This first show uncovers that Queen Victoria is responsible for Britain's wedding cake tradition, that the Puritans tried to ban cake because it was too pleasurable, and that cake baking contributed to women's liberation. The ten bakers tackle three increasingly difficult challenges as their cake-making ability is tested. They start with their signature bake – the cake they love that says something about them. Next up is the technical challenge – a blind recipe for Victoria sandwich that delivers drastically different results. Finally they tackle the ingredient even professionals fear – chocolate. Whose chocolate celebration cake will win the day? And which two bakers will leave the show at the end?

Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins take the eight passionate home bakers who made it through the first round to Scone Palace near Perth to make biscuits and teatime treats. Judging their efforts are renowned baking writer Mary Berry and master baker Paul Hollywood. Over two days the home bakers are set three increasingly difficult challenges as they bake their signature biscuits, attempt many a baker's nemesis – scones – and finally a tower of petit fours with meringues, choux pastry and macaroons. As the bakers battle it out, Mel and Sue find out how the digestive became Britain's favourite biscuit; ask what's so Scottish about shortbread and discover why Sir Ranulph Fiennes has the world's most expensive biscuit. Which of the eight bakers will wow the judges with their originality and skill? And which two bakers will fail to make it through to the next round?

It is week three of the competition and the six remaining bakers are making bread in Kent. If they found cakes and biscuits challenging, it’s bread that’s considered the real test of a baker’s mettle. In the shadow of Sarre Windmill, the bakers will be kneading, proving and knocking back their dough under the watchful eye of baking writer Mary Berry and master baker Paul Hollywood. And as they battle it out to produce the perfect loaf, Mel and Sue will be tasting Britain’s earliest bread roll, finding out what happened to bread during the Industrial Revolution and relating the hidden history of the sandwich. Making bread is an ancient skill. Which of the bakers will best cope with the pressure and who will be the one who has to leave the Bake Off?

It’s week four of and the remaining five bakers have travelled to Bakewell in Derbyshire. This time the bakers are reinventing an often neglected British classic – the pudding. There will be sticky toffee puds, peach and blueberry "boy-bait", rhubarb and orange betty and a cherry queen of puddings. But the surprise bake set by judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry really tests the baker’s ability to cope with the pressure. Will the bakers rise to the occasion? As the puds go in the oven, Mel and Sue roam the country finding out how and why puddings changed from ‘meat’ to ‘sweet’, visiting the birthplace of school puddings and discovering how puddings helped change Britain’s image overseas.

It’s the penultimate round and as the travelling marquee pitches up in the Cornish village of Mousehole, it’s time for the bakers to get to grips with the most difficult of all baking skills – pastry. They bake their own versions of hearty British pies, get down to details with exquisite pastry canapés, and take a crash-course in crimping for this week’s surprise bake. While they’re rubbing-in and rolling-out, Mel and Sue will be finding out that Britain’s earliest pies really were humble, how pastry became an art form and how pies used to have a more sinister side. Then judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood will decide who will be the final three to go through to the final.

It's the Grand Final and the last three surviving contestants face their biggest challenge yet - baking for the Bake Off's Afternoon Tea Party. In order to be crowned the victor, they will need to bring together all of their skills, making cakes, bread and pastry.

For their first challenge, the bakers were asked to bake 24 cupcakes in two hours. They were allowed to make two different types of cupcakes. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to bake a Coffee and Walnut Battenburg cake using Mary Berry's recipe in two hours. The cake needed to have the perfect sponge which held its form (perfect symmetry), distinguish flavours, and a smooth exterior. For the showstopper, the bakers were asked to bake a chocolate tiered celebration cake with elaborate, multi-layer design in five hours.

The second round of The Great British Bake Off, hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, continues in the search for Britain's best amateur baker. Eleven bakers remain and this time their pastry skills are scrutinised as the bakers tackle tarts. Over two days the bakers will face three increasingly complicated challenges whilst trying to avoid a soggy bottom. Judged by acclaimed master baker Paul Hollywood and legendary cookery writer and baker Mary Berry, the bakers start with a signature bake: a quiche that says something about them. Next is the dreaded technical challenge where they are faced with baking a classic tarte au citron. Finally, our bakers have to deliver in bulk as they are asked to deliver 24 show-stopping sweet miniature tarts. The pressure of pastry proves too much for some. Who will be named Star Baker and whose Bake Off journey will be over?

The contestants start this week with the signature bake, a free-form flavoured loaf that produces a variety of interesting results, including a combination of chocolate and onion. Next is the technical challenge - focaccia - that really separates the wheat from the chaff. Finally, a mammoth six-hour hour challenge requires the bakers to create a display bread basket that is filled with 24 bread rolls.

The search for Britain's best amateur baker, with Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, is now haf-way through. The bakers take on biscuits and these bite-sized, delicate delights prove too much for some. As always starting with the signature bake, the remaining eight must impress legendary cookery writer Mary Berry and artisan baker Paul Hollywood with their interpretation of a classic biscuit. Who will crumble when it comes to judging and whose ginger nuts are too hot to handle? Next up, the technical challenge, where following a Mary Berry recipe is not as simple as it would seem for our bakers, who start feeling the pressure when faced with brandy snaps. Finally, the toughest showstopper challenge yet as they attempt to bake and present a macaroon display that must taste as good as it looks. With five hours on the clock, every second counts. This is the last chance to impress the judges before someone's dream of becoming Britain's best amateur baker is over.

The search for Britain's best amateur baker, with Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, reaches the fifth round and everyone is out to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom as the seven remaining bakers face pies. The marquee is soon filled with the delicious aroma of fresh baking as the signature challenge has the bakers doing all they can to impress acclaimed master baker Paul Hollywood and legendary cookery writer and baker Mary Berry with their signature family pie. Topping their pie with either flaky or rough puff pastry, some decide to play it safe whilst others get more experimental. Next is the dreaded technical challenge where for lifelong vegetarian Jason delivering six individual, beautifully baked and seasoned pork pies to the judging table proves problematic. Finally, there is a sweet showstopper challenge in the shape of a meringue pie. The judges' expectations are high with hopes of crisp pastry bases and delicious custard and fruit fillings topped with a perfect meringue.

The all-lady quarter-final of The Great British Bake Off, hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. The remaining five have to impress with their dessert skills. As usual starting with the signature bake, the exacting judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood are expecting to see and taste baked cheesecakes that reach their high expectations. Next is the technical challenge and the bete noir of most bakers, a chocolate roulade. Finally, the spectacular showstopper that requires the bakers to impress with hundreds of choux pastry profiteroles that must be perfectly baked, filled and then assembled into a croquembouche. This king of desserts is traditionally served at French weddings and Mary and Paul expect to see an impressive tower of choux pastry buns with superb flavoured fillings and held together with hardened caramel. Who will have what it takes to book a place in the semi-finals?

Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins host the semi-final. After seven weeks of gruelling challenges, the four remaining bakers must prove they are worth a place in the final. To begin, the signature challenge requires them to make a baked, layered, mousse cake, and the standards are high as Mary-Anne again attempts something different with a joconde sponge and decor paste. As usual, judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood set the tasks. This week's technical challenge is Paul's favourite sweet treat - iced fingers. Finally, for the showstopper, the bakers have to make a labour-intensive and technically demanding layered or laminated pastry dough to produce a batch of three different types of pastries or croissants. With a place in the final within their grasp, the bakers know they have to deliver their very best to the judging table every time.

It’s the grand final for the contestants and after seven tough weeks the three finalists face their biggest challenge yet – baking for The Great British Bake Off’s street party. They will be baking for judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, but also friends, family and former Bake Off contestants. Our finalists will reach new height of baking. They will be making a selection of petits fours and puff pastry, a first for The Great British Bake Off. They also be baking mille-feuille, mini Victoria sponges, strawberry and cream meringue nests and miniature strawberry and rhubarb cheesecakes. Who will be crowned as Britain’s best amateur baker on Great British Bake Off 2011? If sonly it could be all of of them…

The ultimate baking masterclass with The Great British Bake Off judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. For the first time ever, Mary and Paul get behind the workstations and bake. Revisiting the technical challenges from the series, this programme, in a step-by-step guide, demonstrates all tips and tricks you need to know at home to get a perfect result every time. First in a two-part series, this programme features how to bake Mary's take on a traditional British cake - a coffee and walnut Battenberg, her classic tarte au citron with a deliciously sharp lemon filling, Paul's traditional Italian flatbread, focaccia and Mary's brandy snaps.

The ultimate baking masterclass with The Great British Bake Off judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. Mary and Paul get behind the workstations and bake. The programme revisits the technical challenges from the series as Mary and Paul guide you through challenges faced by the bakers in this year's Bake Off. In a step-by-step guide they demonstrate all tips and secrets you need at home get achieve a perfect bake every time. The masterclass features Paul's luxury pork pies, filled with the perfect combination of pork loin and a quail's egg, and Mary's chocolate roulade recipe where Mary will show you how to get the perfect roll every time. Plus Paul's traditional iced fingers and Mary's sachertorte.

In 2010, talented baking enthusiasts from all over Britain came together to compete in the first ever Great British Bake Off. Over six challenging weeks 10 bakers battled it out until finally a winner was crowned. One year later, this programme reflects on the highlights from series one. Catching up with the bakers to hear the highs and lows of their journey, where they are now and how The Great British Bake Off changed their lives. With judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, who give their own personal accounts and memories from the series.

The baking challenge is back, welcoming the tent's youngest-ever baker and the oldest.

The remaining 11 bakers are challenged to create three-dimensional biscuit scenes.

In week three, the remaining ten bakers get ready to brave bread.

As week four begins, the bakers must multitask across several baking skills at once.

Almost half way through the Bake Off and the remaining bakers are facing pies and tarts.

Past halfway in their baking marathon and the remaining six bakers face three European cakes. For their signature challenge the bakers are asked to bake yeast-leavened cakes; a tricky cross between cake and bread that sees some of the bakers opting out of Europe... Mary sets the bakers their most demanding technical challenge yet in which they must make a Swedish princess torte. With 24 different stages and only two-and-a-quarter hours to do it in, the bakers have their work cut out for them, while Sue explores the events that led to the huge array of Danish cakes and pastries in the Danish cake table tradition. And finally, a showstopping finale that puts the hungry into Hungary... The bakers must make their own contemporary version of the dobos torte. Traditionally a multi-layered Hungarian cake, the bakers must go one step further and make a two-tiered dobos torte with an emphasis on all things caramel in every way they can imagine... but whose Bake Off will come to a sweet but sticky end? On your marks, get set... bake!

Presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins set the remaining contestants three tasks involving pastry, beginning by asking them to make signature savoury parcels. For the technical challenge, they must prepare a cake that hails from the Brittany region of France - the kouign amann, which none of the bakers has ever heard of - before creating two different types of eclair in the showstopper round. Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood judge the hopefuls' efforts before deciding who is star baker and who is going home.

The nation's favourite baking contest is about to get a whole lot hotter in the kitchen, as it reaches the quarter-final stage, and just five amateur bakers remain. They've all impressed to various extents during Bread Week - at least sufficiently to make it through - but now their skills are thoroughly tested as they take on enriched doughs. They have a signature bake in which they must work with soft dough to create artful works, a technical that sees them recreate an Eastern European cross between bread and pastry, and a showstopper involving doughnuts.