The Great British Baking Show delivered wholesome baking goodies, but contestants and viewers want better diversity and representation in the series. This comes after many have slammed it for its “Mexico Week,” which consisted of racial stereotypes when it came to the portrayal of Mexican culture and cuisine.
Insider has spoken to multiple contestants of The Great British Baking Show, who have spoken about the problems surrounding the show’s lacking diversity. Much of the issues stem from the hosts and judges. For one, baker Rav Bansal from season 7 said the series needs new judges to reflect the diverse bakers who come to compete.
Contestants of The Great British Baking Show talk about diversity problems
Different cultures will have different flavor palettes and cooking techniques to create the dish. For Bansal, contestants who lean into this on The Great British Baking Show run into problems and “often get lost in translation.” Bansal used Paul Hollywood as an example when he didn’t know what a yuzu, an East Asian fruit, was, which the baker used for a cake recipe.
Some contestants of The Great British Baking Show had issues with the production team. Season 4 baker Ali Imdad called out the “Japanese Week” from season 11. While it was centered on Japan, many elements from other Asian countries like China and Korea were brought on, despite the week supposedly focused on Japan. While the Imdad acknowledged that “not everyone is going to know other people’s culture,” he did react when Panda Buns were being made, and the baker thought, “That has nothing to do with Japan.” He called it “sloppy” that the production team let it “slide,” despite them checking people’s recipes for approval and not fixing any issues that involved countries outside of Japan for the special themed week.
Representatives of The Great British Baking Show did not respond to these criticisms.
