A-Level Case Study for Great British Bake Off 2017

1. GREAT BRITISH BAKE
OFF

2. Channel 4
◦ Robin Hood Model
◦ Commercially funded by advertising
◦ Not for profit, all surplus goes into content
◦ Robin Hood system of profit-making genres such as Factual Entertainment cross-fund loss making
shows such as the News and Current Affairs.
◦
Key Public Service Points
◦ Innovative and distinctive
◦ Stimulate public debate on contemporary issues
◦ Reflect cultural diversity in the UK
◦ Champion alternative points of view
◦ Inspire change in people’s lives
◦ Nurture new and exciting talent

3. Narrative
◦ The narrative is constructed in an episodic structure as each follows the same structure (signature, technical, showstopper). Each
episode shows a contestant leaving until the final where the winner is revealed. This therefore shows that each episode acts as a
chapter towards the end.
◦ The people in the show are constructed as characters such as Paul Hollywood is the meaner judge whereas Prue is presented as the
kinder but perhaps wiser judge due to her age. Paul is presented as the ‘villain’ when close ups are used to focus on his unblinking
blue eyes, which acts to unnerve the contestants. Sandi and noel are represented as the comic relief and take the edge off the
stressful situations such as in pie week where Noel dresses up as a tiger or when Sandi takes some pie with her to eat later. The
contestants are also constructed as characters such as Yan who is presented as the geek character with her scientist pies of Einstein
and Darwin in episode 6. Liam is presented as the younger and more inexperienced baker, such as the close ups of his query over
whether to raise the pie by hand or not.
◦ Narrative conflict arises not necessarily from the competition between the bakers as they are shown to be friendly and helpful
towards each other. Conflict stems from the bakes that they make, whether or not they will come out ok. This is especially evident in
the technical challenge when Julia is worried about her egg tarts. Their comradely is shown when there are several inter cut shots of
the bakers trying to help each other get their pastry out of the tins. The show is constructed to present one or two contestants as
having a really good or bad week by the clips selected to use on the show.
◦ The series has a repeated structure of Opening, flashback, signature, technical, showstopper and announcing the winner/loser of that
show. There is judging after every round where we can see what the judges think of the bakes. Near the end of the show, there is a
part where the judges and presenters talk honestly about the bakes without the contestants. The camera pans over the bakes to show
the variety and suggests to the audience who could be leaving based on the presentation of them.

4. Targeting and Positioning
◦ Target audience: Mainstream audience for a channel which is not as mainstream, appeals to mainstreamers as they
feel strongly about routine and enjoy family brands. The target audience is extremely large, from young to old (30-
60), supported by the Sponsors Lyle’s and Doctor Oetker’s who have spent millions targeting an audience who
have the time and enjoy baking. The show appeals to ABC1 audiences, mainly middle class. It is also targeted more
towards women with use of pastel colour schemes (the 2 featured in the title sequence being women) but also
appeals to men. A secondary audience is 16-24 year olds who are targeted through trailers and social media.
◦ TV magazines: Radio Times – has a strong baking brand and reassures audience that the show is in good hands
after moving from BBC1. The colour palette used are mainly pastels, appealing more to a family audience.
◦ The hegemonic ideology of Bake Off is about a traditional British feeling of afternoon tea, green lawns and summer
days. However it blends the traditional with the diverse and contemporary with the representation of the
contestants and presenters.
◦ The show uses stars in the presenters and judges, with Paul Hollywood being sure to appeal to the audience as he
featured in the BBC1 version. Sandi and Noel already have successful careers and have experience in presenting
e.g. QI. These three are all well known in Britain and were sure to bring along fans with them. Because they are so
different, they appeal to a wider audience.

5. Targeting and Positioning
◦ GBBO is aired at primetime (8pm) on C4, meaning that most people would have finished work and be watching TV
after dinner, to target as big an audience as possible. As it is a baking-competition reality show, the genre appeals
to many because it is seen in many other shows e.g. MasterChef, signalling to the audience that they will enjoy it.
Humour is used in several different ways such as in slapstick and silly humour with Sandi and Noel to appeal to a
young audience as well as innuendos that appeal to a more mature audience who will recognise the more subtle
jokes. There is also humour in the disasters of the contestants, which keep the audience gripped.
◦ The Bake Off has become hugely successful as it appeals to so many, without alienating anyone as there is nothing
risqué about the show. The show is joyful to watch and the representation of the contestants allows the audience
to relate to them, leading to support. Yet the show is still dramatic and the narrative structure keeps the audience
watching as they want to find out the winners, losers as well as those who overcome their struggles.
◦ Entertain: Comedy through presenters and the bakes
Relate: Relate to the bakers’ backgrounds, choose a favourite
Inform: Learn more about baking
Socialisation: Talking points
◦ The show offers pleasures such as images of delicious looking bakes. This mise en scene is also very appealing
because it creates a sense of picturesque Britain.

6. Audience
◦ Graham Riddick: GBBO reaches biggest young audience for a TV series this year.
◦ The Bake Off lost viewers after its move from the BBC but many more viewers have been
watching it. The series is the biggest C4 shows since Big Fat Gypsy Weddings in 2011.
◦ Larger viewings (averaging 6 million) shows that the £75m spent on the show is paying off.
◦ GBBO is the biggest show for 16-34 year olds on any channel with 2.5m tuning in, making that a
54.3% share in the market.
◦ The show is attracting 3x the amount of people that would normally watch C4 at that time.

7. Genre
Trailer
◦ Establishing shot of the tent – nothing has changed
◦ Jazzy, upbeat music – exciting
◦ Iconography – cooking equipment
◦ Crescendo – judging
Winner Revealed (BBC)
◦ Diegetic Clapping – leads in into wholesome music, emotional silence creates tension – major turns to minor.
◦ Long shot of English country side
◦ Dirty Apron iconography – hard at work
◦ End speech – grown over the series
Judging
◦ Uplifting music when handshake occurs – superior judge
◦ Judges are serious whereas Noel is jokey
◦ Baking lexis
◦ Green country side, waiting in tent
◦ Contrast between judging, moving on and reflecting – direct to camera away from judges.

8. Conventions
Hybrid genre
◦ Cooking
◦ Competition
◦ Reality
◦ Entertainment
Generic Conventions
◦ Failure, mistakes
◦ Music - orchestral
◦ Quaint, British look – pastel, homely, nature
◦ Countryside
◦ Same format: Signature, technical, showstopper
◦ Compressed narrative – presenters act as markers
◦ Characters, different representations
◦ Iconography
◦ Range of ethnicities and accents