BERKSHIRE - SEPTEMBER 23: The Great British Bake off judges, Paul Hollywood (left) and Mary Berry (middle) with presenter Ed Byrne (right), on the set of Great Red Nose Day Bake Off on 23 September, 2014 in Berkshire. (Photo by Lucille Flood/Comic Relief/Getty Images)
Highly popular British television baking show “The Great British Bake Off” is set to host its first-ever vegan baking challenge week in a bid to attract younger viewers.
As reported by The Sun, 45-year-old comic Noel Fielding, known for his work on “The Mighty Boosh” comedy troupe and TV series, is responsible for suggesting the idea, which may help woo the Millennial audience. Contestants will have to replace traditional baking staples such as milk, butter, eggs, and cream, with animal-free ingredients.
According to an anonymous source from the show, judges and producers were surprisingly quick to embrace a Great British Bake Off vegan baking challenge: “When Noel put forward the idea producers leapt at the chance to try something different — especially as they think it’ll appeal to younger viewers.”
“While the show has a loyal fanbase, those in charge are keen to snap up a different demographic,” the source continued.
“The Great British Bake Off” has previously restricted ingredients for its contestants. In one series six episode, bakers were asked to make confections without sugar, gluten, or dairy, albeit not in the same challenge. Although a dairy-free ice cream challenge provided an opportunity for contestants to create vegan recipes, many relied on eggs and other animal ingredients. Despite featuring animal ingredients in every episode, however, the show is not without a vegan following.
The decision to set the first “Great British Bake Off” vegan challenge has a lot of merits. According to data released last April, the number of people in the UK who have ditched animal products entirely grew by 700 percent in the past two years.
The shift is driven primarily by Millennials and increasingly, Generation Z. According to the results of a poll conducted by multinational food company Kellogg, over 50 percent of young people living in the UK have tried veganism over the last year. Additionally, The Vegan Society reports that 56 percent of Brits have adopted “vegan buying habits.” A 2017 survey showed that two-thirds of Brits have considered going vegan. Consumers tend to cite health, environmentalism, or concern for animal welfare as the primary reasons for the change in eating habits.
The vegan baking challenge will air later this year during the new season.
Image Credit: The Great British Bake Off
This post was last modified on October 6, 2021 8:49 pm