The British television phenomenon, The Junior Baking Show, can now be seen in America!

A spinoff of the now-iconic Great British Bake Off, the Junior Bake Off can now be seen by American audiences under the title of The Junior Baking Show. If you haven’t already, subscribe to Netflix to watch Junior Bake Off. (It’s something you likely want to do anyway as it’s the only way to watch the original GBBO on our side of the pond.)

As an avid fan of the British original, I’m always skeptical of new versions. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Junior Baking Show, especially since it features an entirely new cast (no Paul Hollywood in this version). But, much to my delight, I enjoyed watching Junior Baking Show and found it as magical as its predecessor.

The Junior Baking Show debuted in 2011, but the show’s 7th season is the first available to American viewers. Produced by Love Productions, the same production company that has been behind the adult bake off since its inception, Junior Baking Show features kid bakers ranging in age from 9 to 12.

Unlike the Great British Baking Show that has competitors face off in three rounds (signature, technical and show stopper), the Junior version only requires bakers to compete with technical and showstopper challenges.

In another twist to the format we all know and love, junior bakers compete in two heats of 8. Four bakers are eliminated from each round over the course of five days of competition. The remaining four bakers from each round will come together to vie for the season title.

Hosted by English comedian Harry Hill and judged by Liam Charles (a competitor on the Great British Baking Show Series 8) and Ravneet Gill (British pastry chef and food columnist), Junior Baking Show season 6 actually aired a year ago in the UK. But, that doesn’t take away from the awesomeness of this series, especially if you avoid online spoilers.

Click HERE to watch Junior Bake Off on Netflix.

Conclusion….
Somehow Love Productions has managed to capture the charm and magic that the world loves about the Great British Baking Show and channeled it into the Junior Baking Show. It’s unexplainable really. While the original Baking Show has been recreated in numerous countries such as Ireland, Australia, Canada and the United States, none have seen the success of the British version. Is it perhaps because spinoffs have tried too hard to recreate the Great British Bake Off instead of making it unique to their own country? i.e. The Great American Baking Show films at the same location in the UK as the British Baking Show, and even shares British hosts. The results is a show that doesn’t come across as authentically American. I’m holding out for the day they move The Great American Baking Show to U.S. soil….but, wouldn’t be opposed to Paul Hollywood tagging along.