What am I watching?

January 9, 2019

I admit to being a fan of the Great British Baking Show. While I enjoy the illustrations describing what the bakers are going to make, I did not give them much thought until I read this article about the show’s illustrator:

In the midst of The Great British Baking Show’s controversial migration between British networks two years ago — a creative decision that lost 75 percent of the show’s personalities — tabloid speculation ran wild at the time about what this new Baking Show iteration would entail, given that the only person following the dough was Paul Hollywood and his piercing blue eyes. The only person on camera, that is. Because also choosing to stay in the show’s family was Tom Hovey, arguably the fifth puzzle piece in its sugary, buttery DNA. You don’t know his face, but you definitely know his work — and that’s because he’s responsible for creating every illustration in Baking Show history, from day one and beyond.

“It’s a real case of being at the right place at the time right time,” Hovey told Vulture about landing the gig. “My best mate worked in television and suggested that I apply for a job in ‘the edit’ at this new cookery show. With no TV experience or idea about how edits worked, I blagged my way in and started two days later.” Soon after beginning this editing job, though, Hovey admitted to the directors and editors that his passion was actually illustration, which spurred the higher-ups to spontaneously incorporate something artistic into the show. “It led to the director coming to me in the second week saying that he felt there was a visual element missing and maybe I could come up with some ideas,” Hovey recalled. “I sketched a few examples, we decided on a style that fit the bill and I got the gig.”