The Great British Baking Show’sPrue Leithis breaking her silence on the criticism surrounding the series' Mexican week episode.
Leith spoke withThe New Yorkerto promote her new cookbookBliss on Toast, but when the competition show faced backlash earlier this month for the themed episode, which audiences have claimed is filled with offensive stereotypes, the outlet followed up with its judge.
“There would have been absolutely no intention to offend,” she said, adding that the judges set the challenges for the themed competitions. “That’s not the spirit of the show.”
Separately, Leith also spoke about the feel-good nature of the Netflix-distributed series. “The whole phenomenon ofBake Offis, to me, absolutely extraordinary. This is rather a cliché thing to say, but I do think that it is a force for good, most of the time,” she said.
“Everything we do in life is a bit stressful — we are always short of time, we’re short of money, there are all sorts of horrible things happening all over the world,” she added. “AndBake Offis this safe space where the worst thing that can happen is somebody will drop their bake. And everybody will be sympathetic!”
Everett
During the episode that sparked criticism, bakers were tasked with making pan dulce, steak tacos and a tres leches cake. HostsNoel FieldingandMatt Lucasopened the hour wearing sombreros and serapes. “I don’t feel like we should make Mexico jokes. People will get upset,” Fielding said to which Lucas responded, “What? No Mexico jokes at all? Not evenJuan?”
Throughout the episode, contestants also mispronounced words like guacamole and pico de gallo.
During another part of the episode, Fielding asked, “So, is Mexico a real place?” to which Lucas responded, “I think so. I think it’s like Xanadu.”
Twitter user @KaibaLordYGO also criticized the episode, writing, “Coming from a Mexican this was a very offensive episode. All the jokes and stereotypes.”
Netflix
Another Twitter user, @NinaNyxa, was similarly upset, writing, “well I’m never watching great british baking show ever again. other cultures aren’t a joke.”
PEOPLE reached out to Netflix and Channel 4 at the time the episode aired for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
During the episode, Lucas called katsu curry, “cat poo curry” when describing one of the competitors' bakes.
source: people.com
