Does the Great British Baking Show Need Eliminations?

I just started watching the latest season of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix, and I was reminded of the many reasons I love the show: The zany hosts, the incisive-yet-kind critics, the charming cast, the setting, the music, and the overall spirit of warmth and generosity. It feels like a hug.

The one exception, however, are the eliminations. In each episode one of the hosts says that they have the difficult and heartbreaking job of sending someone home. They say this with great regret, as if there is no other choice in the world (because that’s how these types of shows work).

But there is actually an alternative: Don’t eliminate anyone. For such a charming, warm, cozy show, I don’t think the eliminations make sense. I vote to eliminate the eliminations.

The great this is that the show would barely need to change. Start with fewer bakers–maybe 8 to 10 so we have time to see each of them each episode. You’d also still have a star baker to celebrate each week. In fact, that would be particularly important, because when it’s time for the final episode, only those who were previously selected as star bakers at least once would be eligible. Perhaps you could even accumulate advantages if you win star baker more than once.

If the show still feels like there needs to be a “worst baker” each week, perhaps that baker would lose a previously earned star baker (or book a negative star to count against a future star). This could add tension each week without absolutely wrecking someone.

In fact, to gamify it a bit without making anyone lose:

• Star baker = 1 stars
• Win any of the three challenges = 1 star
• Final episode: The 3 bakers with the most stars compete

What do you think about the overall idea that eliminations don’t fit into the spirt of The Great British Baking Show and/or these potential solutions?

Here’s a related article I wrote about cooking shows.