[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Great British Baking Show, Collection 13, Week 3]
The Great British Baking Show‘s 16th season (labeled as Collection 13 on Netflix) rolled on this week as the 10 remaining bakers returned to the tent for Bread Week. But who rose to the occasion? And who fell flat? The show ended with a shocking exit.
As usual, judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith tasked the budding bakers with three challenges: the Signature, Technical, and Showstopper. For the Signature, the contestants had to make Pull-Apart Monkey Bread, which proved a struggle for fan favorite Pui Man, who, while baking the bread well, left the judges wanting more flavor.
The Technical challenge saw the contestants making Glazed Ring Donuts, and again, Pui Man, had difficulty, with the judges criticizing her donuts as “uneven” and “underproofed,” meaning they hadn’t risen properly. Fellow contestant Lesley struggled with the same issue, leaving both ladies at the bottom of the pecking order alongside Nataliia and Jessika.
For the Showstopper Challenge, the bakers were asked to make Tiered Sweet Bread. Nataliia came out fighting after a tough time in the previous challenges and made bread that impressed when it came to flavor, even if Leith said it lacked “finesse.”
Self-proclaimed “Yeastie Boy” Iain also had a hard time in the Showstopper, with his apple bread being described as “gloopy” by Hollywood.
Pui Man, meanwhile, turned things around with a glazed cherry bread, which went over well with both Leith and Hollywood, the latter saying the bake “surprised” him.
However, despite ending on a high note with her Showstopper, Pui Man became the third contestant eliminated from the tent due to her underwhelming performances in previous bakes. Star Baker, meanwhile, went to Jasmine, who wowed the judges with her donuts.
Pui Man, a 51-year-old bridal designer from Essex, spoke with Channel 4 after her elimination, saying she was “disappointed” to leave so early in the competition. Despite her short time on the show, Pui Man said she took a lot away from the experience.
“I learned so much from the other bakers, and I also realised that they love my opinions and wanted to learn from me as well,” she stated. “I felt like that they are my long lost friends and we finally found each other.”
As for what’s next, Pui Man shared, “I am planning to do my next door neighbour’s 100th birthday cake in September. It will be a big cake.”
What did you think of this week’s episode? Did the right contestant go home? Let us know your thoughts below.
The Great British Baking Show, Collection 13, Fridays, Netflix