocolates and containing a chocolate cake inside.

^1 Tasha returned home after falling ill during the technical challenge and did not participate in the showstopper. As a result, the judges decided not to eliminate anyone, and the following episode would include a double elimination.

For the signature challenge, the bakers were required to produce twelve individual savoury picnic pies, made with hot water crust pastry, in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, asked the bakers to bake a Dauphinoise Pithivier, using flaky "rough puff" pastry and accompanied by a blue cheese sauce, in two hours and forty-five minutes. The showstopper challenge tasked the bakers with making a decorative sweet pie display with a minimum of three pies, in fours hours; the judges expected them to have a sweet pastry case.

The signature challenge asked the bakers to make twelve individual spiced buns in two hours and forty-five minutes. Prue's technical challenge tasked them with making a lemon and thyme drizzle cake, topped with crystallised lemon peel and thyme, in 1½ hours. The showstopper challenge required the bakers to make a floral dessert, in any style but with at least one significant baked element, and celebrating flowers in flavours and design, in 4+1⁄2 hours.

The signature challenge required the bakers to produce eight crème caramels in 2+3⁄4 hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, tasked them with making six individual orange and ginger treacle puddings in 1+1⁄2 hours. A meringue bombe with a dessert of the bakers' choice inside was set as the showstopper, to be made in four hours.

The signature challenge required the bakers to make twelve sausage rolls, using the pastry of their choice, in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, asked the bakers to make a chocolate caterpillar cake in 2+1⁄2 hours.^[44] The bakers had 4½ hours to make their showstopper challenge, a colourful and decorative 'Anything But Beige' Buffet display of a mixture of sweet and savory party foods, baking at least 12 of each item.

Patisserie week's signature challenge was for the bakers to make two batches of twelve decorated financiers in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Prue, was to bake a tarte aux pommes with short buttery pastry, with a smooth almond frangipane and apple puree, and topped with arranged glazed apple slices, all in 2+1⁄2 hours. The showstopper challenge gave the bakers four hours to produce a Millefoglie, an elegant highly decorated Italian celebration cake with at least four layers of buttery, flaky puff pastry, in four hours.

The final signature challenge tasked the bakers with making eight éclairs in two different flavors, in two hours and fifteen minutes. The final technical challenge, set by Paul, asked the bakers to make nine Lardy cake slices in three hours. The final showstopper challenge was for the bakers to make an elegant celebration cake with at least three tiers, inspired by their first bake, in 4+1⁄2 half hours. Based on the judges' comments during deliberations, Dan can be seen as an unofficial third place, as they said Josh and Matty were in line to win.

Two specials were commissioned for the festive season:^[45]

The Great Christmas Bake Off featured Series 8 winner Sophie Faldo, Dan Beasley-Harling from Series 9, Amelia Le Bruin from Series 10, Linda Rayfield from Series 11, George Aristidou from Series 12, and Carole Edwards from Series 13.

For the signature challenge, the bakers had to make 12 mince pies using any pastry, with a festive filling, in 2 hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, was a tear and share cinnamon snowflake bread, with an enriched dough, in 2¾ hours. The showstopper challenge, was to bake an exquisite celebration cake based on redemption, with any style and flavours, in 4 hours.

The Great New Year Bake Off featured Mark Lutton from Series 11, Jürgen Krauss and Maggie Richardson both from Series 12, and Maxy Maligisa from Series 13.

The signature challenge was for the bakers to make 12 Religieuse with a festive theme in two hours. The technical challenge, set by Paul, was for the bakers to make a Galette Des Rois with crisp, buttery pastry and an almond frangipane filling in two hours. The showstopper challenge was for the bakers to create an exquisite New Year’s Smash Cake that had a chocolate dome shell, in 4 hours.

The first episode of the 14th series has an overnight viewing figure of 4.3 million, a slight fall from the 4.4 million of 2022.^[46]