New Season of The Great British Baking Show Starts July 1

A dozen charming amateur bakers offer trays of edible treats and a tent full of doughy drama this summer when PBS brings back the U.K.’s unstoppable competition series, THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, for a brand new season, airing Fridays, starting July 1 at 8:00 p.m. CT on OETA. [View Clip]

Returning judges Mary Berry, a best-selling cookbook author and the U.K.’s “doyenne of baking,” and Paul Hollywood, an artisan bread-making expert whose personal appearances rival those of rock stars, join hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc in search of the best all-around baker among the contestants.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, produced by Love Productions, follows bakers from diverse backgrounds who tackle culinary trials that increase in difficulty as the competition unfolds. In each episode, challenges come in three categories: a Signature Bake, to test the contestants’ creative flair and baking ability; a Technical Bake, in which challengers receive basic recipes with ingredient lists and minimal instruction; and the Showstopper Bake, designed to display depth of skill and talent.

This summer PBS will present the BBC’s most recent season of the series, which received huge ratings and critical acclaim in the U.K. for its quick pace, lively comedic tone and competitor diversity. The series’ most recent finale was the most-watched British television show of 2015.  PBS will also air additional seasons of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW over the next two years, with exact scheduling to be announced at a later date.

“In response to the enthusiastic fan support for this sweet and savory series, we are thrilled to confirm that PBS will be bringing the latest BBC season of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW to our viewers on Fridays this summer,” said Beth Hoppe, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. “And we are happy to be airing additional seasons of the hit series over the next couple of years for fans who just can’t get enough.”

Richard McKerrow, Chief Executive of Love Productions added: “We’re delighted that THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW is returning on PBS this year. It’s a show which has brought inspiration, laughter, and tears in equal measure, to millions of viewers across the UK”.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW (known as “The Great British Bake-Off” in the U.K.) is produced by the award-winning Love Productions, and was created by Anna Beattie and Richard McKerrow. Executive producer is Anna Beattie, the director is Andy Devonshire and the series producer is Paolo Proto.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW will be available to stream each morning after broadcast at pbs.org/video. It will also be available on PBS station-branded digital platforms, such as ROKU, Apple TV and Google Chromecast, and on PBS iPad and iPhone apps. Throughout the season, fans can visit PBS Food to learn more about the contestants and get exclusive recipes, photos and video clips from the program. Join the conversation on social media with #PBSBakingShow.