The Real Reason James Acaster Lost GBBO, According To Paul Hollywood
Known for his witty and slightly self-deprecating sense of humor, comic James Acaster was a fan favorite on a philanthropic, celebrity spin-off of "The Great British Bake Off" known as "The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C," or Stand Up to Cancer. Despite the fact that Acaster hosts "Off Menu," a food-themed podcast, with Ed Gamble, the comic's culinary prowess wasn't exactly what he was known for during his time on GBBO.
Acaster's disastrous bakes on the limited series have turned into some of the GBBO fan community's most discussed moments from the show. From his watery pancakes to his so-called "deconstructed" cream horns (via YouTube), Acaster's contributions to the culinary program seem to have been memorable for all the wrong reasons. Based on the questionable state of his creations, it's probably no surprise that he wasn't named Star Baker during his time on "The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C." In case you missed the charity-themed GBBO show, Paul Hollywood himself appeared on Acaster's "Off Menu podcast" shortly after its premiere to discuss what went wrong with the comedian's bakes.
Hollywood looks back on Acaster's bakes with lots of laughs
The ever-intimidating Hollywood joined Acaster on his podcast for an uncharacteristically lighthearted chat about GBBO behind the scenes. The three talked about Acaster's flapjack incident, his downfall on the show, in which the contestant famously told the judges that he "had a breakdown" while making the dessert. "Bon appétit," Acaster said as he handed off the cherry-topped treat — a moment that has turned into a meme used primarily by students depicting their experiences turning in assignments at school.
The two talked in detail about the reasons why Acaster was not named the winner of his episode of GBBO. Even though fans of the show have immortalized Acaster's desserts in the form of memes, Hollywood admitted on the podcast that he couldn't remember what the comic had created for his signature bake: the breakdown flapjacks. Once reminded of the infamously underbaked treat, Hollywood wondered out loud how the Northamptonshire native could have possibly messed up the dish so badly. Hollywood and "Off Menu" cohost Ed Gamble also joked that Acaster probably hadn't spent enough time reading his recipes while in the white "Bake Off" tent. Though he didn't win any coveted titles, it's clear that Acaster has solidified his place in GBBO history as one of the series' most iconic bakers.