Revealed: The 2016 Great British Bake Off contestants
- Published
Starting with the youngest, Michael (left) is 20 years old. His family is originally from Cyprus which has an influence on his cooking. Michael’s favourite thing to bake is Greek pastries with his Nan, which he’s been doing since he was young. Next to him is 26-year-old Tom. He grew up in Rochdale and moved to London after university. Tom makes his own cheese and salami and enjoys surprising his dinner guests with unexpected ingredients!
Say hello to Kate (left), a nurse and mother from Norfolk. As a farmer’s daughter, Kate loves to use fruits from her father’s farm for baking. She vows to always remain positive if her bakes go wrong. Both Kate and Benjamina (right) have been passionate about baking from a young age. Benjamina has a brother and a twin sister who is her biggest food critic, but she says they help her to grow and improve as a baker.
Meet secondary school PE teacher Candice (left) and former primary school head teacher Val (right). Candice learnt to bake from her Nan and can usually be found baking in her pyjamas! Val started baking for her family aged 15 and says she can create the classic bakes with her eyes closed… We’d like to see that, Val!
Next up is Jane. She designs gardens for a living but when she’s not stuck in the mud, Jane is busy in the kitchen! Her preferred baking time is the weekend but she does get up early most mornings to bake bread. Her love of baking comes from her grandfather and father who owned a bakery in Hastings, Sussex. Next to her is Rav who likes to experiment with his cooking. It was his sister who inspired him to bake. Watch out for Rav trying to be adventurous with his food and using unusual ingredients!
These two have used their jobs to inspire their bakes. Andrew, 25, is an engineer and designs jet engines. He likes to be ambitious with the designs for his bakes, like trying to make a plane out of baguettes! Hairdresser Louise got into baking after taking part in charity bake sales at work. When she’s not baking, Louise loves being outdoors and has walked up several mountains!
Another contestant who has made their mark at charity bake sales is Selasi (left). His work colleagues are often blown away by the beautiful cupcakes he makes. He recently ran a half marathon AND trekked through Malawi for charity. His weakness? Donuts. He says he can eat 12 donuts in 13 minutes… We’re not sure if that’s impressive or not? And last but not least is Lee (right). Lee is the oldest contestant at 67 and a proud father of two, with four grandchildren. Lee prefers traditional flavours such as chocolate, hazelnut, cherry and vanilla. Sounds yummy!
So there you have it: 12 contestants ready to battle it out baking in a big white tent. Who will impress judges Mary and Paul the most? We'll have to wait and see...
- Published9 August 2016
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