Then, there’s the hugging. There is so much hugging. Now, this is a show where three members of a family compete in three different challenges to enter the semi-finals (I have’t yet watched the semi-final or final episodes), so a little hugging makes sense, but they hug everyone. Each other. The hosts. I’m surprised the judges don’t get involved. I have nothing against hugging, but when Hussain and Ball show up at the contestants’ houses for the second round, during which they have to cook a main course and dessert for the judges (the production budget for this show must balloon simply to accommodate for Locatelli, Hussain, Ball, and Shrager’s travel alone), it feels forced. As does the banter Hussain and Ball struggle to get the contestants to engage in during the high-pressure 90 minutes they have to cook a full meal for two very important houseguests.