The Great British Bake Off's biggest feuds – bin-gate, stolen custard and host row

The Great British Bake Off is a national institution – but there’s plenty of drama behind the buns, bread creations and flour.

Premiering on this day in 2010 (August 17), the BBC series rose to international acclaim before making a shock move to Channel 4 in 2016.

Over the years, temperatures in the signature Bake Off tent have been known to rise – leading to some of the show’s most notorious fallings out and even some tears.

READ MORE:BBC Breakfast turns awkward as Charlie Stayt destroys Bake Off star’s dessert on air

From the infamous bin-gate and custard-gate, to presenter and contestant Twitter spats, Daily Star takes a look inside The Great British Bake Off’s biggest ever feuds.

Bin-gate

Iain Watters made Bake Off history in 2014 when he threw his melted baked Alaska in the bin.

The construction engineer was famously eliminated from the show’s fourth series after dumping his creation into a bin after it was removed from the freezer by his fellow contestant Diana Beard.

While Diana maintained Iain had left his dessert in the wrong freezer, Iain questioned why it had been removed.

He also later disputed claims that it was only left out of the freezer for 40 seconds, as host Sue Perkins claimed on Twitter.

More twists followed as Diana left the series ahead of the next episode – allegedly due to illness.

She later denied accusations of sabotage, though Iain also challenged her claim on the show that contestants were given designated freezers to use during the episode.

He told The Guardian: “I had no reason to believe it would get taken out by anyone.

“I was outraged but I was more frustrated because I had been so focused the last hour and I had all the components made and I was frustrated that it had been taken out.

“It would not have been melted and ruined if it hadn’t been removed from the freezer.”

Bin-gate part two

The perils of bingate resurfaced in 2018 when a meme shared by the Twitter account of former winner John Whaite was criticised by his fellow Bake Off alums.

A meme of Diana shared by the Strictly Come Dancing star’s Twitter page read: “If you can’t be nice, be naaaasty.”

The tweet was later deleted but not before John’s account received criticism from Iain and 2014 Bake Off champion Nancy Birtwhistle.

Iain replied: “Not cool you t***.

“Not sure what goes through your head, that you think this is the right thing to post.”

Another Bake Off contestant, Richard Burr, also expressed disapproval of the post, writing: “P**s off you [b***end].”

Meanwhile, Nancy commented: “My grandmother always instilled in me if you can’t say anything nice then you shouldn’t say anything at all.”

Sue vs Paul

Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc were among the casualties of Bake Off’s move to Channel 4.

Alongside Mary Berry, the presenters departed the show in an act of loyalty to its original broadcaster the BBC.

Paul Hollywood opted to stay with Bake Off as it moved to Channel 4 and speaking in 2020, Sue revealed that a subsequent “painful” fallout between the presenters and Paul had left her “incredibly hurt”.

She told the Table Manners podcast: “When we were there [on the show] he was really good fun.

“And things happened that made us sad and incredibly hurt – he was always like family, for years and years and years.

“And it’s painful when those things end… I’m devastated about what happened but I feel talking about it is just uncool and you start pointing the finger.”

Custard-gate

A year before bin-gate graced screens, custard-gate had Bake Off fans sorely divided.

The controversy arose after Deborah Manger picked up her fellow contestant Howard Middleton’s custard and used it for her own trifle – leaving Howard without any custard of his own.

During the incident, Sue Perkins famously said: “It’s either a terrible error or the most incredible case of baking espionage I’ve ever seen.”

Viewers of the show were furious and demanded justice for Howard following the theft, but their anger soon tapered out.

Both Howard and Deborah sailed through to the next episode.

Theme song ‘sick’ claims

Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood was met with accusations of favouritism in regards to series four contestant Ruby Tandoh.

However, the pair’s relationship soured after the show, with Ruby famously dubbing Paul a “walking gammon joint” and a “peakcocking manchild”.

Following their spat, Ruby revealed she had been left unable to watch the show and also claimed she “feels sick” when she hears the theme song.

She told the How To Fail podcast: “When I hear the little song, the little jingle at the start, I feel sick.

“I can’t have anything to do with it, I’m afraid.”

Fly-gate

Bake Off 2020 kicked off with an almighty upset, as one contestant’s challenge cakes were destroyed and another baker was left in tears.

The upset occurred when Sura Mitib accidentally knocked four of her fellow baker Dave Friday’s pineapple upside down cakes onto the floor.

Sura claimed she had been trying to swat a fly when the incident occurred.

She later broke down into floods of tears.

Viewers on Twitter, meanwhile, were left appalled.

One fan wrote: “If someone knocked my cakes off by accident I would riot.”

Another commented: “Has there ever been so much drama on week one, I am yelling!”

Meanwhile, a third said: “The most stressed I’ve been in 2020.”

Dave was quick to forgive Sura and she went on to win the technical challenge – which some viewers found awkward.

Matt vs Noel

Following Sandi Toksvig’s departure in 2020, Little Britain star Matt Lucas stepped in to host alongside Noel Fielding.

The pair are often seen bantering in the Bake Off tent but in one memorable episode, Matt kicked Noel out of the tent altogether.

The incident occurred after Noel made a joke when Matt asked if he liked custard.

Noel said: “I love custard. I was very upset when I heard general custard had died at the battle of little creme horn.”

Following the gag, an unimpressed Matt replied: “I think you should just leave,” and Noel stormed out of the tent.

Their feud didn’t last though as Noel returned later in the show.

The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk