"The Great British Bake Off Eliminates National-Themed Weeks Amidst Backlash"
The Great British Bake Off will no longer feature national-themed challenge weeks in its upcoming 13th series after facing criticism for casual racism. The show received backlash for its Japan, Germany, and Mexico-themed weeks, with viewers finding the portrayal of cultures to be inauthentic and offensive. Executive producer Kieran Smith stated that they didn't want to offend anyone and that the show would return to its popular traditional roots, featuring regular themes such as cakes, biscuits, bread, patisserie, chocolate, and a new theme of party cakes. The show will also have a new host, Alison Hammond, alongside Noel Fielding, replacing Matt Lucas.