Was the infamous 'Bingate' scandal actually a result of clever television editing?
In short: In 2014, a melting Baked Alaska sparked a national outcry and 800 BBC complaints. While viewers accused a contestant of sabotage, the truth behind the melted ice cream suggests a much more complicated story involving broken freezers and a heated tent.
During the fifth series of The Great British Bake Off, a moment known as 'Bingate' became a social media firestorm. While preparing Baked Alaskas during an intense heatwave, contestant Iain Watters watched his ice cream melt. In a moment of frustration, he discarded the dessert in the bin, leading to his elimination. The show's editing suggested that contestant Diana Beard had caused the disaster by moving his bake to make room for her own. The competition took place at Welford Park in Berkshire. The twelve contestants were led by judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.
The fallout was massive. Over 800 complaints were lodged with the BBC, and some reached the watchdog Ofcom. However, the reality was more nuanced. The tent was experiencing extreme temperatures, and two of the five available refrigerators were broken, making it difficult for anyone to keep ice cream frozen. Diana maintained the ice cream had been outside the freezer for under 40 seconds, despite Iain's assertion that the dessert was left out to spoil. The incident occurred during a period when the show had recently transitioned from BBC Two to BBC One. This move coincided with the launch of a companion series, An Extra Slice, hosted by Jo Brand.
The controversy even extended to the show's presenters, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, who faced criticism for 'smutty' innuendos. Despite the drama, the series was a ratings juggernaut. The final episode reached a consolidated average of 13.5 million viewers, making it the highest-rated non-sporting event on UK television that year, surpassed only by the 2014 FIFA World Cup match between England and Uruguay. In the US, PBS aired this series as its inaugural season. Ultimately, Nancy Birtwhistle emerged as the winner of the fifth series.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Great British Bake Off series 5
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