Please Stop Trying To Make GBBO Spinoff Shows

With spinoffs of "The Great British Bake Off" (GBBO) now gracing screens in over 30 countries — including Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Denmark, and Canada — the global reach of this beloved baking competition is undeniable. This doesn't even account for the junior versions. Each adaptation seeks to capture the charm and warmth of the original British series, but they often fall short of the magic that made GBBO a cultural sensation. 

For instance, "The Great American Baking Show", currently streaming on Roku, comes closest to the original in structure, with the beloved GBBO judges, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith featured, and the filming being conducted in the U.K. too. One aspect that remained constant across all formats was the focus on friendly bragging rights and a coveted cake plate rather than a monetary reward, except, of course, for the celebrity editions where money is up for grabs to be donated to charities of their choice. Even with moments of originality, "The Great Kiwi Bake Off", "The Great Australian Bake Off", and "The Great Canadian Baking Show", all lack the GBBO allure that has captivated a global audience of bakers and non-bakers alike for over a decade.

Despite the worldwide attempts to replicate "The Great British Bake Off's" charm, none of the spinoffs quite match the original's magic, frequently ending up with what they so famously say — a "soggy bottom." This was particularly evident in New Zealand's version, where the show initially featured only two baking challenges instead of the usual three presented in each episode. Viewer backlash led to the show's swift return to the original format in season 2. Across the board, spinoffs struggle to maintain the appeal of GBBO, including its lack of competition, its warm camaraderie, and its gentle humor elements that seem diluted in international versions. 

The British setting, with its quaint white tent and unpredictable weather in the U.K., adds to a nostalgic coziness that's hard to replicate. A former winner of "The Great American Baking Show" told Food & Wine, "Having American bakers cook in a tent stocked with British ingredients threw us for a loop." These cultural differences can make the experience feel and look "off" to both viewers and participants. While GBBO has had its own hiccups, such as former host Matt Lucas's departure from the show over controversies, it has maintained its unmatched format of two co-hosts, two judges, and three baking challenges.

The difference between GBBO and its spinoffs is striking in both its viewership and audience interaction. GBBO enjoys a stellar reputation with an impressive 8.6/10 rating on IMDb and over 1 million followers on Instagram. In contrast, "The Great American Baking Show", which is closest to the original form, lags behind with a rating of 8.1/10 IMDb rating and just over 33,000 Instagram followers. 

Similarly, the Australian adaptation and "The Great Canadian Baking Show" face their own hurdles, with ratings of 7.6/10 and 7.3/10. Despite the popularity and wide array of culinary shows, "The Great Canadian Baking Show" with nearly 32,000 Instagram followers, and "The Great Australian Bake Off," with under 20,000 followers, struggle to generate significant engagement. This not only highlights the original's magic, but it depicts how audiences refuse to settle for less than a recipe for perfection — in the form of a baking show. The success of GBBO shows that while other versions may try, they can't quite replicate the elements that make the original so irresistibly special.