Beloved comfort show "Great British Bake Off" upset some fans after the show's presenters, Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas, appeared in ponchos and sombreros for the show's inaugural "Mexico week."
Fielding and Lucas even acknowledge that their "joke" may be inappropriate but do it anyway. Furthermore, a tweet from the show's official Twitter account highlights the moment.
"I don't feel like we should make Mexican jokes because people will get upset," Fielding says. "What, not even Juan?" Lucas replies, referring to how "Juan" sounds like "one."
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The episode, which aired on Oct. 4 in the U.K., had the bakers tackle conchas, a type of pan dulce, and a tres leches cake for the competition series.
The inspiration for "Mexico Week" reportedly came from Judge Paul Hollywood after his spinoff series, "Paul Hollywood Eats Mexico."
"Mexico is an amazing country, with amazing people and amazing food," Hollywood said on the show's website.
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The show's website cited the "hugely popular" TV series "Paul Hollywood Eats Japan," which also inspired a "Japan Week" on a past season of "Great British Bakeoff."
That episode also received criticisms from viewers with some taking issue with the fact that it appeared to lump all Asian food together as if Asians are all "one homogenous group."
y’all haven’t learned from japan week huh
— Naomi Ko (@konaomie) October 5, 2022
Yes, you have hit upon precisely what was missing from this charming show: racism.
— the queer opera zine (@opera_zine) October 5, 2022
To make matters worse, both Fielding and Lucas have performed in Blackface in the past.
Lucas even apologized for his Blackface sketches on "Little Britain," saying he and co-creator David Walliams "regret that we played characters of other races." Adding, "Once again, we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry."
Fielding appeared in black and white paint and dreadlocks on "The Mighty Boosh," and posed in black paint and a blonde wig as a Black Bjorn Borg.
NBC has reached out to Love Productions, the production company behind "Great British Bakeoff" for comment.
