Plot Synopsis

Each one-hour episode of this series features three challenges: the Signature Bake, with the chefs showcasing their own recipes; the Technical Bake, including a surprise recipe that is sometimes incomplete, during which the bakers must demonstrate precision and technique; and the Showstopper Bake, which forces the chefs to bake and decorate while focusing on flavors. Plus, each episode has its own theme: cookies, cakes, pastries and more.

After its holiday-themed first season and airing as THE GREAT HOLIDAY BAKING SHOW, the series returned for its second season with a new title, THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW, losing the holiday theme but still debuting between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Beginning with the fourth season, the series title changed to THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW: HOLIDAY EDITION.

Hosted by Nia Vardalos and her husband Ian Gomez, Season 1 featured six of the nation's best amateur bakers as they compete in a series of themed challenges and eliminations all hoping to be crowned Holiday Baking Champion. During the competition, Johnny Iuzzini joins England's "Royal Queen of Baking" Mary Berry, as they judge the decadent fare these bakers create as they throw down their best culinary skills. Season 1 bakers were: Ainslie Forsum (Los Angeles, CA); Eddie Downs (Chicago, IL); Grace Langan (Staten Island, NY); Lauren Katz (Ashburn, VA); Nicole Silva (Hampton, GA); and Tim Samson (Wildwood, NJ).

The sophomore season of THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW premiered on Thursday, December 1, 2016 from 9-11pm ET/PT, as ABC debuted back-to-back new episodes. For the new season, Nia Vardalos and husband Ian Gomez returned as hosts, while pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini is once again joined by Mary Berry to judge the competition. Season 2 bakers include: Amanda Faber (Atlanta, GA); Antoinette Love (Charlotte, NC); Ashlyn Morgan (Englewood, TN); Courtney Carey (Harlem, NY (Jennie Dembowski (Chicago, IL); Jeremiah Bills (Sacramento, CA); Michael Wolfe (Brooklyn, NY); Nancy Judd (Alpine, UT); Prachi Chaudhari (South Plainfield, NJ); Stephanie Chen (Los Angeles, CA). For premiere night: Hour one (9pm) has cake as its theme. For their very first Signature Bake, the bakers are tasked with making bundt cakes inspired by winter flavors. Next up, a Technical Challenge of Mary Berry's recipe for apple almond cake. And lastly, The Showstopper Bake has these bakers constructing fantastical multi-tiered holiday celebration cakes. The theme for hour two (10pm) is cookies. In their Signature Challenge, the bakers tackle bar cookies, showcasing everything from compotes to crumbles. In the Technical, Johnny challenges the bakers with a cookie that must be baked twice -- biscotti. Then, in the Showstopper Bake, the bakers build elaborate 3D Iced Cookie Scenes.

Season 3 of THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW premiered on Thursday, December 7, 2017 from 9-11pm ET/PT on ABC, with Ayesha Curry and Anthony 'Spice' Adams hosting. James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini returned with best-selling cookbook author and baker Paul Hollywood as judges. The new season featured bakers from across the country battling through 18 total challenges with six challenges throughout each two-hour themed episode, all in the hopes of being crowned "America's Best Amateur Baker." Bakers for Season 3 include: Molly Brodak (Atlanta, GA); Nick Bryan (Los Angeles, CA); Hector De Haro (Glendale, CA); JC Greg (Kansas City, MO); Vallery Lomas (New York, NY); Antwine Love (Charlotte, NC); Cindy Malinak (Medway, MA); Bryan McKinnon (Alpine, UT); Jessie Salzbrun (Cincinnati, OH); and Kyle Schnippel (Cincinnati, OH).

THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW returned for its fourth season on Thursday, December 6, 2018 from 9-11pm ET/PT on ABC with a new title -- THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW: HOLIDAY EDITION. The new season features a new host, Emma Bunton, who joins returning host Anthony 'Spice' Adams. Veteran judge Paul Hollywood returns for a second season, and he's joined by a new judge: three-time James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Sherry Yard. Season 4 bakers include: Jason Arthur (Brooklyn, NY), John Blaney (Paso Robles, CA), Jill Campbell (Sacramento, CA), Destane Harris (Blue Island, IL), Jiwandeep Kohli (San Diego, CA), Andrea Maranville (Sherrill, NY), Amanda Nguyen (Tahoe City, CA), Cheryl Norris (Portland, OR), Chris Tucker (San Pedro, CA), and Tina Zaccardi (Eastchester, NY). ABC debuted three, two-hour installments of THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW: HOLIDAY EDITION on consecutive Thursdays from 9-11pm, beginning December 6.

Season 5 of THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW: HOLIDAY EDITION premiered on Thursday, December 12, 2019 from 9-11pm ET/PT on ABC, with Emma Bunton, Anthony 'Spice' Adams, Sherry Yard and Paul Hollywood all returning. This season's bakers include: Dana Commandatore (Los Angeles, CA); Brother Andrew Corriente (Washington, DC); Sarita Gelner (St. Louis, MO); Bianca Jackson (Seattle, WA); Carlos Marquina (Ontario, CA); Sally Newton (Manhattan, KS); Tanya Ott (Bethalto, IL); Helen Pantazis (St. Louis, MO); Marissa Troeschel (Portland, OR); and Alex Willis (Los Angeles, CA). In the season opener, "Cake and Bread Week," on your marks, get set, bake! Cake and bread are on the menu when 10 aspiring bakers from around the country step into the famous white tent to tackle the challenges of cake and bread.

On Friday, December 2, 2022, The Roku Channel released "Celebrity Holiday," a GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW holiday special. Six celebrities, three holiday-themed challenges and Baking Show judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith in the iconic tent. Will these celebs do enough to impress...and avoid setting fire to the tent? Co-hosted by Ellie Kemper and Zach Cherry. The six celebrities are: Marshawn Lynch, D'Arcy Carden, Joel Kim Booster, Chloe Fineman, Liza Koshy, and Nat Faxon.

For its sixth season, THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW moved to The Roku Channel, which released all six episodes of the new season on Friday, May 5, 2023, featuring hosts Ellie Kemper and Zach Cherry, as well as judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. In Season 6, nine of the best amateur bakers in America meet in the iconic baking show tent! The season opens with Cookie Week, where bakers have their first chance to make their mark in the tent -- unless their cookies crumble!
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The Roku Channel released a new "Celebrity Holiday" special on Friday, November 10, 2023. Co-hosts Casey Wilson and Zach Cherry take audiences into in the iconic tent for a spectacular, celebrity-filled holiday special. Six celebrity bakers put on their aprons, turn on their ovens, and fire up a holiday storm. They whisk, bake, and fake their way to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith and compete for the coveted cake stand and Star Baker crown. The six celebrity bakers are: Arturo Castro, DeAndre Jordan, Ego Nwodim, Heather McMahan,
Joel McHale and Phoebe Robinson.