TV Show - 'The Great British Bake-off'.

To create a successful TV show it is essential that TV companies are 'in tune' with their audiences.  Identifying the demographics of an audience and linking their likes/dislikes helps to decide where the programme would be placed in the schedules and the ultimate success of the show itself.

Background Information
The television show  selected is a BAFTA award-winning  TV show called 'The Great British Bake-off'. The 'Bake-off' is a reality show/competition where members of the public compete each week to be 'Star Baker'.  Each week a 'baker' is eliminated from the competition.  The show is presented by 2 popular female comedians and has 2 resident judges - two, professional cooks/bakers who are well known and well respected within their own fields of expertise.  The 'baking' is held in a tent and there are 3 rounds of baking within each episode, signature bake, technical bake (which is judged 'blind' by the judges) and the 'show stopper' bake, a finale showing off the contestants' talents. There are historical references to food in between each cooking stage. The show has run for 5 series and has become increasingly popular, originally showing on BBC 2 and moving to BBC 1.

The reason that I chose this TV show is because it has become increasingly popular in the UK and has said to created a 'baking craze' in the UK.   The show was originally aired in 2010.  Follow link to find out more information:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013pqnm

Age:
The show  was originally targeted at an  audience with an age range of 30 years plus, but generally has a broader appeal. The show originally started as a show with a more 'specialist' appeal to people who are already amateur bakers.  However, as the show has become more popular the appeal has broadened with spin-off shows appealing to children and encouraging children to become creative bakers from the age of 5 years.  Because of the tv scheduling time the main Great British Bake-off show still has a central appeal to audiences 25 years plus, though the tv series is popular with students, with a number of students appearing as contestants in series 3 and series 4.

Gender:
This TV show was originally aimed at women - 2 female comedians present the show, appealing to female viewers, one of the judges is also a well-known female cookery writer- Mary Berry.  The only male member of the show is an award-winning baker, Paul Hollywood, who has become a favourite of many female viewers.  The show's appeal to women viewers has been noticed by the Women's Institute with their membership having the biggest rise since the 1970s.  Much of the staging of the programme was also done to appeal to women, with lots of flowery chintz used in many shots and teapots, teasets etc.

Since the show first aired in 2010 however, audience numbers have tripled and the show would seem to appeal to both men and women.  This became more apparent when more male contestants became part of the show.  Audience numbers increased to 6 million for the all male final on the third series.  The spin-off show - 'An Extra Slice' also shows a greater male interest in the show, with many guests discussing the baking being male comedians, enthusiasts etc.

Culture:
This TV show has said to have had a big cultural impact in the UK, with a growing popularity in baking - particularly cakes.  As previously mentioned there has been a growing rise in the membership of the Women's Institute and also in the number of baking/cooking clubs.  There has been a rise in the sale of cookery/baking books, particularly those linked with the series and there has also been a rise in the number of small bakeries on the high street and 'tearooms'.  The show originally had a more select appeal, appealing to people who already are keen bakers wanting to further their baking skill.

The show is called 'The Great British Bakeoff' and this 'Great Britishness' of tradition and 'afternoon tea' is further promoted by filming the show in the grounds of British stately homes.

Social class:
Though this TV show has a broad appeal it comes across as very 'middle class' with Cath Kidston and Laura Ashley 'chintz' prints very prominent in most of the TV shots.  The show appeals more to the 'nice' side of life, an escape from the nitty-gritty of everyday life for most working people.  The show appeals more to a middle class lifestyle of 'afternoon tea and cake'. However, the show is accessible by all as most people like to eat homemade cake and can access simple ingredients and a kitchen.

Lifestyle: The lifestyle promoted by the programme is creative, homely and fun.  It focuses on the 'nice' side of life, promoting 'memories' of home-baking and afternoon tea. Its links to a more gentle side of life and the importance of being 'essentially British' is further promoted by the show's locations.  It is often set in the grounds of a stately home.

The show also looks at people's interests in crafts and making skills - promoting people's baking skills.  The show also promotes a look at social history and how our food has evolved and improved.

Sexual orientation: This TV show is for all sexual orientations. The show has a 'creative' appeal and does not particularly focus on any particular 'sexual' group.  Contestants on the programme, when interviewed or when there has been a 'behind the scenes' look at their lives, have come from a wide-range of backgrounds. Some contestants/winners talk about their baking for their families, others about their partner's support - the winner of series 3 - John Whaite - thanked  his male partner for his support in the competition.

Generic codes:
The music that they use for the TV show is light, fun and a catchy tune.  The music suggests a 'fun show' but also promotes excitement, linked to the competition element of the show.

The graphics and illustrations in this TV show have changed from the original series but still reflect the homely and old-fashioned feel of the show.  Illustrations created by Tom Hovey show more definition and are now more colourful. Images used of the finished baking are also clearer and brighter, using more colour.

The 'characters' that are part of  the TV show are the judges, the contestants and the presenters.  The audience is now familiar with the judges and the presenters but will get to know the contestants from week to week as they remain in the competition.  Viewers will choose their favourites and hope the judges will select them for 'star baker'  so they can remain in the competition.  The 'bingate' episode from series 5 attracted a lot of comments from viewers as they took sides - Iain Watters or Diane Beard.

The iconography image that they use for the show is an image of a cake to represent what the essential 'ingredients' are in the TV series.  It shows the audiences what the Great British Bakeoff is all about.  The audiences will instantly know that it is a baking show.

The stage properties that are borrowed are the marquee to keep contestants sheltered from the rain and the wind and a selection of ovens and equipment.   They use cooking equipment for their baking as well as baking ingredients.  The BBC will also need to gain permission from a selection of stately homes as the baking marquee is  located within their grounds to reinforce the 'British' image.

In my opinion I think the camera work is very good as it focusses on the contestants' baking skills and the cakes they are baking, it also focusses on the people to talk about themselves.

The soundtrack can be heard in the background as the presenters, the contestants and the judges talk to each other and the audience.  Close-up shots and mini-interviews make it clear to the viewers what they are saying about the cakes the contestants have created and what ingredients they have used to make their cake.

The genre of  the programme is that 'The Great British Bake Off' is a cooking programme and a reality show/competition, providing light entertainment.

The reason that the audiences watch this TV show is because the audiences can share new baking skills and techniques.  They also like it because it has their favourite presenters and judges. They watch it because they love the cakes that are shown on the show and also they watch it to see how the contestants make the cakes and the viewers also like to see how well their favourite contestants do from week to week.  Above all it makes the viewers feel good and allows them to remember home baking from their childhood.