[DanaC]

Wasn't sure whether to put this in here or Entertainment... but plumped for here.

I love the Great British Bake Off. It's one of my favourite programmes. In fact, when it comes around it is one of the most watched programmes on Brit tv.

For those who haven't come across it, it's a simple enough idea. A baking contest starting out with a lot of contestants, losing one each week until the final three battle it out to become the TGBBO champion.

Each week there are three rounds: first is the 'signature dish' round: they're given a set of requirements and they bake their own inventions to those requirements. Then comes the skills round, where they are given something very specific to bake, but with minimal instructions (for instance, they may be told the quantities of ingredients and to mix them, but not told in what order to add or how to add them) which is then blind judged. Finally the 'Showstopper'. Like the first round they're given a set of requirements and they have to come up with something of their own, but in this final round the appearance is as important as the taste: it must be a showstopper!

It's a fun show, and does occasionally get quite tense, particularly as the series progresses and the tasks become more demanding.

I'm jumping in here to episode 5 of the current series, this one concentrates on biscuits and traybakes.

Give it a go...it's a bit addictive ;p