'Bake Off first' leaves fans divided after 'unfair' twist

Great British Bake Off fans have had a lot to say about the latest episode, which saw the bakers knocking up a spectacular fondue display Showstopper for Chocolate Week in the tent.

The episode also kicked off with chocolate mousse cups for the Signature challenge, prompting many people to immediately pick up on one thing.

Noticing something was off, one wrote on X: "Chocolate week without a heatwave?! Simply unheard of #gbbo."

Another joked: "I'm sorry but it's Chocolate Week and there is no heatwave, this will never do."

Chocolate Week is known to prove particularly tricky, given that the show is usually filmed between April and June - just when the British weather likes to start heating up.

This week, however, looked relatively tame - although that's not to say it wasn't without its dramas.

The main talking point of the episode proved to be the notorious Technical challenged, famed for really testing contestants' skills with complex bakes set by judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

This time, however, there was a major twist as Paul and Prue unveiled a 'gingham pantry' stocked with various ingredients.

Rather than asking them to create uniform white chocolate tarts, with bakes usually required to be as close to Paul or Prue's spec as possible, everyone was given full 'artistic license' to essentially do whatever they wanted, marking a Bake Off first for the Technical.

"Choose wisely," Paul warned.

The pantry had been cleverly stocked with every imaginable combination under the sun, and while bakers were encouraged to get creative, they had to ensure the white chocolate flavour did not get lost among all the other bells and whistles.

The unexpected turn of events didn't go down too well with some viewers, who didn't agree with the nature of the task.

"The whole point of the technical is they’re meant to all bake the same thing so why are they letting them choose their own ingredients and to their own recipe??? #GBBO," one fan commented, adding: "It’s just a weird thing to do this far in!"

Another agreed: "I reaaaally don’t like that technical challenge twist if they’re baking something to be judged blind, they need to all be the same!! it doesn’t make any sense for them to all be different."

A third said: "This is a tough technical. I’m not keen because if they all make the same flavour, it is fairer to judge to put them in an order. #GBBO."

One fan said it just felt like a 'Signature with extra steps', while a fifth fumed: "#gbbo that's not a technical!!! That's a f**king ranked signature !!! Don't p**s me off."

Other viewers, meanwhile, enjoyed producers shaking things up a little with the surprise Bake Off first.

"Ooooo I like this technical. Bring the gingham pantry back in every episode #GBBO," one begged.

Another felt it gave 'another level' to the task, with a third writing: "An entire pantry is available for this technical?! Its quite exciting but also nerve-wracking because you dont want to lose the chocolate flavour! #GBBO."

Another quipped: "The gingham pantry is chaotic….I love it #gbbo."