The rumor really kicked into high gear during their run on the Great British Baking Show. There they were, in that pastel tent, handing out hand-holding and knowing glances alongside soggy bottoms. The show intentionally played up their intimacy as part of the wholesome brand. It was a masterclass in will-they-won’t-they storytelling, except the “they” were the hosts, not the bakers.
People saw two women who were utterly comfortable with each other, and their brains short-circuited. “Comfort must mean couple,” the logic went. It’s a form of cognitive laziness, I think. We’d rather imagine a sexy backstory than accept the beautiful, mundane truth: that two people can just be incredibly good partners without being romantic partners. Wild concept, I know.
A (Very) Professional Affection
Let’s turn the tables for a second. If Mel were a man, and Sue was his female co-host, would we be having this conversation? Probably not. We’d call it “great chemistry” and move on with our day. But when it’s two women, the lens gets foggy with a mix of heteronormativity and a fetishizing of close female friendships. It’s a weird place to be.
Mel and Sue reunite on BBC: what makes their double act extra special
The truth is, Sue has been open about her sexuality for years. She’s dated, she’s loved. Mel is very much married to a man named Ben. The evidence that they are not a couple is stacked higher than a Paul Hollywood handshake. But evidence rarely wins against a good story, does it? What’s reality compared to a delicious rumor?
