The eighth series of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ has finally arrived, which means another twelve amateur bakers are about to put themselves at the mercy of that tent - and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
The standard on the new series - the first in the show’s new home on Channel 4 - is higher than ever before, according to judge Paul Hollywood, having already described the 12 hopefuls as “the best yet”.
High praise, indeed.
This year’s batch of about-to-become-very-very-famous home cooks, include a molecular biologist, an architect, a former Army officer, a 19-year-old student and the oldest contestant to ever take part.
The winner is here somewhere. Let’s say hello...
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1. Kate, 29, Merseyside
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Health and safety inspector
Kate is an amateur blacksmith, and enjoys furniture restoration, yoga and the outdoors. She’s a fan of “old-fashioned” baking techniques and taught herself to bake when she began to grow her own vegetables two years ago.
2. Peter, 52, Essex
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IT programme manager
Born in Brixton, Peter lived in Nigeria from the age of seven and moved back to the UK when he was 24. He has a wife, Tito and two children - Temi and Toni. He’s been baking for eight years ago when he started making his own bread. His speciality are Macarons. He also loves running, spinning, playing chess and badminton.
3. Chris, 50, Bristol
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Software developer
Chris is a cancer survivor and passionate about helping other people whose lives have been affected by the disease. He’s married to Catherine and loves the science behind baking and developing quirky flavour combinations. His other loves include sailing, travelling and writing.
4. Flo, 71, Merseyside
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Retired.
Flo is the oldest contestant to appear on ‘Bake Off’ to date. She met her late husband Richard when she was 21 years old and working at a sausage factory. Following his death two years ago, her son Stephen encouraged her to take up baking. She bakes treats for his restaurant when she’s not baking for the family.
5. Steven, 34, Hertfordshire
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Marketing Executive
Steven’s mum, Judi, has been his cooking mentor and likes putting a twist on the recipes from her old cookbooks. He lost an impressive five stone thanks to his own home-cooking.
6. Yan, 46, North London
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Molecular Biologist
Hong Kong-born Yan moved to the UK with her family when she was two and now lives in north London with her wife, Marian and cat Kacey. She started to bake seriously 10 years ago when she found herself in between 24 hour shifts, working as a for the NHS.
7. James, 46, Essex
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Banker
James lives in Essex with his wife Ann, sons Oliver and Ethan and their three chickens: Sparkles, Superman and Jeff. He was taught to bake by his father more than 40 years ago and grows his own fruit and vegetables to incorporate into his recipes.
8. Sophie, 33, Surrey
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Former Army Officer
The psychology graduate lives in Surrey with her boyfriend and a cat named Loki. As well as baking, Sophie enjoys track cycling, rowing, teaching military boot camps and is also training to be a stuntwoman. Sophie discovered her talent for baking when she volunteered to make a friend’s birthday cake.
9. Tom, 29, Edinburgh
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Architect
Tom lives in Edinburgh with his partner David. Baking has always been a huge part of family life for Tom and his siblings, who were taught to bake by their mother, a home economics teacher. The family cherishes recipe books passed down by grandparents from both sides of the family.
10. Stacey, 42, Hertfordshire
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Former school teacher
Stacey has fond memories of helping her grandmother make bread and butter pudding when she was a little girl, but it was during university that she really started to bake seriously. She likes to incorporate her Jewish heritage into her baking, with a traditional homemade Challah with every Friday night dinner.
11. Liam, 19, North London
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Student
Hackney-born Liam has been baking for four years and is fondly known as the ‘Cake Boy’ amongst his university friends. He believes that baking is a universal language that can bring people together from all walks of life, and he wants to make it acceptable amongst his peers and the younger generation.
12. Julia, 32, West Sussex
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Originally from Kemerovo, Siberia, Julia met her husband Matt while on holiday in Turkey as a 17-year-old. She spent three years perfecting her baking skills so she could enter ‘Bake Off’.
‘The Great British Bake Off’ returns on Channel 4 on on Tuesday 29 August at 8pm.
'Great British Bake Off': Where Are They Now?
Edd Kimber (winner, 2010)(01 of11)
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Fresh from being crowned the winner of the first ever ‘Bake Off’, Ed quit his day job as a debt collector for Yorkshire Bank (which he hated) to follow his baking dream with a job in Raymond Blanc’s restaurant Le Manoir as a pastry chef (what else?). He’s gone on to carve himself a career as a food writer with articles appearing in BBC Good Food magazine and on his blog theboywhobakes.co.uk. In 2011 he published his first cookbook, ran a pop-up bakery in Fortnum & Mason and is also the resident baker on ‘The Alan Titchmarsh Show’. “Bake Off changed [my life] in the most amazing way. It allowed me to follow my passion and fulfil my dreams in a way I never imagined,” he said recently. (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
Jo Wheatley (winner, 2011)(02 of11)
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After winning the second series of ‘Bake Off’, Jo started her own cooking school. Based at her home in Essex, Jo teaches classes on home-baking such as bread making and cupcake decorating. She has also published two cookbooks, ‘A Passion For Cooking’ and ‘Home Baking’ and is a regular food columnist for The Sun and Sainsbury’s Magazine.
John Whaite (winner, 2012)(03 of11)
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John hasn’t stopped working since winning series three. As well as publishing two cookbooks, ‘John Whaites Bakes’ and John Whaites Bakes At Home’, he earned a patisserie diploma from Le Cordon Bleu, launched his own online chocolate shop The Hungry Dog Artisan Chocolates and is set to launch his own cookery school, John Whaite’s Kitchen. On top of all that he’s also the resident baker on Lorraine Kelly’s ITV morning show. Phew! (credit:Rex)
Frances Quinn (winner, 2013)(04 of11)
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Frances, who won the fourth series in 2013, is best remembered for her highly creative designs and has gone on to share her skills at shows and festivals around the UK. Many of her recipes have also appeared in newspapers and magazines and she’s also popped up on many TV and radio shows. Her first book ‘Quinntessential Baking’ is set to be published on 27 August and promises to be "a treasure trove of inspirational ideas to bring a spark of creativity and a teaspoon of wonder into your kitchen." (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Nancy Birtwhistle (winner, 2014)(05 of11)
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Former GP surgery manager Nancy, who was crowned champion at the end of last year’s series, has gone on to launch her own baking website www.nancybirtwhistle.co.uk where she shares receipes with fans. The 60-year-old is also in demand for everything from cookery demonstrations to after-dinner speaking and is currently writing an encyclopedia of baking. (credit:BBC)
Mary-Anne Boermans (2011)(06 of11)
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Mary-Anne was pipped to the post in the 2011 final but has gone on to launch her own blog timetocookonline.com and is about to opublish her very first book ‘Great British Cakes’ which has already had mary berry’s seal of approval, saying it was ‘brilliantly researched from a true foodie’.
James Morton (2012)(07 of11)
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After coming second on the third series, Glaswegian James has amassed a huge fanbase thanks to his baking blog and regular column in the Sunday Mail newspaper. He’s also had two books published, the first of which, ‘Brilliant Bread’, won the Guild of Food Writers award for Best Cookbook in 2014. Earlier this year he beat Michel Roux Jr to win Radio Times Food Champion but despite his baking success he is still studying to become a doctor at the University of Glasgow. (credit:Jame Morton/Twitter)
Ruby Tandoh (2013)(08 of11)
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She might not have won the 2013 series but Ruby has just been voted Bake Off’s favourite ever contestant by readers of Radio Times. Since appearing on the show, Ruby has written a book called ‘Crumb’ and recorded her own documentary for Radio 4. She also has her own blog rubyandthekitchen.co.uk and writes a weekly recipe column for The Guardian. In April this year she announced she was gay on Twitter and also hit back at the trolls who suggested there was chemistry between her and judge Paul Hollywood. She tweeted: “For those who thought I fancied Paul Hollywood or that I'd ever bang him to get ahead - JOKE'S ON YOU, YOU MASSIVE SHITTING MISOGYNISTS.” (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
Howard Middleton (2013)(09 of11)
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Howard proved to be an instant hit with ‘Bake Off’ viewers when he appeared on the 2013 series. The council worker, who provided some of the most memorable moments (remember custard-gate? Or the missing trifle?), is set to publish his first book ‘Delicious Gluten-Free Baking’ in September. Speaking about his time on the show recently, he said: “My greatest memory is having met such a wonderful bunch of people and it is one of those things that continues. It exists outside of that and that is a pleasure really.” (credit:Chris Radburn/PA Archive)
Martha Collison (2014) (10 of11)
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At just 17 years old, Martha was the youngest ever contestant to appear on ‘Bake Off’, but despite her years, she went on to reach the quarter finals. So it’s no surprise that since appearing on the show, Martha has not only launched her own successful baking blog but has also landed herself a column in the Waitrose Weekend newspaper, alongside the likes of Pippa Middleton, Clare Balding, and Mariella Frostrup. On top of this, she spent her half-term break in Cambodia as an ambassador for the Tearfund charity where she visited victims of child trafficking and held baking workshops with them. (credit:BBC)
Richard Burr (2014)(11 of11)
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Richard was an early favourite to win last year’s ‘Bake Off’ but despite not walking away with the title he’s gone on to enjoy success outside of his building business. As well as his popular blog, richardburr.london, he regularly appears at food festivals around the country and has just published his first book, ‘B.I.Y. Bake It Yourself’ (see what they did there?). (credit:BBC)