It seems that we, as a country, can’t get enough of cosy and twee. We get a kick out of watching the new TV power couple Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood mow down aspiring bakers as their cakes collapse, biscuits break, and soufflés sink.
Are we just a nation addicted to reality TV? Or does this new generation of reality TV indicate the growth of something greater in society?
It seems our love affair with all-singing and all-dancing talent shows is finally fizzling out. Instead, we get our reality TV fix out from shows that pit budding crafters and bakers against one another. In The Great British Sewing Bee, we see the Simon Cowell of the sewing world, Savile Row tailor Patrick Grant, humiliate the efforts of amateur sewers. In theory, it doesn’t sound like a very exciting concept but like all talent shows, it draws you in and, by the end, you find yourself shouting at the TV about poor hems and dodgy stitching.
Along with shows like Kirstie Allsop’s Kirstie’s Homemade Home and money-conscious show Super Scrimpers we, as a nation, are being encouraged to tackle austerity by getting a bit creative with homeware, clothing and food.
The tide is also turning against processed food and we increasingly want to know exactly what is going into our foods. Of course, cakes and pastries are hardly a health kick, but homemade ones are far more rewarding and contain considerably less preservatives.
These TV shows are showing a positive trend in the rise of the DIY mentality. Scrimping and saving is in fashion. Vintage and second-hand clothing have soared in popularity in recent years, but now it is being taken one step further and women, young and old alike, are increasingly turning to the needle and thread and creating their own garments.
There is also a very patriotic side to this rise in the popularity of baking and crafts. It heralds back to wartime days when rationing forced people to creatively scrimp. While some will be getting sick of the sight of ‘twee’ television shows, we should appreciate that they point to the growth of something more positive in society.