'Great British Bake Off' finished last night - sob! - but it went out with a bang not a whimper, with an audience of upwards of 12 million thought to have tuned in to see who won.
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It's been another cracking series in the tent, as the 12 bakers have toiled with everything from icing-covered tennis courts to gravity-defying nuns. There have been lots of tears, and a new national heartthrob.
Tonight's grand finale will see the final three bakers take on tasks involving enriched dough, mastering a challenge they have previously struggled with, and finally achieve perfection with a classic British bake* (*noun).
In the meantime, as we prepare to settle into our sofas for one last time this year, what have been the highlights of this sixth series so far? Here is our countdown of the finest moments from 'GBBO 2015'...
GBBO Top 10 Moments 2015
That hat's coming off for no man, or woman, not even Mary Berry...(01 of10)
Musician Stu brought a touch of the Shoreditch into the tent, with his hat and tattoos. Sadly, his sartorial elegance didn't stretch to his bakes, with Mary sadly reflecting Poor Stu "never really got started". No Week 2 for Stu, who had to go skipping back to Hoxton (or his actual home of Surrey as it turned out. Surprise.)
Poker-face(02 of10)
Whatever her skill in the kitchen, don't ever partner Nadiya at bridge. Whether it be delight or despair, every dish has told its own story, and her face speaks a thousands words. Here are her top 15...
An offering of humble pie(03 of10)
Ian is easily the most annoying of this year's bakers (remember Kimberly, 2013?), but his 'journey' has been arguably the most dramatic - from three easy wins early on, to a far harder contest, culminating in his mental wipeout last week, when he basically couldn't remember how to sift flour. Have to hand it to him, with his redemption in the form of a truly stunning, and mechanically sound! chocolate well. Come tonight's final, and the playing field is level once more.
Flying nuns, literally(04 of10)
Patisserie week offered arguably the toughest challenge ever, with bakers tasked with creating a gravity-defying flying nun made out of choux pastry eclairs, creme pat, and some buttercream for good measure. And so few calories! Yes, we live in a country where the highest-rating show involves ordinary people competing to create a choux pastry nun that stays standing up for two hours. Let's just all stop to think about that...
Tamal's tears(05 of10)
Come the hour, come the man... this time around, the good baking doctor Tamal who had already captured the hearts of many of the 12million viewers, and that was BEFORE he phoned his mother to tell her he'd been made Star Baker. Never mind a doctor in the house, was there a dry eye?
It's only cake, Alvin!(06 of10)
It was impossible not to shed a small tear for Alvin's dignified exit, following his descriptions of living by the example of his father's military experiences. This, from a man who once baked the same loaf of bread every day for three weeks to get it right. If it were a contest for most committed baker, Alvin would have walked it.
Gusset-Gate(07 of10)
The normally poker-faced Paul (baker) reduced Mel and Sue to spontaneous hysterics with his desperate attempts to preserve the dignity of his bikini-clad lady. The good news was, our blonde lady was sugar-free and dedicated Paul had even given her sunglasses so she could enjoy her desert island.
That moment when... (08 of10)
... you realise you're in the middle of the technical challenge of baking competition on the country's highest-rating TV show, and you haven't actually turned on the oven. Sue Perkins did her best to help poor Marie, "Don't worry, you've got seconds left."
The Bread Lion - Indisputably King of the Tent(09 of10)
In a week when all of the showstoppers were pretty impressive (remember Nadiya's curly snake), prison governor Paul nonetheless still stole the show with this SPECTACULAR bread lion. The attention to detail, the power of expression, the effort involved, all earned him a special commendation from the judges. It was indisputably for Paul, his finest hour, and remains the single most memorable bake of the entire series.
Chocolate soup.... yum!(10 of10)
... rivalled only by Dorret's Black Forest Gateau, although sadly not for the best reasons. We had to wait almost half a series last year for the first caketastrophe. This year, it was only 45 minutes after the first title sequence, and there was a meltdown in the tent - literally. Poor Dorret! The good news was she escaped eviction despite this chocolate mess, for another week anyway...
'Bake Off' finishes tonight. Who do you think has it in them to win series Star Baker? Remind yourself of the original lineup below...
'Great British Bake Off' 2015: Meet The Contestants
Stu, 35(01 of12)
Stu’s a professional musician and has toured the world as lead singer of his band. He lives in Surrey with his wife and two children and has been baking from a young age. He used to watch his parents in the restaurant kitchen they owned and was always amazed by the magic of the oven and "how something liquid could go in and out would come this fluffed-up awesomeness". He is confident with most genres of baking and is fascinated by the science of it all. He enjoys trialling different flavour combinations, especially Middle Eastern spices. (credit:BBC)
Ugne, 32(02 of12)
While baking is her main hobby, Ugne is also a bodybuilder. Originally from Lithuania, Ugne now lives in Essex with her partner, also a bodybuilder, and their two young children, and works as a PA and administrator. Ugne learnt to bake from her mother and grandmother, who used Eastern European baking methods and utensils. She loves English baking and each day makes her family bread, pies and pastries, but also likes to incorporate traditional Lithuanian flavours into her bakes to remind her of home. Ugne enjoys being ambitious with her presentation and ingredients - and isn’t afraid of the odd theatrical bake. (credit:BBC)
Paul, 49(03 of12)
Paul lives in Wales and has been a prison governor for eight years. Before that, he performed ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace in the Coldstream Guards. He sees being in The Great British Bake Off as “an opportunity to show that men like me, stereotyped by our jobs, do and can love baking and that it is a skill and talent to be proud of". He may have a demanding, authoritative job, but Paul enjoys learning intricate skills like sugar-work to make his bakes beautiful. When not baking, Paul loves the outdoors and exploring the Welsh countryside with his wife and three sons. (credit:BBC)
Nadiya, 30(04 of12)
Nadiya has been baking for 10 years after wondering why her father only served ice cream for dessert at his restaurant. Her family is originally from Bangladesh, where desserts aren't a big feature of mealtimes, but encouraged by a school home economics teacher, Nadiya now delivers beautiful masterpieces at family occasions. Born in Luton, she now lives in Leeds with her husband and is full time mum to their three children. Having put her career on the backburner to devote her life to her family, with their support she now feels inspired to have her own adventure - and make them proud. (credit:BBC)
Tamal, 29(05 of12)
Tamal is a trainee anaesthetist working at a hospital in Manchester. He grew up in Hertfordshire where his parents moved from India in the 1960s. His older sister played a big part in bringing him up and taught him to bake. She gave Tamal the ultimate compliment when he was asked to bake her wedding cake. Since then, he is regularly asked to bake family and friends' wedding cakes too - the largest one was five tiers. (credit:BBC)
Flora, 19(06 of12)
At 19, Flora is this year’s youngest baker. An old head on young shoulders, Flora’s an assistant at a contemporary art gallery while she waits to start her history of art degree. Flora lives at home with her parents and two younger sisters in the Scottish countryside, 20 minutes from the nearest shop. But she always makes sure the larder is stocked, and regularly bakes cakes and loaves for the family, often filling the freezer up with ingredients. Flora comes from a big family of bakers and can’t remember ever not baking. But standards have to be high to impress her harshest critics – her sisters. (credit:BBC)
Alvin, 37(07 of12)
Alvin is originally from the Philippines, and works as a nurse in Berkshire, where he lives with his wife and their two children. He’s constantly jotting down everything from recipes to techniques so he can pass all his knowledge on to them both as they grow up. Seven years ago, he questioned why he was buying bread and cakes when he had an oven. And now he bakes at least four times a week and owns every tin imaginable - much to his wife’s amusement. A true perfectionist, Alvin once baked bread every day for three weeks until he believed he’d got it right. (credit:BBC)
Dorret, 53(08 of12)
Dorret’s family are from the West Indies but she grew up in Preston and works as an accountant. A self-confessed foodie, Dorret has been baking for 40 years and enjoys tap dancing, ballet and salsa to counteract the calories she consumes. Dorret and her husband regularly visit Michelin-starred restaurants for inspiration and ideas for their next culinary experiment, and often host dinner parties to impress their friends with their skills. Mother to her 21-year-old daughter, Dorret’s dream is to go to the Cordon Bleu school in Paris. (credit:BBC)
Ian, 41(09 of12)
Ian lives in Cambridgeshire with his wife and two children. He’s a travel photographer and has the honour of being the Dalai Lama’s personal snapper when he visits the UK. In recent years, Ian’s become more of a househusband and while his wife heads to work he often spends his days making giant catapults and zip wires for his children to play with. He started baking six years ago because he wanted them to have fresh bread every day. Ian’s passion for foraging and travelling the world mean he’s never afraid to bake with an unusual discovery from his garden - or much further afield. (credit:BBC)
Marie, 66(10 of12)
Marie was entered for The Great British Bake Off by her daughter, but her children claim at one point when they were growing up their mum couldn’t even boil an egg - so Marie’s come a long way. The turning point came in her thirties when Marie moved to Paris with her family and was inspired by all the French Patisseries. She fell in love with baking, specialising in elaborate, show-stopping decorations. But Marie also likes simple baking too and makes bread so her grandchildren can have “proper packed lunches”. (credit:BBC)
Mat, 37(11 of12)
Mat began baking three years ago in between shifts as a London fire fighter. He’s now mastered not only simple cakes and biscuits but bread, pastries and pies. Preferring sweet over savoury baking, Mat calls himself a “competent amateur” who “learns every time he bakes”. Mat lives with his wife in London. He says his greatest ambition is to own a dishwasher. (credit:BBC)
Sandy, 49(12 of12)
Sandy is a child welfare officer who lives and works near Bradford. Mother of one, Sandy says that she bakes to show her family, friends and colleagues that she cares about them. Sandy started baking as a child and likens her style to the way she’d describe herself: “it might not be glamorous but it’s tasty”. In her job, she helps young people with emotional issues and after work Sandy also volunteers at the school, running a cookery club where she teaches children from deprived backgrounds to bake on a budget. (credit:BBC)