Ruby Tandoh is speaking out again about The Great British Bake Off era that helped launch her career. The former co-runner-up from season four in 2013 has written an essay for The New Yorker in which she reflects on her experiences in the baking world, the show’s filming process, and the industry more broadly.
Tandoh describes the moments between challenges on the bake-off set as a mix of camaraderie and behind-the-scenes pressure. She recalls gathering in a sofa-filled snug in the house’s east wing, where contestants would chat, vent, and sometimes “selectively share baking tips.” She also recounts the show’s former executive producer, Kieran Smith, explaining why some critics find the program boring—arguing that the insistence on warmth and kindness stemmed from the contestants themselves, even if producers still used familiar reality-TV tricks to drive the narrative.
The memoir-like recollections extend to the day-to-day realities of filming. Tandoh says she and fellow contestant Glenn Cosby would often slip away for a cigarette and vent about the challenges and the ambushes that came with production. She describes producers hovering with ingredients hidden under gingham and the tension of narration being shaped in real time, noting how editing tends to favor certain contestants and storylines while others serve as the show’s rhythmic backdrop.
On the competition itself, Tandoh finished as joint runner-up with Kimberley Wilson, with Frances Quinn taking the top spot. The period was not without controversy in the eyes of fans. Some accused her of an inappropriate relationship with judge Paul Hollywood; after the season ended, she publicly came out as gay and pushed back against those who insinuated she’d pursued Hollywood for advancement, calling the insinuations misogynistic. Hollywood publicly challenged her on social media in response to her remarks.
The program’s move from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2016 also figures in Tandoh’s reflections. She criticized Hollywood as a “peacocking manchild lingering wherever the money is” in the wake of the network switch, underscoring how the show’s personalities and power dynamics can become focal points of public discourse.
In a separate conversation on Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail podcast in 2021, Tandoh said she no longer watches The Great British Bake Off, even as she acknowledged the format’s ongoing appeal. “I appreciate it as a show. The format is clearly compelling, but no,” she said, explaining that hearing the familiar jingle still stirs a reaction she can do without.
Beyond Bake Off, Tandoh has built a substantial publishing record. Her repertoire includes Crumb: The Baking Book (2014), Flavour: Eat What You Love (2016), Eat Up!: Food, Appetite, Eating What You Want (2018), and Cook as You Are (2021). Her fifth book, All Consuming: Why We Eat the Way We Eat Now, is set for release on Tuesday, September 9.
What this piece adds for readers is a window into the tensions behind a beloved television format: the push and pull between warmth and manipulation, fame and privacy, and the evolving expectations of a generation of bakers who have become public figures. Tandoh’s reflections also highlight the personal cost and resilience involved in building a career that bridges writing, teaching, and public engagement while navigating the often harsh glare of social media and the media industry.
In summarizing, Tandoh’s essay offers an unvarnished look at life in a high-stakes culinary reality landscape, paired with a candid critique of how editing, branding, and fame shape who gets seen—and who gets remembered. It also reinforces a forward-looking note: she remains a prominent voice in conversations about cooking, representation, and the responsibilities of media in portraying the culinary world. For fans and aspiring chefs, her ongoing work and forthcoming book promise further thoughtful commentary on how we eat, why we eat that way, and what the food landscape might become next.