Full Synopsis

ACT ONE

As the show begins, Jim and Kim, dressed as cavemen, narrate the comedic origin of baking (“Prologue”), with help from the Choristers (played by the contestants). After their sketch, the bakers arrive in the tent, each introducing themselves to us, the audience, and the TV cameras (“The Bake Off Tent”). Babs, Dezza, Hassan (and his lucky t-shirt!), Izzy, Ben, Russell, Francesca and Gemma all tell us why and how they started baking, revealing a little about themselves in the process.

Now it’s time to meet the judges. Pam Lee and Phil Hollinghurst make a grand entrance to the tent (“The Arrival of the Judge.”). Pam, a glamorous national treasure, and Phil, a stern Liverpudlian, set the tone for the competition, promising to test the bakers' skills.
The first challenge of the competition is introduced, and the bakers prepare to make hand-raised pies. Izzy, a confident Cambridge student, reveals her competitive nature and her determination to win at all costs (“Obviously”). After the bake, it’s the first morning tea break. The contestants get to chat with each other properly for the first time.

Time for the first technical challenge; the Polish Sernik kr.lewski z brzoskwiniami. Gemma, a carer from Blackpool, struggles with her nerves and self-doubt. She reflects on her past, especially caring for her late mother, questioning whether she belongs in the competition (“Somewhere in the Dough”).

The final challenge on the first day is the Showstopper, Strudels, set by the one and only Phil Hollinghurst. Phil introduces the bakers to his famous strudel-making technique, which involves energetically slapping the dough (“Slap It Like That”). The bakers attempt to follow his method, with chaotic results. After the first judging, tensions are high as Dezza is eliminated. Despite the competition, the remaining bakers share a heartfelt moment, coming together to support each other (“Big Hug”).

It's episode two. Dessert week. We’re back in the familiar territory of the pre-credit skit, this time Jim and Kim lead a battle between judges Phil and Pam about how to pronounce ‘scone’ (“Bring On The Scone”). For the signature challenge, the judges are looking for a dozen cream buns. After Jim delivers the iconic ‘on your marks, get set… bake!’ the focus then shifts to Francesca. Francesca, reveals that she’s a primary school teacher, but that she longs for a child of her own. Sadly she struggles with infertility but reveals how baking helps her cope with her heartache ("Grow").

Time for the second technical, Amygdalopita, an Ancient Kefalonian Almond Cake. The bakers sit on their stools to await the judging. They’re all desperate to win, and get the first ‘Hollinghurst handshake’ of the season (“The Handshake Song”).

The judging is over, and Gemma’s left alone to clean her workstation. Lily, Ben’s 9 year old daughter, enters the tent and introduces herself. We learn that Lily’s mother, and Ben’s wife, sadly passed away. They have a tender exchange before Ben enters. He’s been looking for Lily who has clearly wandered into the tent on purpose. Gemma leaves, leaving Ben and Lily to discuss how Ben ended up on the show. Lily entered him in the show in the hope that it’d help her dad with his grief (“My Dad”).

It's the next day. Gemma’s in her hotel room bathroom having self doubts. Russell, in the next room, hears her and he lifts her spirits, telling her that she was meant to be there. Our attention then shifts to the Showstopper. In true Bake-Off style, it’s the hottest day of the year and the bakers have been tasked to build an iconic skyscraper, fourteen stories high, with three moving elements and an ice cream lift shaft. Chaos ensues; ice cream is stolen, there’s bin-gate, Russell cuts himself, but the bakers plough on (“All The Way”).

ACT TWO

It’s the Businesswoman of the Year Awards, and Dame Pam Lee is giving this year’s motivational keynote speech (“Keep On Keeping On”). She encourages everyone to live their best life and have no regrets.

We’re back in the tent, and Jim and Kim are re-capping what happened in the previous episode as well as introducing the new theme: it’s cake week! The signature (celebrity inspired) and technical (two dozen cacennau cri fach) whizz by and suddenly it’s the middle of the night. Ben’s in the tent practising petit fours. Gemma interrupts him and she sees he needs help. She lets slip that she knows about he’s a widower and decides to help him practice (“The Perfect Petit Fours”). We begin to see that there is chemistry between the two bakers. Izzy, who’s been hiding in the tent the whole time, takes Hassan’s lucky t-shirt out of her bag and stuffs it into an industrial-sized Marmite tub.

The scene shifts to outside the tent. We hear Hassan’s story. Hassan opens up about his refugee journey from Syria to the UK. In a heartfelt moment, he shares how baking became a way for him to find comfort and stability amidst the uncertainty and trauma of displacement. He’s not mentioned it to the show’s producers, and isn’t sure whether to get them to include it.

The weeks are starting to roll by, and one by one the bakers are eliminated. Russell is followed by Francesca, and then finally… Babs (“Don’t Send Me Home”). At the end of filming, Hassan discovers his lucky t-shirt in the Marmite tub and wonders who’d do such a thing.

Meanwhile, as the bakers prepare for the semi final, Pam and Phil share a reflective moment about their journey and highlighting their mutual admiration (“I’d Never Be Me Without You”). Outside the tent, the semi-finalists prepare for filming. Lily encourages Ben and Gemma, who is dressed beautifully, a fact which has not escaped Ben. In the moment, Gemma suddenly kisses Ben…

At last, it’s time for bread week (“The Semi Final”). This week’s signature is a focaccia of the contestants’ faces but Gemma’s struggling, distracted by her feelings for Ben she uses salt instead of sugar. The technical is a Pan de Rosca, a bread unknown to the usually well-prepared Izzy. Gemma checks Izzy’s OK, but a defensive Izzy accuses Gemma of ‘playing up’ for the TV cameras. Hassan’s back to winning the technical, with his lucky t-shirt before we move to the showstopper: a bread landscape inspired by a favourite artist. Ben, inspired by Gemma, uses his ex-wife’s recipe but alters the flavours slightly, a fact that is not lost on Lily who makes an unexpected appearance in the middle of filming. Lily asks if Gemma’s going to be her new mum. Ben responds, with the entire tent listening, ‘of course not’. Gemma is clearly upset and uses a blow torch to set fire to her bread. There’s pandemonium, during which Gemma leaves the tent.

Outside, Babs stands waiting in the shadows for Phil. After sharing a joke, Babs reveals that she stole Phil’s motorbike keys. They share a moment, before Phil reveals that he’s a huge fan of her shortcrust pastry recipe. As he leaves, Babs enjoys her moment in the spotlight (“Babs’ Lament”).

By the power of musical theatre, we’re now on a pier in Blackpool. The bakers have come to take Gemma back to the tent to finish the series. Izzy reveals that her competitive streak got the better of her and that she’s sabotaged her fellow bakers throughout the course of the show. Everyone tries to improve Gemma’s confidence, ending with Ben, who returns Gemma’s kiss from earlier. Gemma realises her worth and her talent as a baker (“Rise”).

It's time for the annual garden party, where the winner will be announced. The winner of The Great British Bake Off is.... (“Finale”). In the usual end of series credits, we hear what each contestant went on to do after the show and realise that good things come to those who bake.