A question for fans of the Great British Bake Off

Charlotte Fudgemuffin (Charles' sister) revealed as new X Factor judge.

Although I'm not personally a fan, reality TV shows attract some very dedicated fans, so it's perhaps not surprising therefore that fans of reality TV shows often get quite passionate about the singers, dancers, models, cooks and other contestants that they feel most deserve to win their particular favourite show.

Now I can understand for example when fans of X Factor or American Idol have passionate opinions and strongly want a particular singer to win. You listen to them sing, then vote for the best singer or performer, so I can understand comments like, "She's an excellent singer!  Did you hear her sing 'Who Let The Dogs Out?' It was beautiful!' and it makes sense that you would favour one contestant over the others.

I can also understand when fans of Strictly Come Dancing or Dancing With The Stars have strong opinions and passionately want a specific dancer to win. You watch the contestants dance then vote for the best dancer, so comments like, "He should never have been voted off! He did a really good effort with his 'Agadoo' routine!" are understandable, because after watching them all dance it's logical that you would favour the best dancer over the others.

However, what I don't understand is when fans of programmes like The Great British Bake Off have such equally strong opinions about which cook should win. When people confidently declare, 'I can't believe she got voted off! Her micro chips* were brilliant!' ... how can they be so sure?

Which is the tastiest meal? The tomato pie or
the chicken curry? They both look delicious,
but how can you judge if you don't get to taste?

Or when viewers remark, 'She was a much better cook than him! The beans on toast* he prepared were rubbish!' ... again, how can they be so certain? You don't get to taste the food! So why do people have such passionately strong opinions about which contestant should win on a cookery show?

Maybe at some point in the future technology will advance to such a stage that we're able to taste the meals contestants cook on cookery shows, and we'll be able to judge the best cook. However, as things stand we don't yet have that luxury, so why do viewers get so passionate about contestants on cookery shows? It doesn't make any sense.

I can understand viewers getting passionate over specific contrversial incidents such as when one contestant's ice cream melted due to the BBC allegedly having inadequate freezers and holding the bake off at the peak of summer in a stiflingly hot tent. But just generally backing one contestant over another seems a bit weird.

Anyway, that's enough of my reality TV ponderings for today. A new series of The Great British Bake Off starts this week, so if you want to have illogically strong opinions about food you've never even tasted, then tune in on Wednesday!

* Please note, actual dishes prepared on the show may vary from those featured in this blog post.

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