IT’S time to load up the larder and get mixing spoons at the ready as the next batch of Great British Bake Off hopefuls are unveiled.
Summer might have passed us by, but there’ll be no end of merry moments in the famous white tent to make us all warm and fuzzy inside.
Among this year’s cohort is a farmer, a mechanic and a fashion designer, all of who will be hoping to avoid a soggy bottom and land a Paul Hollywood handshake.
The diverse collection of amateur bakers features contestants from 19 to 71 ensuring there really is something for everyone this time around.
We take a look at who will be baking up a storm:
Andy, 44, Essex, Car Mechanic
Family man Andy has baked his whole life after his mum taught him how to make apple crumble and Bakewell tarts.
He’s now trying to instill the same skills in his daughter, Maisie, with the duo often making treats for his partner, Nickie.
Andy loves walking his pet pooch, Arthur, in the great outdoors and is a big football fan.
Christiaan, 33, London, Menswear Designer
Dutch fashionista Christiaan moved to the UK seven years ago to work for a major fashion brand.
He’s a man of culture and fine taste, regularly visiting stately homes and galleries.
Bread week should be a hit for Christiaan, who relished his mother’s homemade loaves as a boy.
When he’s not working on clothing designs, green-fingered Christiaan can be found nurturing his vegetable patch and dancing to pop tunes.
Georgie, 34, Carmarthenshire, Paediatric Nurse
Georgie’s Italian heritage is likely to shine through her bakes.
She grew up admiring her Nonna Rosa in the kitchen and is a self-confessed foodie.
The nurse enjoys growing her own produce and lives in a farm house in the Welsh countryside with her husband, three children and chickens, ducks, dogs and a cat.
Dylan, 20, Buckinghamshire, Retail Assistant
Avid traveller Dylan is not log back from a gap year that saw his exploring Southeast Asia.
A fan of alternative entertainment, Dylan loves skateboarding, Japanese characters and vintage cars.
He draws upon his families mixed roots – his mother is Indian and his
father Japanese–Belgian – when it comes to his baking and he is big on flavour, particularly sweet and spice ingredients.
Gill, 53, Lancashire, Senior Category Manager
Gill’s foray into the famous tent will be full of emotion.
She turned to baking for comfort following the death of her father in 2015 and has raised money for Alzheimer’s charities from her edible creations.
Her baking style is steeped in tradition with pies, cakes and pastry all favourites of hers as well as her dad’s signature lemon meringue pie.
Thirty years ago, Gill hit the headlines when she
became the UK’s youngest ever driving instructor, aged 21.
Hazel, 71, Kent, Former Nail Technician
This year’s oldest contestant, Hazel has been married to her childhood sweetheart for 51 years.
They have four children, one of which still lives at
home, while the other three, and her ten grandchildren, all live close by.
A real matriarch, Hazel loves big family gatherings, with Christmas time a particular favourite.
Bingo-loving Hazel’s innovative when it comes to her bakes. Her birthday cakes often feature mechanical elements.
Her granddaughter’s seventh birthday cake was a carousel with 500 edible diamonds that took Hazel two weeks to make.
Illiyin, 31, Norfolk, Birth Trauma Specialist Midwife
Illiyin’s multi-cultural upbringing in Norfolk has influenced her baking.
She loves experimenting with flavours from around the world whether it’s dried fruits and honey from the Middle East or savoury favourites from the Caribbean.
Used to cooking in hustle and bustle with eight siblings, Illiyin is a real people person and loves helping others.
She revealed: “My strengths are definitely flavour and my weaknesses are finesse! I always rush and so often don’t have time to neatly finish in the way I want to.”
And also recalled what it was like seeing the white tent for the first time, saying: “Totally surreal! I couldn’t believe I was actually there, I still can’t.
“Having my own workbench in the famous white tent will forever be one of my favourite memories.”
Mike, 29, Wiltshire, Farmer
This young farmer already has an impressive career with his passion for fresh produce and was even shortlisted for Young Farmer of the Year at the 2024 National Arable and Grassland Awards.
Mike’s baking style is homely and wholesome.
He likes making big, hearty bakes using high-quality local ingredients that can satisfy lots of people at parties and gatherings.
He especially loves using seasonal fruits and edible flowers from his garden and farm – and is even making his own wedding cake.
He shared his excitement for taking part on the show: “So many of my friends have said for years that I should apply, and my fiancé Matt and I have always spoken about how incredible it would be, but it’s always been in a sort of dreamy way, like talking of the things you’d buy if you won the lottery.
“You never actually believe that it will happen!”
Sumayah, 19, Lancashire, Student
She may be the youngest contestant in the competition but Sumayah is hoping to impress with her bakes.
Presently on her gap year, Sumayah is indulging her sweet tooth before going onto study Dentistry.
An entirely self-taught baker, Sumayah meticulously researches her creations, combining myriad techniques and recipes to create an eclectic and imaginative fusion of cultures and flavours.
The project that confirmed her love for baking was a macaron tower she made for her aunt’s mehndi wedding celebration – the result stood 1 metre tall, included 240 macarons in four different flavours.
Despite bagging a spot on the show, she revealed her audition for the show didn’t quite go to plan.
“Despite my disastrous audition, I had this inexplicable feeling that I would get into the tent,” she said.
“Not because I was confident in myself, but more a sense of impending fear. I still can’t believe I actually got in, it’s unbelievable! I missed the phone call five times, so I was the last baker they notified.”
Jeff, 67, New York, Former University Lecturer
Originally from the Bronx, in New York, Jeff arrived in the UK in 1979.
Jeff has now hung up his basketball boots and began baking in earnest when his children were little.
He learned the basics from his grandmother and Hungarian great-grandmother when he himself was a child.
As you might hope (and perhaps even expect), he makes a mean New York Cheesecake.
He was chuffed to discover he had landed a spot on the show, saying: “Well, it is kind of unbelievable – as you know, there are a lot of people that apply.
“So you pinch yourself, you get excited about doing it, and it is very flattering to feel that they think you are good enough to be in the tent.”
Nelly, 44, Slovakia, Palliative Care Assistant
Alongside her busy job in night-time palliative care, Nelly is a devoted mum to two young boys, who, with her husband Chand, are the biggest fans of her bakes.
Nelly grew up with her dad in Slovakia and learned some of her baking skills from her dad.
She loves adding the flavours of Slovakian cuisine into her bakes, as well as spices representing her husband’s Pakistani heritage – apple and cinnamon are among her favourite ingredients.
Speaking about meeting Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding, Nelly said: “Alison was very friendly and welcomed us with open arms and made us relaxed.
“And Noel he was just Noel funny in his own way, open and welcoming too. They both are truly such honest people.”
John, 37, West Midlands, NHS Directorate Support Manager
This baker is keen to impress the judges by showcasing his skills inspired by his nan, making making fairy cakes and pies and now bakes to honour his nan’s memory.
And it looks like baking runs in the family, as he has passed
on the skills she taught him to his two young nephews.
His job keeps him busy, so after work his favourite pastime is to relax at home with his cavapoo, Stanley.
He loves classic bakes with a twist – using herbs and other flavourings to give his bakes something different.
His favourite bake, though, is a classic lemon tart.
He recalled a special moment from the series, saying: “I will never, ever forget the first, “On your marks, get set… BAKE,” followed by the sheer panic-fuelled excitement.
“That moment will stay with me forever.”
He added: “I would say my strengths are certainly cake related and bread is not the strongest aspect of my baking but you know what they say… practice makes perfect!”
