8 Best Shows Like Great British Baking Show Update 04/2024

Shows Like Great British Baking Show

These calming reality competition shows, such as glassblowing and pottery, are also well worth watching.

Only The Great British Baking Show(or Great British Bake Off, as it is known in its native Great Britain) can soothe the soul, and watching the baking competition is the perfect tonic during these stressful months. Season 11 of The Great British Baking Show is long gone, and fans are eagerly awaiting the premiere of Season 12. Now is a good time to discover new shows like The Great British Baking Show.

Twelve amateur bakers compete to be named Britain’s best baker in this series, which debuted in 2010. Participants are tested and judged on their baking skills, including cakes, breads, pastries, and desserts, over the course of ten weeks. There was a host and judge team of Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc in the beginning, along with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. New hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig joined the show along with new judge Prue Leith after a shakeup in 2017. With the exception of Matt Lucas, who takes Toksvig’s place as co-host, the cast has stayed mostly the same this season.

The wait for the next installment can be agonizing with new episodes coming out every week. Fortunately, TV Guide is here to make it a little easier. Great British Baking Show fans can pass the time between episodes by watching one of these shows.

Looking for more suggestions on what to watch after “The Big Short”? They’re in abundance here! Our picks for the best Netflix reality competition shows and the best trashy reality shows of the moment are also available.

1. Nadiya Bakes

Nadiya Bakes

When Nadiya Hussain, the winner of Season 6 of The Great British Bake Off (also known as Collection 3 on Netflix), hosts this cooking show, you better believe she bakes. Hussain is the former star of the Great British Baking Show. Nadiya’s favorite recipes will be taught, as will profiles of some of her favorite bakers in England. The show will have the same tranquility that viewers have come to expect from GBBO. Everyone who comes to watch is a winner regardless of their skill level.

2. Jeopardy!

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy! is just as relaxing as The Great British Baking Show if you’re looking for something similar. Even though there are no baking elements on the classic game show, it still has a laid-back atmosphere with trivia rounds that are both entertaining and educational. Fans of the Great British Baking Show will recognize Alex Trebek’s soothing voice as he reads the category names or corrects a contestant politely when they make a blunder. Plus, you’ll be well-prepared for the next round of virtual trivia, thanks to all the new information you’ve learned.

3. Blown Away

Blown Away

Observing amateur bakers create works of art out of cakes, pastries, and various types of bread on The Great British Baking Show is truly inspiring. The dishes the contestants prepare look impossible in your own kitchen, but they’re actually quite simple. The Netflix original seriesBlown Away is a great choice if you’re looking for something visually stimulating to watch on your next couch session. Glassblowers on this show aren’t necessarily professionals, but the stunning creations they can create with a flame torch and glass — from drinking glasses to decorative whales and beyond — will leave you speechless. They’re truly masters. Our recommendation is that you avoid attempting any of theBlown Awaycreations at home, but observing what the artists create is entertaining in and of itself. Megan Vick, author

4. The Great Pottery Throw Down

The Great Pottery Throw Down

Aside from being another British competition show with “great” in its title, The Great Pottery Throw Down has a lot in common with Netflix and PBS series. Each episode, similar to The Great British Baking Show, features contestants competing in several rounds, including a technical challenge where judges evaluate and rank the potters’ performance from worst to best blindly. Yet instead of stressing over whether or not their loaf will rise, Pottery Throw Down’s talented potters must focus on getting the right glossy finish and making sure their creations don’t crack while drying out. It’s worth a shot if you’re looking for something similar to The Great British Baking Show but with a more modern twist.

5. Holiday Baking Championship

Holiday Baking Championship

Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship features holiday-themed treats in addition to the usual baking competition fare. Fans of The Great British Baking Show, who adore pumpkin spice lattes and get giddy when stores begin selling holiday décor in October, will love this show. During the “Preliminary Heat” round, which is essentially the Signature Challenge, contestants create eye-catching small treats like cookies or mini pies to determine who will get the advantage in the finals. A final-minute twist, such as creating an additional pastry or working with a new ingredient, determines who moves on to the next episode in the “Main Heat,” which is where bakers really stand out. Even though the pace is a little slower than The Great British Baking Show’s, the series is just as enjoyable.

6. Nailed It!

Nailed It!

Nailed It! is a great choice if you’re a fan of the confection competition but also want something a little different. However, the focus of this wildly entertaining show is not so much on discovering the next great baker as it is on putting ordinary people to the test in an attempt to recreate expertly made baked goods, with hilarious — and occasionally horrifying — results. There is a celebrity guest on every episode who must put up with Nicole Byer, French pastry icon Jacques Torres, and other panelists as they attempt to eat their way through a variety of disasters that may or may not be edible. With only $10,000 on the line, the stakes are low, making each episode a lot of fun.

7. MasterChef Junior

MasterChef Junior

When things go wrong, like running out of ingredients or needing an extra hand to hold a towering cake in place, one of the best parts of The Great British Baking Show is seeing the other contestants support and help each other. MasterChef Junior, the kid-sized version of Gordon Ramsey’s juggernaut Fox reality series, embodies this communal spirit admirably. There are no unnerving breakdowns or screaming matches like those at a Thanksgiving family dinner discussing politics like in its adult counterpart. Instead, everyone cheers for each other on. And to top it all off, these kids are talented chefs!

8. Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

Great British Baking Show’s appeal stems in part from its mellow tone, which includes soft classical music, scenic shots of the countryside, and comforting discussions about cake and cookies. The lifestyle seriesTidying Up with Marie Kondo, with its adorable host who feels like Xanax in human form, is a great way to wind down between seasons of The Great British Baking Show. When Kondo is giving advice to clients on how to get their lives organized, she never raises her voice or acts hysterically; instead, she’s all cheery good vibes the whole time. And just wait until you see her putting away the laundry. It’s one of life’s most satisfying sights. This is almost as good as taking a perfectly baked sponge out of the oven and hearing it sing. Megan Vick, author