In that moment, it was evident that the "Bake Off" hosts were trying to use stale humor to address just how poorly the show's internationally-themed baking weeks had been received in seasons prior. The show's 2020 Japan Week was described even by British newspapers as being "borderline racist," while Eater London termed it an "Orientalist mess," featuring Lucas "mishearing" katsu curry as "cat poo curry" and reminders that Paul Hollywood once confessed that he doesn't believe Japan understands baking — on a show about Japanese baking.
