How the Great British Bake Off format found a permanent home in American television
In short: Adapting a beloved British cultural export for American audiences proved to be a complex recipe. After early attempts on network television faced cancellation and controversy, the format eventually found stability on The Roku Channel, evolving into a sprawling franchise that now includes celebrity specials and multiple seasonal iterations.
The journey of the baking competition format in the United States began in 2013 with CBS's The American Baking Competition, which lasted only one season. ABC later revived the concept as The Great Holiday Baking Show, which served as the first licensed adaptation of the British series. This iteration featured a rotating cast of hosts and judges, including Mary Berry and Johnny Iuzzini. However, the show's path was not without turbulence; the third season was pulled from the schedule in 2017 following sexual misconduct allegations against Iuzzini, who was subsequently fired.
Stability arrived when the series transitioned to The Roku Channel in 2023. This move solidified the judging panel with Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, both staples of the original British series. The shift allowed for a more consistent production schedule, with the seventh season premiering in 2024 and the eighth in 2025. The format has since expanded significantly beyond the standard competition, incorporating various celebrity-focused installments such as Celebrity Holiday, Celebrity Big Game, and Celebrity Summer.
The franchise's evolution reflects a broader trend in television adaptation, where niche formats are refined to suit local tastes while maintaining the core appeal of the original. By 2026, the show had reached its ninth season, demonstrating the enduring popularity of the tent-based baking format. The transition to streaming platforms has allowed the series to diversify its content, moving from a single holiday-themed show to a year-round presence that balances amateur competition with high-profile celebrity participation.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Great American Baking Show
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