Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Podbit · Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Lena Dunham

Explore episode May 26, 2026
TV & Film
The Great British Bake Off Escape

Lena Dunham · May 26, 2026 TV & Film

Lena agreed to do the charity celebrity Great British Bake Off and got as far as planning a cat-shaped crumpet. Then the production told her she'd need to make her own pistachio butter, study jam-making, and that the ovens go on at 8 AM — and nobody is allowed to touch the knobs. She walked.

Where this was said

Why Lena Walked Away from The Great British Bake Off

At 53:10 · chapter starts 52:55

In the episode's funniest extended story, Lena walks through her near-appearance on the celebrity charity edition of Great British Bake Off step by step. It started reasonably: she'd make a crumpet shaped like her British shorthair cat. Then the producer mentioned Paul Hollywood doesn't permit store-bought jams or butters, and offered a pistachio butter recipe for her to practise. Then there was a short book on jam-making. Then her friend's sister's familial crumpet recipe that would take nine or ten attempts to master. Then the revelation that ovens go on at 8 AM and off at 6 PM, and that production staff are not allowed to touch any of the knobs. Lena, who loves to become an expert at something quickly, recognised this as beyond even her ambition. She exited. Amy loves the no.

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