The Great British Bake Off is back on our screen for 2023, bringing us a host of technical challenges in the search for a new winner. The baking show has brought a gaggle of eager bakers into the infamous tent for this year, with the first episode already proving memorable. Noel Fielding has been joined by new host Alison Hammond, who viewers have already praised as the ‘perfect addition’ to the beloved show.
It's the ultimate comfort watch, and the perfect start to cosy season. Each series we feel soothed by the familiar rhythms of the show and the cheering antics in the tent, which is always pitched in a idyllic location. But where is Bake Off filmed?
Where is The Great British Bake Off tent?
Although the tent is looking all-so-familiar, the location of the show has changed drastically over the years.
The show has been filmed in many a location – including a youth hostel which saw Mary Berry catch bed bugs – before finding its home at Welford Park in Berkshire. The show remained there until the pandemic hit, where they left to film in Down Hall Hotel in Essex.
Whilst filming at the Essex hotel and spa, contestants and producers would stay on-site in order to maintain their ‘covid bubble’ and minimise the risk of outbreaks halting filming. But once protocols relaxed, the show was able to relocate its tent back to the stunning grounds of Welford Park.
And the rural location is famous for far more than some impressive bakes. The Grade 1 listed building has been privately owned by the same family since 1619, once being the site of a monastery before becoming Henry VIII’s deer-hunting lodge.
The Bake Off tent itself is a temporary structure, meaning it’s only utilised during the filming of the series rather than standing all year round. And with Welford Park itself being privately owned, it’s not so easy for Bake Off fans to enter the estate.
However, never fear. If you fancy taking in the sights of Berkshire, the estate does host a number of events each year where doors are open to the general public.
So if you fancy a Bake Off day out, it could very well be on the cards!
When is The Great British Bake Off filmed?
Although we use Bake Off as the perfect indicator that autumn is upon us, the sunnier vibes onscreen don't quite scream cosied up under the blankets with a cuppa. Rather than the rainy October days that many of us are facing, viewers watching new episodes can’t help but notice that the bakers on screen are basking in some glorious sunshine as they take on the Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith's challenges.
Bake Off is filmed over 10 weeks (giving contestants lots of time to practise their bakes), and those lucky enough to find themselves in the tent are asked to make sure their schedules are clear for up to 21 days between those months.
And it’s no easy feat when you’re battling to be star baker. The days are said to be extremely long, with filming taking up to 16 hours in one go.
It’s clear that the show is not filmed and broadcast live. In fact, it’s actually prerecorded and filmed months before, between April and June. So when they're sweltering in the tent, you're likely witnessing a heatwave from earlier on in the year.