Great British Bake Off scores record ratings as 7.9million tune in for the opening episode

Great British Bake Off scores record ratings as 7.9million tune in for the opening episode of series 11 making it Channel 4’s most-watched show of 2020

Lockdown and Boris Johnson’s address to the nation delayed the start of Great British Bake Off’s series 11.

But it was worth the setbacks for Channel 4 as overnight ratings show the series opener which aired on Tuesday night scored record viewers for the broadcaster.

7.9 million viewers tuned in to see Matt Lucas’ first episode as the new co-host and 12 home bakers compete in the first drama-filled challenges.  

Ready, set, bake! Lockdown delayed the start of Great British Bake Off’s series 11 but it was worth the setbacks for Channel 4 as ratings show the series opener scored record ratings

The show marked the biggest Great British Bake Off launch Channel 4 has ever seen, since it started airing the show in 2017, following the show’s seven years at the BBC.

Tuesday night’s series premiere beat last year’s opening episode by a huge 1.3 million viewers, and surpassed the broadcaster’s first ever episode in 2017 by 500,000.

The peak of 7.9 million (average audience 6.9 million) marks Channel 4’s biggest broadcast of 2020 to date and the channel’s highest rating broadcast since the series nine final of Bake Off in 2018.

The start of Tuesday night’s show was delayed by 15 minutes to make room for Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address at 8pm, which three million people tuned in for on Channel 4. 

He's a hit! 7.9 million viewers tuned in to see Matt Lucas' first episode as the new co-host and 12 home bakers compete in the first drama-filled challenges

He’s a hit! 7.9 million viewers tuned in to see Matt Lucas’ first episode as the new co-host and 12 home bakers compete in the first drama-filled challenges

Bake Off played up to the schedule clash, opening the episode with new presenter Matt Lucas impersonating a bumbling Boris who urged viewers to ‘Stay Alert, Protect Cake and Save Loaves.’

The series had already seen it’s start date pushed back by a month from its usual late August slot after filming was delayed by lockdown.

The production worked to ensure COVID-19 restrictions would not impact the close-knit nature of the show. 

Light-hearted relief: Bake Off opened with Matt impersonating a bumbling Boris who urged viewers to 'Stay Alert, Protect Cake and Save Loaves'

Light-hearted relief: Bake Off opened with Matt impersonating a bumbling Boris who urged viewers to ‘Stay Alert, Protect Cake and Save Loaves’

All 12 bakers, presenters Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding, judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood along with the entire crew lived together in an isolation bubble for six weeks in order to film. 

The production took over luxury hotel Down Hall in Hertfordshire with all cast and crew living together on site for the duration of the shoot, undergoing regular testing and requring them to live away from their families.

This allowed the bakers and the judges and presenters to forgo social distancing in the famous tent. 

Happy to be back: The production worked to ensure COVID-19 restrictions would not impact the close-knit nature of the show

Happy to be back: The production worked to ensure COVID-19 restrictions would not impact the close-knit nature of the show

Cake-gate: The opening episode provided plenty of drama when it eventually got underway, with the stand-out moment coming during the Technical Challenge

Cake-gate: The opening episode provided plenty of drama when it eventually got underway, with the stand-out moment coming during the Technical Challenge

Wow! Elsewhere, in the Showstopper challenge the 12 home-bakers were tasked with replicating a bust of their heroes in sponge cake - including a  jaw-dropping Marie Antoinette

Wow! Elsewhere, in the Showstopper challenge the 12 home-bakers were tasked with replicating a bust of their heroes in sponge cake – including a  jaw-dropping Marie Antoinette

The opening episode provided plenty of drama when it eventually got underway, with the stand-out moment coming during the Technical Challenge.

Baker Sura accidentally knocked Dave’s pineapple upside-down cakes onto the floor while attempting to shoo away a fly, leading to plenty of tears.

Elsewhere, in the Showstopper challenge the 12 home-bakers were tasked with replicating a bust of their heroes in sponge cake, leading to a collapsing Freddie Mercury and a jaw-dropping Marie Antoinette.

In the end Durham-based radiographer Loriea was sent home after failing to impress Paul and Prue with her overly-flavoured bakes.

Great British Bake Off continues on Channel 4 on Tuesday nights at 8pm. 

End of the road: In the end Durham-based radiographer Loriea was sent home after failing to impress Paul and Prue with her overly-flavoured bakes

End of the road: In the end Durham-based radiographer Loriea was sent home after failing to impress Paul and Prue with her overly-flavoured bakes