Viewers Outraged By ‘Holiday Baking Championship’ Twist
Many Food Network viewers eagerly await the Holiday Baking Championship show to kick off the holiday season. The baking competition is supposed to be a fun, lighthearted entertainment. But Season 12 got off to a rocky start amid huge changes. Now, viewers were outraged over a “horrific” twist in the latest episode. Keep reading for more details.
Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship Starts Season With Huge Changes
Food Network’s popular Holiday Baking Championship returned in November. It’s one of many holiday-themed food competitions on the network. Bachelor Nation‘s Jesse Palmer returned as host for another tough competition. However, a surprising judging change immediately upset fans of the show.
Kardea Brown unexpectedly replaced Carla Hall, joining Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller as the judges for Season 12. Carla Hall, who famously competed on Top Chef over a decade ago, left Holiday Baking Competition to judge Food Network’s new holiday show, Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking.
The Season 12 contestants included Tarek Husseini, from St. Louis, Missouri. He previously competed on Season 7 of Kids Baking Championship in 2019. In previous seasons of Holiday Baking Championship, the contestants competed solo. Food Network switched things up for Season 12 by dividing the contestants into pairs and putting them on two teams: Team Naughty and Team Nice.
Shocking Move Shakes Up Competition
In the recent episode of Holiday Baking Championship, the teams made holiday pies and chose the best two to present to the judges. Tarek Husseini took the win for Team Naughty for his tasty blueberry cream pie.
Alyx Abreu and Erin Luttrell from Team Nice were up for elimination after landing in the bottom for their underwhelming pies. Typically, at this point, the judges would determine who stays and who goes. But Jesse Palmer announced a huge twist.
The remaining Holiday Baking Championship contestants on Team Nice would decide who was eliminated. Team Nice’s Chase Maus said in a confessional, “This is a really, really horrific shock.”
Alyx Abreu and Erin Luttrell were both in tears when they found out their team members would vote on which one to eliminate. Alyx Abreu was convinced she was going home. But in another shocking twist, Erin Luttrell fell on her rolling pin and self-eliminated.
Viewers Outraged By ‘Horrific’ Twist
Viewers were already upset with Season 12 because of the changes to the format and alleged favoritism. While the Team Nice members never had to actually cast a vote, fans were livid over the twist.
View this post on Instagram
- “Why even have judges if you’re going to turn this into Survivor.”
- “Nothing says holiday cheer like voting off your own teammates. I miss fun food twists and Jesse’s nonstop puns. Hopefully the old format returns next year”
- “There is no other way to say it than this was pure manufactured drama. The whole premise was set so that they could zoom in on the fake tension.”
- “Seriously. Turning the show into ‘Squid Games: The Challenge’ isn’t going to reinvent the show enough to attract new audience.”
One Food Network viewer was done with the whole season. “So the winning pie was a non-festive ashtray and the losing team has to vote off one of their own. Judges didnt even try all of the pies. The format this season is lost on me and is just not as enjoyable as seasons past,” they wrote on social media.
Jesse Palmer didn’t reveal if the teams will vote off their own members for the rest of the season or if it was a one-time-only thing. The Holiday Baking Competition season finale airs on the Food Network on Monday, December 22, 2025.
- Gypsy Rose Blanchard Shocks With Fit Of Rage Against Boyfriend - May 30, 2026
- Gayle King Speaks Out After Ex Apologizes For Betrayal - May 29, 2026
- Gypsy Rose Blanchard Breaks Silence On Mackenzie Shirilla Case - May 29, 2026