A new 'Great British Bake Off' episode stereotypes Mexican culture, viewers say

A new 'Great British Bake Off' episode stereotypes Mexican culture, viewers say Enlarge this image toggle caption Channel 4 Channel 4 Reception for the latest episode of many people's favorite comfort show was sour yesterday, when The Great British Bake Off aired a "Mexican week" episode that some viewers say was anything but sweet. Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado, a professor of Mexican cultural studies at Washington University in St. Louis, told NPR via email that while he's yet to view the episode, its social media campaign is not surprising "The fundamental issue is that the episode and its campaign follow a script on Mexican culture that us Mexicans, from either side of the U.S.-Mexico border, see very frequently," he said. "The use of cartoonish serapes and sombreros as props and disguises, the misidentification of Mexican food with the stuff sold in Taco Bell, the borrowing of beloved dishes like tres leches to make versions that have little recognizability to Mexicans, this is something that we see every Cinco de Mayo and every Hispanic Heritage Month." toggle caption Channel 4 Apart from the show's social media campaign, the episode itself also contained various Spanish mispronunciations, maraca-playing, conversations about tequila and a cake donning a mustache.