Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, former hosts of The Great British Bake Off, have returned to ITV with the second series of "Win Win with Postcode Lottery," an interactive quiz show that challenges contestants to identify the nation’s favourite tastes and pastimes. The new series began airing last night, offering participants and viewers at home a chance to win prizes, including a top prize of £1 million.
"Win Win" tasks contestants with selecting the most popular choices among Britons across a variety of categories, such as snacks, holidays, and leisure activities. The show’s format also allows viewers to compete from home for similar rewards. The programme aims to capture the zeitgeist of British preferences, although Mel and Sue admit this has proven to be far from straightforward.
Sue Perkins, 56, expressed a sense of resignation regarding the unpredictability of British tastes. “The great British public is impossible to predict. I’m no longer shocked by anything,” she commented. She gave an example of an unexpectedly unpopular choice from the previous series—tuna mayonnaise as the nation’s favourite sandwich—remarking that she was still surprised by how the bland, fish-based filling prevailed over more traditional favourites like mature cheddar or ham and mustard. She added that if the favourite takeaway had turned out to be something unexpected, such as Eritrean cuisine, she would have accepted it with enthusiasm.
Mel Giedroyc, 58, highlighted the surprising survey results about snack flavours, noting that her personal favourite, prawn cocktail crisps, did not feature in the top rankings. “That has worried me. That has eaten away at me at 3 in the morning,” she said, underlining the challenge of gauging popular opinion.
The duo’s longstanding comedic partnership, which began during their university years at Cambridge and was solidified through projects like Light Lunch and The Great British Bake Off, continues to inform their dynamic on the show. Despite decades of collaboration, the programme has revealed areas where they hold strong but differing preferences—for instance, on the acceptability of carpets in bathrooms or picnicking beside a motorway.
Both hosts praised the atmosphere on set, with Mel describing the show as “life-affirming and joyous” due to returning contestants and the friendships forged over the course of the series. Sue compared the excitement to the adrenaline rush she once felt eating a warm seafood platter on a ferry crossing, highlighting the unique energy of the programme.
As for their potential performances as contestants, Mel acknowledged her competitive streak but admitted it might lead to up-and-down results, while Sue confessed she would struggle with nerves and joked about never having won anything herself.
"Win Win with Postcode Lottery" airs on ITV1 and ITVX on Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., continuing to explore the diverse tastes and preferences of the British public through its engaging format.