The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show

Canadian television series For the season that is currently airing, see The Great Canadian Baking Show season 9. The Great Canadian Baking ShowGenreReality TV, Baking competitionPresented byDan LevyJulia ChanAurora BrowneCarolyn TaylorAlan Shane LewisAnn PornelJudgesBruno FeldeisenRochelle AdonisKyla KennaleyNarrated byJulia ChanAurora BrowneCarolyn TaylorAnn PornelAlan Shane LewisCountry of originCanadaOriginal languageEnglishNo. of seasons8No. of episodes51 (including specials)ProductionExecutive producerCathie JamesProducersMarike Emery Mark Van de VenProduction companiesProper TelevisionLove ProductionsOriginal releaseNetworkCBC TelevisionReleaseNovember 1, 2017 (2017-11-01) –presentRelatedRaufikat's Better Bake Along (CBC Gem) The Great Canadian Baking Show is a Canadian cooking competition television series which premiered on CBC Television on November 1, 2017. It is an adaptation of the UK series The Great British Bake Off, which is aired in Canada under the title The Great British Baking Show. For its first two seasons, the show was hosted by Dan Levy and Julia Chan, with French-born Canadian chef Bruno Feldeisen and Canadian-Australian pastry chef Rochelle Adonis as judges. The third season was hosted by Aurora Browne and Carolyn Taylor, comedians and actors of Baroness von Sketch Show fame, with Feldeisen returning as a judge joined by Canadian chef Kyla Kennaley. From the fourth season onwards, it was hosted by comedians and Second City alumni Ann Pornel and Alan Shane Lewis.

[edit] Each season of the show features 10 amateur baking contestants selected from across Canada to participate in a competition of themed baking challenges. Adapted from The Great British Bake Off, each episode features three rounds: the Signature Bake, the Technical Challenge, and the Showstopper. After the two judges taste and critique the entries, they determine which contestant is crowned each week's "Star Baker" and which contestant will be sent home. In each season finale, the final three bakers compete to be named the winner of The Great Canadian Baking Show and take home the GCBS cake stand.

[edit] Produced by Proper Television in association with the CBC and Love Productions, the show is filmed on the grounds of the Canadian Film Centre in Toronto during mid-summer, then premiered in November for season 1, and September for seasons 2 and 3, on CBC. The executive producer is Cathie James, and the series producers are Marike Emery (seasons 1 through 4) and Mark Ven de Ven (season 5). Levy, a self-proclaimed "huge fan" of the British series upon which the show is based, stated that he "actively pursued" the hosting role for the premiere season. CBC Television announced on February 7, 2018 that the series was renewed for a second season, and all hosts and judges would be returning. The series was renewed for a third season in 2019 with judge Bruno Feldeisen being joined by new judge Kyla Kennaley and new hosts Aurora Browne and Carolyn Taylor. The series was renewed for a fourth season due to air in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production was delayed and the season aired in early 2021, with new hosts Alan Shane Lewis and Ann Pornel. The fifth season aired in 2021 with the same hosts and judges.

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Hosts/Judges

Season

1

2

3

Holiday

4

5

Holiday

6

Holiday

7

Holiday

8

9

Current

Bruno Feldeisen

Judge

Kyla Kennaley

Judge

Alan Shane Lewis

Host

Ann Pornel

Host

Former

Dan Levy

Host

Julia Chan

Host

Rochelle Adonis

Judge

Aurora Browne

Host

Carolyn Taylor

Host

[edit] John Doyle, reviewing the first episode for The Globe and Mail, called the show boring and said that it lacked "the major ingredients of eccentric flair and idiosyncratic contestants [of the original]." Doyle's criticism of host Dan Levy's "feyness" in the review was called homophobic by Levy and others. Eater Montreal writer Tim Forster said the show's first episode is "like somebody left the sugar out of the recipe: it looks right, but the flavour is kind of bland" due to a lack of focus on the contestants' stories, which he primarily attributed to poor editing and a rushed pace due to a shorter running time than the British series. Joanna Schneller called the judging by Bruno Feldeisen and Rochelle Adonis "consistently dull" in a review of the second episode for the Toronto Star. She suggested that, like the judges in the original series, they should be instructing on the significance of dishes as well as judging. Greg David of TV, eh? called the show "unapologetically entertaining" and "a calming oasis amid the noisy negativity we're besieged with," specifically praising the chemistry of hosts Levy and Chan. Katherine DeClerq, reviewing the final episode in Women's Post, said she was "pleasantly surprised" by the series and "while the dry humour could be a bit dryer and the puns slightly less cheesy, I have to say I am in love with The Great Canadian Baking Show."

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Season

Episodes

Premiere

Finale

Runners-up

Winner

Average viewers(millions)

1

8

November 1, 2017 (2017-11-01)

December 20, 2017 (2017-12-20)

Linda Longson

Sabrina Degni

1.4

Vandana Jain

2

September 19, 2018 (2018-09-19)

November 17, 2018 (2018-11-17)

Sachin Seth

Andrei Godoroja

1.4

Megan Stasiewich

3

September 18, 2019 (2019-09-18)

November 6, 2019 (2019-11-06)

Colin Asuncion

Nataliia Shevchenko

1.2

Jodi Robson

Holiday (2019)

1

November 13, 2019 (2019-11-13)

When the first episode aired in November 2017, the timing was perfect for families settling in for colder evenings. The series blends the comforting ritual of home‑baking with a light‑hearted competition, giving viewers a cosy, low‑stress alternative to the frantic holiday shopping rush. Its focus on classic treats—fruitcake, mince pies, yule log—means each episode naturally slots into Christmas planning, sparking ideas for tinsel‑topped desserts and giving non‑bakers a gentle nudge to try something new. Over eight seasons the hosts’ witty banter and the judges’ constructive feedback have turned the show into a seasonal reference point, so many households now schedule a viewing night around the same time each December, making it as much a part of the festivities as the Christmas crackers themselves.

Treat the programme as a live tutorial rather than just entertainment. Before you hit play, stock a basic pantry: plain flour, butter, brown sugar, dried fruit and a good quality baking powder. Keep a notebook handy to jot down any technique that catches your eye—whether it’s the precise way a judge folds a batter or a host’s tip on greasing a tin. Turn each challenge into a mini‑project: bake the featured treat, then let guests taste and compare. If you’re short on time, pick a single bake from the episode and prepare it together after the show ends. The shared experience of trying a recipe seen on screen adds a communal, festive flavour that makes the holiday season feel more interactive.

Many assume the series is solely about sugary pastries, but the challenges often showcase savoury baked goods and breads that are integral to Canadian holiday spreads. From cheese‑filled biscuits to spiced rye loaves, the programme subtly promotes the full range of baked fare that graces festive tables. This broader approach reflects Canada’s multicultural palate and encourages viewers to think beyond the typical Christmas pudding. By embracing these diverse recipes, home cooks can expand their holiday menu, offering guests a richer tasting experience that highlights the season’s inclusive spirit.