Gogglebox’s Nikki Tapper has revealed she has a surprising connection to one of this year’s ‘Great British Bake Off’ contestants.
It turns out her family know baker Stacey Hart, with Nikki’s husband Jonathan even driving Stacey to her audition for the hit baking show in his job as a chauffeur.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Nikki said: “I actually went to school with her husband and she lives quite near us and they’re one of my husband’s passengers. He took her to the audition!
“But I have to say, she didn’t tell him she’d got on. She was very good. She kept it secret.”
She continued: “Jonathan knows her better than I do but she’s hilarious. You can’t even see how funny she is. Nothing to do with the baking of course, but she is the funniest person ever.”
Viewers saw a glimpse of Stacey’s sense of humour when she demonstrated a rather lewd act on some dough during last week’s Bread Week technical challenge.
The baker had fans in hysterics when she drove two fingers though her uncooked cottage loaf, and remarked: “I just know how Paul does it.”
Nikki, whose children Amy and Josh star on ‘Gogglebox’ with her and Jonathan, also shared her thoughts on the changes Channel 4 have made to ‘Bake Off’, after poaching it from the BBC.
Admitting she “really likes” new judge Prue Leith, Nikki said: “Some of her is quite similar to Mary Berry, but I really like the chemistry between her and Paul. It works. I’m really enjoying it.
“I think the standard is incredible. The challenges they’re giving them are really, really hard.”
Nikki is currently undergoing a challenge of her own, as she is taking part in Stand Up To Cancer’s Great Canoe Challenge, which will see a group of celebrities row five marathons in five days.
The nursery teacher said she was inspired to sign up for the fundraiser having battled breast cancer herself in 2011, although admitted she had found the training particularly tough.
“I heard about the Canoe Challenge and was like ‘Yeah! Sure! Of course I’ll do it!’ and then a day later I thought ‘What am I doing?’,” she said.
“I always like to do fun, challenging things, so then I thought to myself, ‘It’s nothing - to sit in a canoe? Even if I capsize, what is the worst thing that can happen to you? I can swim’.
“It’s nothing compared to fighting cancer for heaven’s sake.”
Stand Up To Cancer’s Great Canoe Challenge is taking place from Monday 25 September – Friday 29 September.
For more information visit: standuptocancer.org.uk/canoe, to support the Paddlers and donate £5 or £10 text CANOE5 orCANOE10 to 70404*, or donate online at standuptocancer.org.uk/canoe
