bo the professionals© Photo: Channel 4

Is Bake Off: The Professionals too harsh? See what viewers had to say

Bake Off: The Professionals is back on our screens - but is it too harsh?

TV & Film Editor
May 8, 2019

Bake Off: The Professionals is finally back on our screens, but if you're thinking that the competition is exactly like the delightfully chilled out The Great British Bake Off but with pros, you'd be wrong. While GBBO judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith give candid yet ultimately kind feedback on an array of bakes, The Professionals is judged by pastry chefs Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin, who fans have described as "brutal" with their criticism.

What do you think of the judges?

During Tuesday night's episodes, the teams of bakers had to make Red Velvet cakes, Bakewell tarts and Linzer tortes, and Cherish critiqued one bake, telling the bakers: "Overall can I eat it? Yes… Does it bring up the full potential? Not really." Presenter Tom Allen was among those to react to the negative comments that the contestants were "really nice contestants" to which Benoit replied: "On that basis, we'd keep everyone. You'd be a really poor judge."

READ: Everything you need to know about Bake Off: The Professionals

Everything you need to know about GBBO

Fans were quick to discuss Tuesday night's episode, with one writing: "Watching professional chefs get savaged in #BakeOffTheProfessionals and it's 1000% more brutal than #TheBattleOfWinterfell Loving every second of it because I'm an absolute sadist," while another added: "Love how you are both so honest and fair with the judging. Professionals will only get better with constructive criticism and encouragement." However, some people were unhappy with the level of negativity, with one writing: "Is it me or would a bit more time give everyone a fighting chance of completing the task - too rushed & stressful, result is just more and more negative comments," while another wrote: "Judges on #BakeOffTheProfessionals are awful. Have nothing in the way of compassion, terrible tone and contradict each other constantly."

READ: There was a Great British Bake Off wedding over the weekend - can you guess who?

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