Mayhem ensues on ‘The Great British Baking Show’ as Paul Hollywood compels the winner to “roll down the hill”

The 2024 season of The Great British Baking Show, known as Collection 14 on Netflix, concluded with a fittingly chaotic twist. Following the traditional awarding of the ceremonial cakestand to one baker, Paul Hollywood surprised everyone by making them roll down a hill. This unexpected event added to the season’s already existing drama, including incidents of theft, mishaps, contestants quitting, and constant antics. So, it was only appropriate that the underdog victor would end up rolling down a hill as the final spectacle of the season.

**Spoilers for The Great British Baking Show 2024 finale, now streaming on Netflix**

This season of The Great British Baking Show embraced its wild side, reaching a climax when Paul Hollywood playfully called out Georgie Grasso, the ultimate winner, for a humorous remark she made during the grand finale.

Earlier in the episode, Paul himself pointed out to Georgie that she still had a chance to win the whole thing. How would she feel if that happened?

“I’d fall to the floor,” she replied, “and roll down the hill.”

Prue Leith merely chuckles, but Paul says, “You better do that. I want to see that.” And eventually Paul got his wish!

Georgie Grasso clinched the victory on The Great British Baking Show with her stunning Showstopper cake. Her hanging cake inspired by a summer garden not only displayed her impeccable decorating skills but also highlighted her mastery as a classical baker. While Christiaan de Vries faltered with overly ambitious flavor combinations and Dylan Bachelet struggled in real-time, Georgie shone by presenting her finest work in the decisive moment. Her win was well-deserved and a testament to her baking prowess.

It was honestly so touching to see the way the final three bakers rallied around each other this season. Both Christiaan and Dylan seemed honestly proud of Georgie, with Dylan paying homage to that incredible cake. After being pummeled with love by her fellow bakers, husband, and children, Georgie only had one thing left to do. That was roll down a hill.

Paul pulls Georgie from the crowd and says, “Come on! Come on! You promised me you’d roll down the hill. Remember?” He leads her past the crowd of picnickers and beyond the ornate carousel that’s been erected outside the tent. They pause at a little ridge, where Georgie lays down, preparing for her roll. (Thankfully Paul held on to her cake stand — like, I was a tad bit worried about the glass breaking.)

“Go on, then! Go on, then!” Paul urges, using the cake stand like a conductor’s baton. A giggling Georgie begins to roll and then falls out of sight. She has rolled down a hill.

Paul laughs heartily and walks away, leaving The Great British Baking Show winner to seemingly prop herself up.

Of course, there was still slightly more Great British Baking Show after that. We got a beautiful montage updating us on where all the bakers are now. Naturally, they’re still besties, with Andy and Nelly holidaying together and Mike hosting a reunion at his farm. The final shot of the series is technically an in memoriam for 2022 baker Dawn Hollyoak-Bailey, who passed earlier this year. But when it comes to the narrative of the show, the last shot we are left with is a baker stuck in a lurch after rolling down a hill.

While last season was a quiet return to The Great British Baking Show‘s basics, this season often felt like being caught in a whirlwind. This batch of bakers happily played along with Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond’s antics, emphasis on the word “played.” Even as I sometimes found the mania unfolding to be a bit too sensational for a such lowkey franchise like “Bake Off,” I couldn’t help but laugh along. This cast of bakers truly embraced the fun and it made the season shine ever so brighter for me.

The bakers embraced the fun by chasing the laughter and, even, it seems, by rolling down hills.