The Great British Bake Off is drawing to a close, with just three episodes – including this week’s - left to go for 2024.
It’s getting harder and harder to say goodbye to departing bakers, as we’ve grown attached to them over the course of the past several weeks.
Mind you, it’s arguably never going to sting as hard as Autumn Week, when fan-favourite Nelly made a shock exit.
"It's not commiseration, it is a positive," she told viewers poignantly as people sobbed into their screens.
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"I am so ready to leave. I never ever thought I would get to round six!
"I know my children are so proud. It's not to teach them to win, it is to teach them to enjoy.
"Don't cry! Everyone is crying.... Of course I am happy - in each of your heart is a piece of Nelly and you are never going to forget me. Cake - we can bake!"
But some fans reckon they’ve worked out a ‘formula’ to work out who’s set to leave next, having spotted a giveaway sign that often falls towards the end of the episode.
Taking to Reddit, one opened up a discussion about the ‘tell’ of who is getting ‘booted each week’.
“Does it bother anyone else that the formula to figuring out who is going to go home before they announce it is always the person they pan to first after saying, ‘The baker that is going home this week is…’?” they asked.
Indeed, as we listen to Prue and Paul’s comments about who’s in the firing line that week, it often becomes apparent that it comes down to two contestants.
As either Noel or Alison introduce their tough job of announcing who’s leaving, the camera tends to pan to the duo in hot water, often going to one first, so that they can go to the other before settling again on the first as their name is said.
“They need to mix it up for the surprise element,” the Reddit user added.
“Or am I too used to American reality TV and the predictability is intended to keep the show comfortable/safe?”
It turned out many others had been sleuthing in a similar way, with one commenting: “My dad noticed it after a few episodes and it’s become a running joke in my family as a way to say someone is screwed.”
Someone else said: “Yes, it’s the one show where I always say the name aloud before the announcer does and I’m always right. My husband thinks I’m a genius so thank God he’s not on Reddit and won’t read this.”
A third wrote: “Yes I noticed it early. However, I’m not that upset as a spoiler because often it’s very obvious who’s going home anyway, and they just throw another name in the hat for drama.”
Another said they actually liked the ‘predictability of it’, saying they found the ritual ‘comforting’.
One other person pointed out: “The idea that some people might consider it a spoiler is funny to me because it's revealed like a second later anyway.”
And if you really can’t wait that extra couple of seconds to find out who’s gone?
“We always have the captions on, and they're always a few words ahead,” someone said.
“So the captions are often our spoiler.”
Topics: Great British Bake Off, Reddit, Food and Drink, TV And Film
Jess Hardiman