Bake Off viewers left divided by major format shake up as fans moan "don't change it"

Viewers tuning in to The Great British Bake Off were torn on Tuesday evening as the Channel 4 switched up the format.

In a Bake Off first, Audience Choice Week was introduced as fans at home got to pick the challenges, which included a Technical Challenge where the contestants got to make whatever they wanted.

Following Danni's exit last week, the first challenge of the episode saw the bakers joined by their relatives in the infamous tent as they were tasked with making an "exquisite cheesecake".

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Moyin, who received a handshake from judge Paul Hollywood, was joined by his mother while various contestants were joined by their romantic partners - but some viewers at home didn't see the point of the twist.

"Bake off - No no no and no stop pratting about with the format. It has worked for years so don’t change it!" one person wrote.

Meanwhile, another said: "Really not a fan of this #GBBO family and friends task. The Great British Bake Off is about finding the best baker, not the best family unit."

And a third viewer suggested: "IMO this would’ve been better later in the season when there’s less bakers and we know/care about them more."

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However, others were fans of the challenge as one posted: "Aww having their families come in to help them bake was so flipping wholesome, loved that."

Another person said: "a lot of people don't like change so they won't like this challenge which is completely fair BUT that being said i think this challenge is a good idea in theory because if you opened a business you would be working with others."

Another change to this year's series is a new judge in the form of Nigella Lawson, who has been impressing viewers with her showstopping style.

The Great British Bake Off airs Tuesdays on Channel 4 at 8:00pm.

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Kirsty is a freelance writer and editor specialising in all things entertainment. Over the past 16 years, she has worked on showbiz desks at various national newspaper websites in London, including Express.co.uk, The Sun, and MailOnline.

More recently, she spent three years living in New York City writing celebrity and lifestyle news for DailyMail.com, The Mirror US, and Daily Express US. Kirsty graduated from Southampton Solent with a BA in Magazine Journalism and Feature Writing. When she's not watching reruns of Sex and the City, you'll find her listening to David Bowie and daydreaming about an espresso martini.