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The Great British Bake Off: Everything To Know

Now that series 7 of our much loved Bake Off is well and truly underway we felt it was time to dig a little deeper into the secrets of the tent. Seriously, we have so much love yet so many unanswered questions for the show. Who eats the bakes? Who does the washing up? Do the bakers drink the hotel bar dry every weekend in celebration? We need answers!

So without further ado, here are all the weird and wonderful facts we could conjure up about the nations favourite show..

1. In order to eliminate the chance for contestants to blame any failed bakes on technical issues with the ovens, the crew bakes a batch of Victoria Sponges. In every oven, every day! We cant even imagine how incredible that tent must smell!

Classic Victoria sandwich recipe | BBC Good Food

2. The application process might actually be harder than the show its self! According to insiders, applicants must fill out a seven page form and theres an endless list of rules you must abide by. Including no branded, labelled or striped clothes!

3. If you do make it through the application process there is an even lengthier, and more expensive, audition process. It begins with a 45 minute phone call with a researcher, an audition in London, a screen test, an interview with the producers to which you must bring two bakes with you. Then, if you’re still up to the challenge, there is a second audition where you have to bake two recipes in front of a fully equipped camera crew, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. Terrifying much? The remaining contestants, who frankly must be hard as nails and have the determination of an Olympian, are then sent off to a full blown interview with a psychologist to ensure they can cope with the 16 hour days and the filming. *Aaaand breathe*

Phew HD Stock Images | Shutterstock

4. In case of disaster, or a contestant running out of ingredients, the show keeps a runner at the nearest supermarket ready to buy anything the contestants may need at the last minute.

“Mel, get me 24 uniform chocolate croissants ASAP please!”

5. In series 6 of 2015, the bakers used a grand total of 130kg of flour, 150kg of sugar and a multitudinous amount of unsalted butter. Wow!

6. The Bake off is officially the most watched program in the UK. The first episode of this series was seen by an average 13.6 million viewers!

7. Mel and Sue were approached to present the show together. Little does the public know, it was the hilarious duo that actually suggested Mary Berry for the judging job.

8. Contestants are forbidden to put anything into or take anything out of an oven with out hailing down the producers. Those shots are priceless to the show. If the crew do miss a moment then contestants will be asked to re-enact the process in order to be filmed.

9. Selasi Gbormittah can eat 12 donuts in 13 mins…. (one more reason to love him…)

Selasi Gbormittah (@selasigb) | Twitter

10. The filming of the show is kept strictly to 16 hour days at weekends, in order for contestants to keep their 9-5 jobs during the week. How considerate!

11. One thing Paul and Mary won’t be mixing is their business with their pleasure. Rumour has it they strictly do not socialise in anyway with the contestants, in order to remain professional and avoid bias. Sue, on the other hand, continues to stay in touch with the contestants via email;  even when the show is over. How sweet!

Paul Hollywood risks reigniting feud with Mary Berry after mocking her  lavish lifestyle

12. Despite probably having more washing up than any other show on T.V, the Bake Off does not have dishwashers! We know, shocking right? Instead the show has a team of home economists who spend 160 hours washing everything up by hand… shrivelled fingers anybody?

15 things you should never put in the dishwasher

13. Once the judging has been done and all the bakes are sampled, the cast and crew get tucking in, with any leftovers being packed into baskets for the bakers to take back to the hotel!

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood inspire 4 million people to bake at home | TV  & Radio | Showbiz & TV | Express.co.uk

So now you know!

If you love The Great British Bake Off as much as we do, get following us on Facebook and Twitter for more fun facts, our weekly Win With Bake Off competition and a live chat every Wednesday during the show!

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