Nadiya Hussain wins a series defined by record-breaking viewership and controversy
In short: The sixth series of The Great British Bake Off was a cultural phenomenon. Beyond the technical challenges and showstopper sculptures, the season saw massive rating surges and unexpected gambling scandals that captivated millions of viewers across the UK.
Aired starting 5 August 2015, the sixth series saw twelve contestants compete at Welford Park in Berkshire. The competition was presided over by presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, alongside judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. Viewership for the premiere hit 9.3 million, growing by more than 2 million compared to last year. An overnight peak of 14.5 million viewers made the finale the year's largest overnight audience in 2015. The production returned to the grounds of Welford Park for its second consecutive year. This specific season featured twelve participants vying for the title.
The series was not without its complexities. During the broadcast, bookmaker Ladbrokes halted betting following a 'run of bets' in the Ipswich area. Furthermore, claims emerged that dozens of BBC and Love Productions employees had opened gambling accounts to bet on the winner. In a separate slip of the tongue, Mary Berry accidentally revealed an eliminated contestant during a BBC Radio 2 broadcast before the third episode had even aired.
The competition tested bakers with increasingly difficult tasks, such as making a 3D bread sculpture in 5 hours or delicate religieuse à l'ancienne in 4 hours. The technical difficulty was highlighted when some towers began to collapse or lean during the quarter-finals. Nadiya Hussain took the title, while Ian Cumming and Tamal Ray placed second and third. The show's popularity was evident as seven of the top ten most-watched 2015 programmes were from this series. The bakers also faced a signature challenge involving the creation of 24 identical biscotti. Additionally, they had to produce 12 crème brûlées without using a blowtorch for caramelisation.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Great British Bake Off series 6
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