BBC’sGreat British Bake-Offis no more.
But now, Paul is the beautiful, blue-eyed lifeline to the old iteration of the show.
Somehow, calling out the line as cheeky in advance negates the cheekiness.
PBS
Mel and Sue operated their innuendo with a literal or metaphorical eyebrow raise that made their lines feel improvised.
His interactions with the contestants are a bright spot that gives me hope for his future as a host.
As for Prue, well… Prue isn’t Mary Berry.
Mary took on a near-mythic persona in her role as the all-knowing matriarch of the tent.
Most importantly, it felt as though she had an unspoken superiority over Paul Hollywood.
Her partnership with Paul elevated him beyond the sometimes seemingly overconfident schoolboy who takes bread way too seriously.
Now, with Prue, Paul is unquestionably the senior member of the pairing.
His handshakes are the coveted reward for a miraculously good bake.
There is no icon to impress, even as the show itself necessitates forcing Paul into that role.
But for all of the cast’s shakeups, the show itself is still almost exactly the same.
