It’s season 8 and the 4th for Ann Pornel and Alan Shane Lewis, the engaging, freewheeling co-hosts. They along with judges Kyla Kennaley and Bruno Feldeisen, welcome another group of eager home bakers to the Baking Tent kicking off Sunday night. It’s Cakes Week and oh, my. The talented amateurs’ Canadian souls shine through as they tackle Winnipeg’s famous Schmoo Cake, the iconic Love Cake and for the Show Stopper the Split Cake. The imagination and skills on display are phenomenal. What She Said’s Anne Brodie’s been missing the yum-tastic series over the summer as well as Alan and Ann:
Anne Brodie – This is your fourth season as co-hosts. And you are the record-breakers. You’ve had the longest run of anyone. What’s your staying power? What’s your secret?
Ann Pornel – Well, they feed us. Crumbs. And so we’re actually little goblins that are just magically tied to that tent. We don’t actually exist outside of those tent walls!
AB – Alan, as you know, everybody loves this show. I did a little poll of my friends to find out why. And the answer is because people are nice. You can’t compare it to the heated battles of some of the American food shows. It’s just so different. Please comment on that.
Alan Shane Lewis -Yeah, I have to give a hand to the producers, they do a very good job, picking 10 amazing people that are so interesting and so much fun to play with, and, we get to just enjoy their company for the time that we’re filming together. That makes it very easy for us to play with them and have a good time.
AB – Baking has such a different personality and a different place in the world. I mean, a show about veganism or casseroles or something, or the magic of potatoes just wouldn’t work. What is it? What is the magic of baked goods?
ASL – Tt’s a thing that you kind of share. When you cook you can cook for yourself, but usually when you’re baking you’re baking with the intention of sharing with somebody and I think everybody has their own personal kind of attachment to baking. It’s just a very communal nice thing, loving, kind of caring act that takes a lot of practice and hard work.
AB – So another year, the same question. Have you started baking yet?
Both – Nope!
ASL – A hard no. I leave it to the professionals and the amazing home Bakers.
AB – They are really talented. What they come up with and the time given, the show is also full of emotion, like, tender emotion. If someone’s cake crumbles or the custard doesn’t set or something, it’s kind of heartbreaking and everybody is sympathetic. You two often approach them to settle them down. Ann, tell me about that. Tell me about comforting disappointed contestants.
AP– Well, of course, right? Like these are amazing home bakers, they’re not professionals. These aren’t people who studied for many, many years in, uh, like a Cordon Bleu or some other fancy patisserie school. These are people from all over Canada, who just simply love baking. And when something doesn’t go their way, it’s so heartbreaking because we’ve all been there whether or not it’s in the kitchen or some other moments in life. We’ve all felt that moment of “oh gosh it didn’t work out, I failed”. Everything that happens in the tent is so real because it’s real disappointment from real people and you just have to be there to hug them sometimes. Because at the end of the day, if it didn’t work, it didn’t work. There’s not much, we can do sometimes to salvage something, but we can still be there as human beings to lend an arm to lend an ear. We’re all just people in the tent and sometimes you have a rough day and when you have a rough day, you just need a comforting shoulder.
AB – Not only do you look out for them, but they look out for one another when they holler over “What do you need” when you’re approaching the end of the time and they’ll go and help them. That’s just so sweet. It’s just the most life-affirming show if you think about it. And I really think that it’s an important part of how we are as Canadians. Alan, what do you think?
ASL – Because it’s a reality competition show but they’re not competing against each other. They’re competing against themselves from last week and past, constantly just trying to improve themselves from last week and they take feedback from Bruno and Tyla and implement that and learn new skills. And also meeting nine other people who have the same, love and passion for baking that they may not, you know, find back home. So it’s a very group experience and it’s not necessarily biting and trying to conquer the next person. It’s just like, how do we all improve together and, and get to enjoy it and share with all of Canada?
AB – My confession to you two is that it started with the Great British Baking Show but it’s more intense with yours and I don’t know why. I’ve started eating bakery like there’s no tomorrow and I’m being told to cut down! So, every third day, I have a pastry. Today, I’ll have a s’more which I just discovered. Have they made s’mores on the show?
ASL – I definitely think some bakers have had, s’ mores flavours infused into other bakes. I’m not particularly sure about this season, but that’s definitely something that I’ve seen!
AB – So great. Well, I’m gonna have to look that up because I have a serious crush on them. Thank you. You two. So, looking forward to what you have to present in the coming weeks!
AP – Thanks Anne!
AB– Alrighty, bye-bye!
The Great Canadian Baking Show, Season 8, Premieres Sunday, Oct. 6 at on CBC Gem, followed by the broadcast at 8 pm (8:30 NT) on CBC TV.
If you want a good-natured laugh go to Pornel’s Instagram account for news about the show, fashion, hilarity and proof that her dear parents cannot take a good picture of her.