The eleventh series of The Great British Bake Off began on 22 September 2020. It was presented by returning host Noel Fielding and new host Matt Lucas, who replaced Sandi Toksvig, and was judged by returning judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The first three episodes were extended to 90 minutes instead of the usual 75 minutes. The bakers were announced on 15 September 2020.
Filming of the eleventh series was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic; originally scheduled to take place in April 2020, it was pushed back to July 2020. Filming the series normally takes place over 12 or 13 weeks on the weekends, but due to the pandemic, the cast and crew had to live in a "self-contained biosphere" (Down Hall Hotel near Bishop's Stortford with a skeleton staff), and filming took place in a marquee tent in the garden of the hotel over a period of six weeks. The contestants and crew had to undergo a period of self-isolation after filming had ended.
The series was won by Peter Sawkins, with Dave Friday and Laura Adlington finishing as the runners-up. Sawkins is the first Scottish winner of the programme, and also the youngest winner in the show's 10-year history, at the age of 20.
Series 11 was released on Netflix in the U.S. as Collection 8. It premiered on 25 September 2020, with each episode available three days after the UK air date.
Bakers ContestantAgeHometownOccupationFinishPlace Loriea Campbell-Clarey 27 Durham, England Diagnostic radiographerEpisode 112th Makbul "Mak" Patel 51 Manchester, England Accountant Episode 211th Rowan Williams 55 Pershore, England Music teacher Episode 310th Sura Mitib 31 London, England Hospital pharmacy dispenser Episode 49th Linda Rayfield 61 Bexhill-on-Sea, England Retirement living team leader Episode 58th Mark Lutton 32 Portadown, Northern Ireland Project manager Episode 67th Lottie Bedlow 31 West Sussex, England Pantomime producer Episode 76th Marc Elliott 51 St Eval, England Bronze resin sculptor Episode 85th 39 London, England Accountant Episode 94th Dave Friday 30 Waterlooville, England Armoured security guard Episode 10Runner-up Laura Adlington 31 Gravesend, England Digital manager Peter Sawkins 20 Edinburgh, Scotland Accounting & finance student 1st
Results summary + Elimination chartBaker12345678910 PeterSBSAFELOW SAFESAFE LOWSBWINNER DaveSAFESB LOWSAFE SAFESAFE LauraSAFESAFESAFESAFESB LOW LOWLOW HermineSAFESAFESAFELOWSBSBOUT MarcLOWSBSAFELOWOUT LottieSAFESAFESAFELOWSAFESBOUT MarkSAFESAFESBLOWOUT LindaLOWSAFESAFESAFEOUT SuraSAFEOUT RowanSAFELOWOUT MakSAFEOUT LorieaOUT
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Episode 1: Cake For the signature challenge, the bakers created an intricate Battenberg cake in 2 hours. The technical challenge set by Paul gave the bakers 90 minutes to bake 6 miniature pineapple upside-down cakes. At the end of the challenge, Sura, who saw a fly and was trying to brush it away, accidentally hit Dave's tray of six miniature cakes as he was setting them down, knocking four to the floor. Prue and Paul judged the better looking of the remaining two, assuming the rest were the same. In the showstopper challenge, the bakers created a 3-D cake bust depicting their personal celebrity hero in 4 hours.
BakerSignature(Battenberg Cake)Technical(6 Miniature Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes)Showstopper(Celebrity Hero Cake Bust)ResultDave Chocolate Espresso Martini Battenberg 9th 'Three Flavours of Tom DeLonge' Hermine Chocolate & Orange Battenberg 5th 'Ode to Lupita' Laura 'Celebration of Summer' Battenberg 6th Lemon & Elderflower Freddie Linda Ambulance Battenberg 12th Lemon & Orange Bob Marley Loriea 'Hot Summer's Day Treats' Battenberg 10th 'Flavours of Jamaica' A Tribute to Miss Lou Lottie Rhubarb and Custard Battenberg 4th Coconut & Lime Louis Theroux Mak East India Battenberg 8th Tribute to Bill Bryson Marc Bittersweet Battenberg 11th Chocolate & Vanilla Ziggy Mark Turkish Bazaar Inspired Battenberg 7th 'Origin-ger of the Species' by Charles Darwin Peter Gluten Free Chocolate & Orange Battenberg 2nd 'In Honour of Sir Chris' Rowan 'The Magic Flute' Battenberg 3rd 'Let Them Eat Cake' A Tribute To Marie Antoinette Sura Lemon and Orange Battenberg 1st 'Ode to Attenborough'
The broadcast of Episode 1 began at 8:15pm instead of 8:00pm, following Prime Minister Boris Johnson's address to the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic. The episode began with a parody of the Johnson address by new presenter Matt Lucas.
Episode 2: Biscuits For the signature challenge, the bakers were tasked with making 36 identical chocolate florentines in 2 hours. The technical challenge, set by Prue, required the bakers to make 12 hand-shaped coconut macaroons, 6 piped with a mango curd and the other 6 drizzled and filled with chocolate, in 1 hour and 45 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were given 4 hours to create a beautiful molded 3D biscuit table setting representing a memorable meal they had in the past. BakerSignature(36 Chocolate Florentines)Technical(12 Hand-Shaped Coconut Macaroons)Showstopper(3D Biscuit Table Setting)ResultDave Feathered Chocolate Mango Florentines 1st 'Waiting for Tacos' Hermine Mango and Coconut Florentines 5th Sakura Tea Set Laura Salted Caramel Florentines 7th Celebration Afternoon Tea Linda Flower Topped Florentines 4th 'High Tea in Amsterdam' Lottie 8th Viking Victuals Mak Mango and Cumin Florentines 3rd Indian Chai Service Marc Ginger, Cherry and Pistachio Florentines 9th Morning Coffee 'n' Toast Mark Mango Lassi Florentines 2nd Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Peter Sticky Toffee Florentines 10th Biscuit Burns Supper Rowan Waistcoat Florentines 11th 'Worse Things Happen At Sea' Sura Sohan Florentines 6th Speculaas Ramadan Tea Time
Episode 3: Bread The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making 2 freeform soda bread loaves, one savoury and one sweet, and an accompanying butter in 1 hour and 45 minutes. The technical challenge, set by Paul, tasked the bakers into making 6 rainbow-coloured bagels in honour of the NHS, in 2 hours and 45 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were asked to create a large decorative bread plaque in the style of a traditional harvest festival sheaf, portraying the one thing in life they are most grateful for, in 3 hours and 30 minutes. BakerSignature(2 Soda Bread Loaves)Technical(6 Rainbow-Coloured Bagels)Showstopper(Large Bread Plaque)ResultDave Chilli Chocolate & Cheesy Bacon Soda Breads 9th 'Grateful For My Home and Little Family' Hermine 7th A Journey Back to France Laura Nana Peg's Nicely Spiced & Cherrylicious Soda Breads 6th Showstopping Musical Theatre Inspired Showstopper Linda Bara Cyflym Quick Bread 1st 'Fruits of our Labour' Black Olive Bread & Tiger Bread Lottie Blueberry Breakfast & Summertime Soda Breads 5th My House In Bread Marc Cornish Soda Breads 2nd The Dharma Wheel Bread Sheaf Mark Sausage & Stout Sodas 3rd Orchard County Bread with Sweet Apple and Savoury Wild Garlic Peter Black Pudding & Ginger Beer Soda Breads 4th Edinburgh Cityscape Bread Plaque Rowan Flavours of Italy 10th Worcestershire Pear Tree Sura Middle Eastern Inspired Soda Breads 8th Mama's Tomato Vine Harvest Loaf
Episode 4: Chocolate The signature challenge was back to basics as the bakers were asked to make 18 chocolate brownies, in 1 hour and 30 minutes. For the technical, Paul tasked the bakers with making a traditional Jewish bake: chocolate babka, in hours. In the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to produce a spectacular two-tiered white chocolate celebration cake in 4 hours. BakerSignature(18 Chocolate Brownies)Technical(Chocolate Babka)Showstopper(White Chocolate Celebration Cake)ResultDave Honeycomb Explosion Brownies 8th Strawberry Splash White Chocolate Fraisier Cake Hermine Raspberry, White Chocolate & Pistachio Brownies 5th Lemon & White Chocolate Cake Laura Salted Caramel Brownie S'mores 2nd Chocolate Heaven Cake Linda 'Treats of Christmas Past' 1st English Rose Cake Lottie 'Have Your Cake and Eat It' Brownies 9th Nana and Papa's Sapphire Anniversary Cake Marc Praline Brownies 6th White Chocolate & Raspberry Buttercream Celebration Cake Mark 'Gimmie S'more' Brownies 3rd 'A Baking Show Birthday' Peter Upside Down Brownies 4th Graduation Cake Sura Double Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies 7th Strawberry & White Chocolate Celebration Cake
Episode 5: Pastry For the signature, the bakers were tasked with putting their own spin on Cornwall's national dish: the pasty, in 2 hours. The technical challenge, set by Prue, required the bakers to make 6 éclairs—3 raspberry and 3 salted caramel—in 2 hours and 15 minutes. For the showstopper, the bakers were given the intricate task of making a sweet tart hidden under a latticed pastry cage, in 3 hours and 45 minutes. BakerSignature(8 Pasties)Technical(6 Éclairs: 3 Raspberry & 3 Salted Caramel)Showstopper(Caged Tart)ResultDave Thai Basil Chicken Pasties 5th Chocolate, Mango and Lime Tart Hermine Moroccan Tagine Pasties 2nd Lime Confit & Lemon Meringue Tart Laura Proper Tasty Pasties 6th Kent Garden Tart Linda Spicy Indian Pasties 8th Gypsy Tart Lottie Toad-In-The-Hole-Less Pasties 4th Apple Tree Tart Marc Cornish Fish Pasties 7th Posh Apple & Blackberry Pie Mark Aloo Gobi & Paneer Pasties 3rd Mes-SAGE in a Bottle Peter Kedgeree Pasties 1st Blackberry & Lemon Tart
Episode 6: Japanese Week Six was a Bake Off first as the bakers tackled Japanese week. The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making 8 steamed buns, complete with a savoury or sweet filling and decoration, in 2 hours and 30 minutes. For the technical challenge, Prue asked the bakers to make a matcha crepe cake, consisting of 12 layers of crepes sandwiched with a white chocolate ganache buttercream and strawberries, and decorated with fresh fruits and edible flowers on top, in 2 hours. The showstopper gave the bakers 4 hours to produce a cake inspired by the kawaii culture in Japan, incorporating Japanese flavours. +BakerSignature(8 Steamed Buns)Technical(Matcha Crepe Cake)Showstopper(Kawaii Cake)ResultDave Chicken Shaped Katsu Curry Buns 3rd Matcha Shiba Inu Cake Hermine Chicken Nikuman Panda Buns 4th Strawberry Cherry Blossom Cake Laura Piggy Pork Belly Buns 7th Upside Down Pineapple Cake Lottie Cheeseburger Steamed Buns 2nd 'Into the Japanese Woods' Marc 'Hmmmm Dhal' Steamed Buns 6th Hamish the Dog Cake Mark Burger Buns 5th 'Avo Baby' Peter Lamb Steamed Buns 1st Dizzy the Shuttlecock
This was the 100th episode of the Great British Bake Off throughout all seasons.
Episode 7: The '80s For the signature challenge, the bakers were asked to perform their own twist on 8 classical quiches with 2 different savoury flavours in 2 hours. For the technical challenge, Paul asked the bakers to make 6 deep-fried, identical custard & jam finger doughnuts in 2 hours and 45 minutes. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to make an ice cream cake, which was considerably more difficult since it was the hottest day of the year, in 4 hours and 30 minutes. +BakerSignature(8 Quiches)Technical(6 Custard & Jam Finger Doughnuts)Showstopper(Ice Cream Cake)ResultDave Novel Quiches 6th 'Tiramisu' Hermine Classic Quiches 1st Holiday Ice Cream Cake Laura Pea & Pizza Quiches 4th 'Death by Chocolate' Lottie English Breakfast & Summer Salad Quiches 5th '80's Mix Tape' Marc Cornish Quiches 3rd Retro Ice Cream Parlour Peter Thai Curry and Salmon Quiches 2nd 'Christmas Cake Surprise'
Episode 8: Desserts (Quarterfinals) The signature challenge tasked the bakers with making 12 mini baked cheesecakes, in hours. For the technical challenge, Prue set a 17th-century bake: 2 sussex pond puddings using suet pastry and served with creme anglaise, in hours. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were given the enormous task of making a jelly art design cake, composed of an artistic jelly design, a mousse and a baked sponge element in hours.