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Darren Purchese reveals why this season of The Great Australian Bake Off is tinged with sadness

'It's been bittersweet'
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In a world where the news seems endlessly grim, the time couldnโ€™t be better for a new season of The Great Australian Bake Off.  And this year is set to be a real โ€œdoozyโ€, judge Darren Purchese says.

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โ€œWeโ€™ve got a bunch of really diverse, enthusiastic and talented bakers,โ€ the Melbourne-based chef, 49, tells TV WEEK of the much-loved showโ€™s eighth season. โ€œThere are the usual themed weeks, but also some stuff weโ€™ve never done before โ€“ some spooky stuff, some spicy stuff. Itโ€™s going to be a whole lot of fun.โ€

Darren Purchese is a judge on The Great Australian Bake Off.
Darren Purchese is back as judge on The Great Australian Bake Off. (Credit: Foxtel)

In the industry for nearly three decades, Darren is a renowned pastry chef, best-selling cookbook author, a business owner and has appeared in several reality cooking shows such as MasterChef Australia and Dessert Masters.

But itโ€™s Bake Off he calls โ€œone of the best jobs Iโ€™ve ever hadโ€.

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โ€œIโ€™ve loved it forever,โ€ he says. โ€œAnd I particularly love the Aussie version, because, number one โ€“ itโ€™s not in a tent [the UK version is filmed in a marquee], weโ€™re in a shed โ€“ I think thatโ€™s pretty Aussie.

โ€œAnd the grounds we shoot on, anyone can walk up. We often have dog walkers popping in โ€“ normally [in other shows], the cameras would move away, but we just let it happen. So youโ€™ve got dogs coming in and birds flying around while the bakers are trying to do their showstopper [challenge]. Itโ€™s all quite organic. It has real heart and soul.โ€

Cal Wilson, Rachel Khoo and Darren Purchese on The Great Australian Bake Off.
From far left: the late Cal Wilson, Rachel Khoo and Darren Purchese on The Great Australian Bake Off. (Credit: Foxtel)

Darren admits a big part of the showโ€™s heart will be missing this year, with Cal Wilson getting to complete only half of filming of the season. The New Zealand stand-up comedian, author and radio and TV host died of cancer in October last year aged 53.

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โ€œWe [the core cast that includes fellow judge Rachel Khoo and host Natalie Tran] werenโ€™t aware of the extent of Calโ€™s illness, and were holding out hope sheโ€™d return, and get better, because we could see she was in pain,โ€ Darren says.

โ€œWe think about her every day; we love and miss her dearly. We hit it off from day one, and Cal really was the glue. She looked after us all, so it was tough not having that force in there.

โ€œShe was loveliest person. We shared a car to and from the set and became very close. Sheโ€™d give me tips about learning lines and tell me all about the world of entertainment, while Iโ€™d up her knowledge of food.โ€

Darren Purchese and Rachel Khoo on The Great Australian Bake Off.
Darren Purchese and Rachel Khoo judge contestantsโ€™ creations on The Great Australian Bake Off. (Credit: Foxtel)
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Darren says itโ€™ll be difficult to watch the season when it airs.

โ€œItโ€™s bittersweet anytime I see Cal [on TV],โ€ he says. โ€œIโ€™m not looking forward to seeing her last episode โ€“ I donโ€™t know if Iโ€™ll be able to do it. But, towards the end of the season, weโ€™re going to make sure we pay tribute to her unique sparkle and contribution to the show.โ€

The Great Australian Bake Off airs Wednesday, September 18, 8.30pm (AEST) on LifeStyle.

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