Great British Bake Off: Fans Furious Over Matt Lucas' Gluten-Free Comment

Bake Off is never afraid to try new things, and this week saw the quarter-finalists try ‘free from’ baking.

The signature, technical and showstopper challenges saw our bakers have to sculpt their creations without using dairy products or gluten.

However, some viewers were left less than impressed that before the showstopper challenge, host Matt Lucas made a tactless comment that being gluten-free was only a fashion choice for many people.

You can watch the video below.

Taking to Twitter, one disappointed viewer sniped: “Gluten-free isn't the 'vagaries and fripperies fashion', Coeliacs have no choice and any gluten makes us seriously ill, it can lead to stomach cancer among other things. It's certainly not for fashion Matt Lucas.”

While another wrote: “Coeliacs have to eat gluten-free out of medical necessity, not choice or fashion."

Channel 4)

“Coeliac disease is a part of life I accept,” a third person said. “I don’t want him to hear people say it’s a fad or choice.”

“Dairy free and gluten free aren't always choices, people have allergies, and if it is a choice, so what?! “ a fourth added, while a fifth said: “Talking about free from food on Bake Off like most people are *choosing* to be gluten free or dairy free when most of us have dietary requirements and don’t want to be sick of one kind or another.”

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It’s not the first controversy Bake Off has found itself in this season, with many fans left disappointed after judge Prue Leith repeatedly made references to food having to be “worth” the calories.

In one episode, we saw Prue tell a contestant their offering was "the most fattening bite you can imagine" in congratulating Amanda by promising her biscuit was "worth every calorie".

Channel 4)

And several of those watching at home took to social media to ask her to stop with the "damaging" rhetoric.

"Prue yet again talking about calories or baked goods being 'fattening' so unnecessary, boring and damaging, please for the love of baking make her stop #GBBO," wrote one.

While another concurred: "Please, Prue, stop going on about ‘fattening’ and ‘calories’. It’s a baking show, not a diet programme, and no-one expects cakes to be slimming. #GBBO".

The Great British Bake Off continues Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4.

Topics: Great British Bake Off, TV And Film, Channel 4

Kimberley Bond

Kim is a journalist at Tyla, and has previously worked at the Evening Standard, Radio Times as well as several national newspapers. A showbiz obsessive and a television fanatic, Kim is particularly interested in celebrity gossip, A-list events and the latest releases on either the big or small screen. Contact her at [email protected]

@0xKimberley