1.
The show's name is different in the US because "Bake Off" is copyrighted by Pillsbury.
2.
Former host Sandi Toksvig had a clause in her contract guaranteeing that no one on the show could be paid more than she was.
3.
The chief "home economist" spends weeks sourcing the hundreds of ingredients that contestants will need.
4.
While the crew eats a lot of the leftover cake, the remaining ingredients are sent off to a local food bank.
5.
The contestants are required to write and submit original recipes before filming.
6.
Since a dishwasher would be too noisy, all of the dishes are done by hand.
7.
During the 2020 season, the crew set up practice kitchens for the contestants to work in when they weren't filming.
8.
For his audition, cohost Matt Lucas had to interview people about the horticultural accessories they were buying in a gardening center.
9.
To test the ovens, the crew bakes 12 Victoria sponge cakes at the exact same time.
10.
Contestants can request the specific ingredients they want up until the start of each round.
11.
For consistency, the contests have to wear the same clothes for two days in a row.
12.
Candidates for the show have to bring two of their best bakes to their in-person interview.
13.
The final round of the application process is an on-camera technical challenge.
14.
Contestants must hand over their phones before the start of filming each day.
15.
The show's food illustrator says that his dislike of baked goods actually makes his job easier.
16.
Contestants must make sure the cameras are watching before they take anything out of the oven.
17.
And finally, during their downtime, the contestants play games and sing karaoke in the green room.
