Why Prue Leith Warned GBBO Fans To Get Ready For Heartbreak

With the wide variety of competitive reality shows out there, someone always has to be sent home. On "The Great British Bake Off," you might hear a ping of sadness as one of the hosts has the unfortunate job of announcing who is leaving the show each week. Every contestant who is eliminated has a different reaction, whether it's shedding a few tears as they say goodbye, or humbly stating they were just happy to have had the experience. Every season yields a new crop of incredibly talented bakers who are able to bond in such a short time over something they are all equally passionate about. In the tense, fast-paced environment of the "GBBO" tent, bakers can find comfort and camaraderie from contestants who help each other face every baking challenge together.

As the audience grows fond of bakers as each season progresses, it can be quite a shock to watch them leave. In recent seasons especially, fans felt devastated after the judges' unexplained decision to send home Season 12 semi-finalist, Jürgen Krauss, known for his consistently exceptional bakes (via Chronicle Live). It seems that no matter how many handshakes and "Star Baker" titles bakers receive, no one is ever safe. Some inspiring bakers are so skilled that it makes it even harder to decide who stays and who goes. Judge Prue Leith says that this type of heartbreak is something viewers need to prepare for.

The "GBBO" judges are probably very used to the onslaught of differing opinions on social media at this point, and it's true that you can't make everyone happy all the time, especially when they're the ones making the tough calls. Some fans of the show will get really into it each season, so much so that they feel the sour taste of betrayal after a judge's call. Prue Leith hinted that there would be more of that, telling the Mirror that judges had to "properly and break things down to little faults." That meant making tough decisions and eliminating people when fans "genuinely believed they were the best baker."

Leith recalled a time when she was met by a woman at the supermarket who expressed her disagreement with the seasoned judge's opinion of a lemon drizzle cake. The woman claimed that the cake was actually delicious, and not "too lemony" as Leith stated on the show. Leith was stunned because she had tasted it herself! Paul Hollywood chimed in with, "I'm saying: 'But you never tasted it! Or smelt it. Or felt it. You saw a picture and you made your decision on that one sense. ... You've got to trust us." The judges have also been thought to pick favorites at times, further dividing fans when it comes to the show's tough calls, such as Manon Lagreve's widely disputed Season 9 elimination that left a bitter taste for some (via Country Living).