Blood, Sweets and Tears - The Great British Bake Off, Series 4

This year I've signed up to write for the university newspaper, Exeposé and student magazine Razz. Just in case you're not in Exeter or you just haven't got around to picking up a copy of either the paper or the magazine, I thought it might be a nice idea to show you the pieces I'm writing for them here on my blog...

With custard thefts, crying contestants and more blood than an episode of Casualty, the fourth series of The Great British Bake Off could easily be mistaken for a primetime drama instead of the search for the nation’s greatest amateur baker.

The introduction of the first baker’s dozen of contestants was the only change to the successful format. The three tasks set each week - the Signature Bake, Technical Challenge and Showstopper – are judged by master baker Paul Hollywood and queen of puddings Mary Berry, who decide which baker (or two) to send home. While producers insisted that this year’s standard would be higher than ever, some poor bakes in Week 1 left a bitter taste in viewers’ mouths; these thirteen bakers were supposedly the cream of a 10 000-strong crop, a record number of applicants for the programme.

But after this nervous start, there have been moments of pure baking brilliance. In Week 3, Paul and Mary declared Beca’s stunning petits fours, comprising mini macarons and millionaire’s shortbread, ‘perfect.’ Christine aced Week 5’s Showstopper challenge with her shortbread Bavarian clock tower and Frances’ Edith Piaf-inspired puff pastries (no, really) earned her the coveted title of Star Baker in Week 7.

As the competition heads towards the final, it’s tricky to pick out front-runners from the all-female line up. Kimberley and her unusual flavour combinations were probably the early favourite, but well-executed traditional approaches by Welsh choir singer Beca and Christine, Mary Berry’s secret sister, have gone down a treat. Eccentric Frances seems finally to have addressed her initial ‘style over substance’ imbalance, while student baker Ruby could win if she carries on fluttering her eyelashes at Paul.

After a somewhat soggy-bottomed start, The Great British Bake Off is back to its best – delivering mouth-watering bakes with a generous helping of innuendo. Spotted dick, anyone?

Verdict - 4/5