Spring Baking Championship season 10 turned heads in 2024 as fans claimed the judges were biased in a shocking elimination

Now in its 11th season, Spring Baking Championship continues to air with new contestants and challenges, and viewers are closely watching the current eliminations.

However, episode 10 of season 10, which aired on April 29, 2024, still lingers in the minds of many viewers, sparking questions about the fairness of the semifinal eliminations.

In that episode, Alexandre "Alex" Bonnefoi was eliminated after judges criticized his tiramisu for having "too much soak" and a "soggy" texture.

The outcome received backlash online at the time, with several viewers accusing the show of favoritism and suggesting that the judging process may have been biased or predetermined.

Following the airing of the Spring Baking Championship episode in 2024, social media platforms were filled with critical viewer reactions.

Some viewers expressed concern that the elimination of Alex was not based solely on performance. A few viewers were upset about Alex’s elimination and voiced their opinions regarding the judges’ decisions:

"So Alex who was perfect and made a five star dessert gets sent home over a sub par baker who made a pie," a user wrote.

"Alex was the best baker this year, really biased judging," a post read.

"Why isn’t there blind judging on #SpringBakingChampionship? Alex had the more complex dessert," a person commented.

Not all viewers shared this viewpoint. A smaller number of comments defended the judges’ decision.

"How was [Alex] screwed. We all saw him put too much liquid on his cake, and then we saw the messy presentation. Nikki’s looked better and tasted great," a person commented.

"Well, too sweet does beat soggy and messy," a tweet read.

"Except the judges next commented that it was messy, just that it needed a hint of shaved chocolate. Just like Nancy said her plate lacked color. IMO taste > texture every single time," a user wrote.

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Events during the 2024 Spring Baking Championship semifinal

The Spring Baking Championship semifinal round featured the final four bakers — Alex, Nickey, Robert Gonzalez, and Steven Tran — in a wedding-inspired challenge focused on the theme "Something Borrowed, Something Old."

With Robert and Steven already having secured spots in the finale, Nickey and Alex competed head-to-head for the last available place.

Alex was tasked with preparing tiramisu, which is Steven's preferred dessert. Judges Duff Goldman, Kardea Brown, and Nancy Fuller stated that the dessert had a little too much soak and a soggy layer. These remarks were central to their decision to eliminate him.

Nickey received Robert's preferred dessert, key lime pie. Although the judges described her dessert as not cohesive, they complimented her graham cracker streusel and noted the transformation of the pie into a pavlova.

They also pointed out that the passion she put into the dish played a role in her advancement.

After the decision, host Jesse Palmer informed Nickey that she had made it to the finale three. Nickey replied,

"I couldn’t believe I went through… Alex has been my biggest competition since day one."

After Alex’s departure, the finalists moving forward to the last episode of season 10 were Nickey Boyd, Robert Gonzalez, and Steven Tran. They were tasked with creating desserts based on the theme "The Wedding," chosen by the judges.

Steven Tran won Spring Baking Championship season 10 in the finale that aired the following week, bringing the 2024 season to a close.

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Catch new episodes of Spring Baking Championship Mondays at 8 PM ET on Food Network, or watch them on Discovery Plus.