ABC/Heidi Gutman(NEW YORK) — The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition heats up for a brand-new season tonight on ABC. Once again, hosts Emma Bunton and Anthony “Spice” Adams guide 10 bakers as they run a gastronomic gauntlet, showing their skills to expert judges Sherri Yard and Paul Hollywood.

“My job is usually easy on the show,” Spice tells ABC Audio. “I try to lighten the mood and I’ll tell [contestants] what they can do and can’t do. But the judges, they have the hard job. They have to eat it. And then they dissect it.” 

He adds, “The eating part…it’s kind of easy. But to dissect it…’Were there eggs used in this? How, what was the temperature? Like that stuff? I do not care. Is there sugar in it? Is there butter in it?’ — you got me.”  

For Sherri, the show’s holiday edition is particularly fun: “[T]his is the time to bake!’ So for us to be here, it’s just a dream come true.”

She explains the show’s challenge, which has hopefuls baking in a tented outdoor facility in the U.K.

“Baking is a science, and that’s what’s fun about it,” says Yard.  “[J]ust like a good hair day, you can have a great baking day…So you can come into the tent and could be very well versed and then your timing is just off, which…one thing leads to another and then it becomes a tidal wave and you’re behind literally the eight ball and you’re not finishing on time. So that’s what makes so much fun!”

She teases about this season: “I’ll just say that there’s lots and lots of surprises and the challenges were over the top!”

Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition airs at 9 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

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