Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith: We’ve got a bone to pick with you two. Sit down. Grab a biscuit and some tea. We need to talk about Sandro.
Right off the bat, we all knew Sandro would be one of the season’s favorites. Along with darling Syabira and perfect Janusz, Sandro is the perfect Great British Baking Show contestant to really put a spell on viewers. He’s a gym bro. He’s hot. He’s funny. And, to top it all off, he’s a damn good baker.
Now, to get on The Great British Baking Show, you’ve obviously got to be a great baker. But Sandro is really fantastic at the art of baking. He’s creative, he’s fast, he’s accurate, and (most importantly, in my book) he’s clean. He doesn’t leave a messy station, and his bakes always look prim and proper. They’re not melting all over the place.
The one problem with Sandro? He’s not getting any love from the judges. Prue and Paul have their eyes on other contestants, and it’s starting to get pretty infuriating.
Along with Syabira—whose biscuit week feathers were some of the best creations I’ve ever seen on the show—Sandro has consistently been one of the top bakers. But so far this season, he still hasn’t won. His mango madness mini sandwich cakes bowled the judges over in the very first bake; right after, he placed second in the technical challenge, and he didn’t take star baker of the week. It’s wild!
Though he was still fantastic in the second week, he wasn’t quite as much of a stand-out competitor as he was in the first. But in this last episode, bread week, Sandro deserved much more fanfare. Janusz walked away with star baker yet again. But Sandro should’ve earned the vaunted Paul Hollywood handshake for his sweet and spicy barbecue pizza—he made pineapple on pizza look quite appetizing, even for folks who don’t appreciate the topping.
Other folks, like Maxy and Dawn, have already gotten Paul Hollywood handshakes, but Sandro is still waiting for any recognition for his hard work. Luckily, fans of the show have taken a liking to the contestant, showering him with praise and memes on Twitter. At least he’s getting something, even if it’s neither star baker nor handshakes.
Though he might seem like the typical gym-loving himbro, Sandro is clearly more than that. First of all, he’s a baker. Second of all, he’s a great reality TV personality. Sandro loves to do little bits with hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas—and as annoying as those two may be, Sandro makes the bits fun. He’s always got a great attitude, too. You’ll never see him crying over spilt milk.
Sandro seems like a really sweet guy in real life, too. Apart from baking, boxing, and fitness, he runs baking classes for children with autism and works as a nanny in London. He began baking as a form of therapy after his father passed away, and he loves to bake “with a relaxed vibe.” What a guy!
Another great thing about Sandro? He’s buddy-buddy with Janusz, and the pair are hilarious about it on social media. They need to host their own spinoff of The Great British Baking Show. But it’s Thelma and Louise-style, I guess? Sounds pretty peachy.
Next week, I’ll be rooting for Sandro to take the star baker title, and surely I’m not alone. Even a handshake will do. Anything for one of our favorite bakers.
