Great British Bake Off 2016: BBC digitally alter icing colours following controversy

Viewers were furious 'gender-stereotypical' colours were used in promotional images

Female bakers were given pink icing to whisk and male bakers blue icing in the new promo shots (BBC)

Following outrage over icing colour in the latest Great British Bake-Off press photos, the BBC appears to be changing its promotional strategy by digitally altering the colour of contestants’ icing.

After the initial photos were released, fans of the hugely popular baking show were quick to notice the “backward” use of the colours in the photos, with many taking to social media to voice their disappointment that men were whisking blue icing while women were whisking pink.

The new promotional images have contestants mixing icing of various colours, inching yellow and green.

The new, non-gendered icing on Bake Off (BBC)

This year’s Great British Bake Off looks set to be more intense than ever, with judge Mary Berry revealing that the new bakers did not bond as quickly as they have done in past series.

“They know the standard that it is, which is now pretty high, and I think they were slower to bond this year than they were in the past,” said the 81-year-old, with her co-judge Paul Hollywood adding that previous winner Nadiya Hussain’s success has “put the pressure on them more”.

“They started quite nervously but once they settled down they got into it. Then the baking started to flow and the standard got really really good,” he said.

The Great British Bake Off returns on 24 August at 8pm on BBC One with presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins back for more innuendo-laden fun.