The Great British Bake Off: 'Every year it gets better' says Dame Prue Leith as Yorkshire contestants take to the tent
Autumn bakes feel like a treat, packed full of the flavours of pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, caramel, and comforting warm spices, so what could be more of a treat than the return of The Great British Bake Off to our screens?
The bunting has been dusted off and once again, a batch of the UK’s amateur bakers are heading to the famous white tent to work their way through 30 brand new challenges, set by judges Paul Hollywood, 59, and 85-year-old Dame Prue Leith. But the 12 contestants won’t be left to figure things out on their own. They will receive moral support, jokes and warm hugs from hosts Noel Fielding, 52, and Alison Hammond, 50.
Each week on the Channel 4 baking competition – which previously aired on the BBC and is now in its 16th series – the contestants are given three challenges: a signature bake, a technical challenge and a showstopper, based on that week’s theme.
Their bakes are then assessed by Hollywood and Dame Prue, and a Star Baker is chosen for that week — a concept introduced in series 2 — before one baker is eliminated, and the winner is selected from the last three remaining contestants who make it to the final.
Two people based in Yorkshire are taking part this year. Chemistry graduate Hassan, 30, from South Yorkshire, is an analytical and development scientist, who works in the pharmaceutical industry, testing new drugs in their development stages. As a scientist, Hassan takes an analytical approach to baking, researching processes thoroughly before getting started on a new recipe. With a love for sweet treats inspired by his Pakistani heritage, he’s especially fond of praline and nut-based flavours.
He’ll be joined in the tent by 32-year-old office assistant Nataliia. Born in Ukraine, Nataliia was taught to bake by her grandmother, following traditional recipes that have been handed down through the generations. She loves to use these recipes to this day and also infuses classic British bakes with flavours inspired by her roots such as honey, poppy seeds and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Nataliia moved to the UK with her husband Harry four years ago, just before the war broke out. Her family followed shortly after as refugees and they now all live in East Yorkshire with their three-year-old daughter, Francesca.
"Every year I think (Bake Off) can’t get better, and it does,” says Dame Prue. “This year’s bakers were a very good mix of artistic people. Like, we had a hairdresser, a wedding stylist and engineers. It was amazing.”
"The quality has improved from series one,” Hollywood adds. “That doesn’t denigrate anyone from series two, either, because they did what they did, but things have changed. What we’re attracting now is not just bakers. They’re engineers, they’re artists, they’re creatives in their own right. And so all their bakes are elevated to another level. So they create some major works of art.”
The Great British Bake Off starts on Channel 4 this evening, September 2.