The 12 new contestants heading for the Great British Bake Off tent have been officially revealed.
A new series of the hit baking competition is set to begin later this month, as judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith put some more of Britain’s best amateur bakers through their paces in a series of challenges.
Ahead of their debut, get to know them all a little better below...
L to R (back) James, Abdul, Janusz, Carole, Kevin, William, Dawn (front) Maisam, Rebs, Sandro, Maxy, SyabiraAbdul
Age: 29
From: London
Occupation: Electronics engineer
A keen salsa dancer, and a self-confessed space nerd, his interest in baking began when he and his graduate colleagues baked for each other to brighten up their daily coffee breaks. He applies his precision thinking to the chemistry of creating bakes. Matcha is among his favourite flavours.
Carole
Age: 59
From: Dorset
Occupation: Supermarket cashier
Carole has a segment on a local radio show is called ’Compost Carole’; during which she shares her gardening know-how with listeners. Carole brings the artistry that she uses in her garden to her baking, creating colourful and eclectic bakes that are inspired by her passion for horticulture. Her favourite flavours are fruity and punchy.
Dawn
Age: 60
From: Bedfordshire
Occupation: IT manager
Describing herself as an artist in and out of the kitchen, Dawn loves the challenge of an illusion cake (the more impossible-sounding, the better), favouring whacky and intricate designs that allow her to express her creative talent. She prides herself on her steady hand and attention to detail, especially when it comes to the intricacy required for lace patterns on biscuits.
James
Age: 25
From: Cumbria
Occupation: Nuclear scientist
Proud kilt-wearer James is a self-proclaimed board- game geek and loves horror films from the 70s and 80s. He enjoys the technical side of baking, but is in his element when he makes his bakes his own, with his signature ’child-friendly horror’ style and adorable decoration. His favourite flavours are anything autumnal, such as mixed spice, apples and caramel.
Janusz
Age: 34
From: East Sussex
Occupation: Personal assistant to head teacher
Janusz grew up in Poland and moved to the UK 10 years ago. He was inspired to bake by his mother, who always baked on a Saturday; a tradition Janusz continued when he moved away from home to go to university. He describes his baking style as ’cartoon-like, colourful and camp’, and loves working Polish ingredients into British staples.
Kevin
Age: 33
From: Lanarkshire
Occupation: Music teacher
He began baking when he was 17. His ethos in the kitchen is to use the best, seasonal ingredients and to spend time refining technique – with these in hand, he believes the presentation will take care of itself. He loves interesting combinations of fruits, herbs, nuts and spices.
Maisam
Age: 18
From: Greater Manchester
Occupation: Student and ales assistant
Originally from Libya, Maisam has lived in the UK since she was nine. She speaks five languages (English, Arabic, Amazigh, Spanish and Turkish) aims to make that seven by the time she turns 20. She has been baking since she was about 13 years old, and she loves the science required to get a bake right – often trying something multiple times until it is perfect.
Maxy
Age: 29
From: London
Occupation: Architectural assistant
Swedish-born Maxy began baking five years ago and uses her strong artistic skills to create beautifully decorated celebration cakes. Her favourite flavours link to her Scandinavian upbringing – the sweet and delicate spice of cardamom and saffron buns and cinnamon rolls.
Rebs
Age: 23
From: County Antrim
Occupation: Masters student
Her earliest baking memory is of being a child, aged only three years old, helping her mum in the kitchen, and of eating her granny’s renowned lemon meringue pies. More recently, she returned to baking as a way to unwind from the stress of a busy life in the tech world.
Sandro
Age: 30
From: London
Occupation: Nanny
Sandro was born in Angola, but fled the Angolan war with his mum when he was two, settling then in London. When Sandro was 21 his father passed away and he turned to baking as a form of therapy. Now, he lives and breathes it, and is often found rustling up bakes in a relaxed vibe with the telly on, or running virtual baking classes for children with autism.
Syabira
Age: 32
From: London
Occupation: Cardiovascular research associate
Malaysian-born Syabira moved to the UK in 2013 to study for her PhD. She started baking relatively recently – in 2017 – with a red velvet cake, which reminded her of the treats she shared with her friends back home. She is all for giving Malaysian flavour twists to British classics – chicken rendang cornish pasties are a particular favourite.
Will
Age: 45
From: London
Occupation: Former charity director
Will grew up just outside Bristol and now he lives in London with his wife, three children. His passion for baking began when he was two, when his mum would give him her pastry trimmings to turn into little jam tarts. Intrigued by the technical side of baking, he is a particular fan of using yeast – and not just in bread.
The Great British Bake Off returns on Tuesday 13 September at 8pm on Channel 4.
