When 'The Great British Baking Show's "Chocolate Week" Goes Pear-Shaped

It's Chocolate Week on The Great British Baking Show, one of the most brutal weeks the series does regularly. We know this because back in the old BBC days, Chocolate never showed up until the latter half of the season, and during Channel 4's "GBBO-but-Nailed-It!" phase, they would rush it up, so it came practically at Week 4. Oh, dear, it is Week 4, and the Chocolate is already here? That's never a good sign. At least Alison's complete comfort in insulting Noel is here to make up for what could be a total catastrophe.

The clips at the top of the episode hint that it will be a bit of a meltdown, too, even if Chocolate Week is being filmed in April instead of July and August now that the series has returned to its regularly scheduled spring filming. But just because the contestants don't have to fight the weather and climate change while competing under hot television lights doesn't mean this will be easy. Chocolate is one of the most complex mediums to work with; one might argue caramel is technically more manageable, though it's just as demanding; it at least is more manageable to salvage when things go pear-shaped.

However, a reprieve may be coming because even though the Signature Challenge starts normally, the first day does not end as anyone expects.