*Warning — spoilers for The Great British Baking Show final below for fans in the US*
The Great British Bake Off final aired last night (Tuesday, 15 November), but fans were quick to criticize timing issues throughout the episode, which they felt spoiled the overall quality of the bakers' performance.
On Tuesday's tense finale, viewers saw Syabira, Abdul, and Sandro competing for the title, where they were asked to assemble the perfect picnic for the signature challenge and create a summer classic for the technical, so the pressure was on to impress one last time.
However, instead of seeing some seriously impressive bakes in The Great British Bake Off 2022, all three finalists struggled throughout their challenges due to a lack of instructions and timing problems, which annoyed some viewers.
For the technical challenge, the bakers needed to make Summer Pudding Bombe with vegetable gelatin and both Syabira and Sandro saw theirs collapse after it failed to set due to the fact they didn't know they had to boil it first.
Elsewhere, they had to make a sculpture in line with the theme of Our Beautiful Planet, with Syabira making an orangutan which she named This Is My Home. However, due to the fact the pressure was on and there seemed to be frustrating timing constraints, fans were disappointed with the result.
Syabira’s ‘This Is My Home’ Edible Sculpture Showstopper for the Bake Off Final. #GBBO pic.twitter.com/SsFvFpaov4November 15, 2022
Concerned that producers were valuing adding drama and pressure over the overall quality of the final bakes, fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the finale...
If 3 bakers all have ‘timing issues’ maybe the issue isn’t with the bakers but the time limit of the challenge? #GBBONovember 15, 2022
#GBBOIs it just me or is the timing getting too stingy. I mean the problem here is that noone could finish.It’s like they’re forgetting the fundamentals that the show is a home baking show at the end of the dayNovember 15, 2022
The timing is getting ridiculous. How are you expecting the moon but giving them 5 mins? #GBBONovember 15, 2022
all paul and prue do is talk about how the bakers had timing issues when they are the ones who set the times for the challenges??? i’m tired #GBBO pic.twitter.com/CmrakcSmFdNovember 15, 2022
In the end, Syabira won this year's competition with the judges citing her flavours and creativity as the key reasons they chose her to be the winner.
On top of these, Prue Leith added in the episode: "She is creative and she is careful, she practises like anything and she is imaginative, she just has the lot. She is a very skilful baker."
Syabira has become the first woman to win the show since season 8 and said: "Thank you so much. I can’t believe it. Honestly, it hasn’t sunk in yet, this is the biggest achievement in my life. All the hard work, all the trial and error, it has all been worth it. I am very, very proud."
You can catch up on the whole season of The Great British Bake Off 2022 via All4.
In the US The Great British Baking Show final will air on Friday, November 18 on Netflix. All episodes of the season so far are also available to stream on Netflix.
