The Great British Bake Off returns next Tuesday (August 27) for its highly-anticipated new series.
And a week ahead of its launch, Channel 4 has announced the 13 hopeful bakers aiming to impress Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
Alongside Paul and Prie, Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig will return to host the show.
Among the contestants are a fashion designer, geography teacher, veterinary surgeon and theatre manager.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Alice is a 28-year-old geography teacher hailing from Essex.
She started baking when she was 15 and has kept up her skills ever since, using her creations in her lessons.
Her cakes have been used to teach students about everything from coastal erosion to volcanoes.
Now living in east London, Alice perfected her fruit pavlova while she lived in New Zealand.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Fashion designer Amelia, 24, comes from Halifax in Yorkshire.
The sportswear designer honed her baking skills at university and it sounds like she’ll storm the competition.
That’s because she says her proudest bake was a snow leopard cake she made for her nephew’s fifth birthday.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Dan is also from Yorkshire, and is a 32-year-old support worker.
He has memories of his mum teaching him how to make a Victoria sponge cake as a young boy.
But he didn’t get serious as a baker until he was 21 when he was trying to impress his girlfriend.
It seems it worked, because he went on to bake their wedding cake.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Health adviser David is based in London, but originally from Yorkshire.
The 36-year-old used comes from a family of bakers, as his mum made sure there was never a shop-bought loaf at home.
When he travelled in Malawi, he learned to build an oven out of an oil drum and invented a cake that could steam cook over a fire.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Helena, 40, lives in Leeds but was born in North Africa and grew up in Lanzarote before studying in Spain.
The online project manager only started baking after she spent some time living with a family in Las Vegas.
She’s clearly well travelled, so her bakes are sure to be exotic.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Henry is a 20-year-old student at Durham University.
It was GBBO which sparked his love of baking when the famous tent was pitched in his local park when he was 12.
He now tests his creations on his university housemates while also studying English Literature.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Jamie was born and raised in Surrey, alongside his identical twin brother.
The part-time waiter learnt the basics of baking from his family.
But he was particularly inspired by an episode of Bake Off, which spurred him on to make a plaited loaf.
The 20-year-old now enjoys technically difficult bakes such as croissants and croquembouche.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Michael, 26, is from Stratford-uponAvon and is a theatre manager and fitness instructor.
He was born in Newcastle but actually considers himself Scottish, moving to Scone when he was seven and studying in Edinburgh.
But it’s his Indian heritage which inspires his baking.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Michelle is a 35-year-old print shop administrator from Tenby in Wales.
She bakes almost every other day, meaning there’s always fresh bread for breakfast and sweet treats for dessert.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Essex-based motorbike enthusiast Phil is a 56-year-old HGV driver.
He was introduced to baking at school in home economics classes.
Now, he bakes four or five times a week, with creations including focaccia, granary bread and brioches and pastries.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Priya is a 34-year-old marketing consultant based in Leicester.
Her first footsteps into baking were in an after-school baking club at primary school.
But she went “baking bonkers” when she was gifted a mixer as a wedding gift seven years ago.
More recently, she began experimenting with vegan baking and started writing a novel.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Veterinary surgeon Rosie, 28, lives in Somerset.
Her passion with baking began aged five when she was given a children’s baking book.
When she’s not busy treating poorly pets or wildlife, she’s baking through the night to keep the practice nurses fed and to relax.
(Image: Mark Bourdillon/ Channel 4)
Rounding out the cast is Steph, 28, from Chester.
The shop assistant has a passion for sports and wellness, which inspires her baking.
She loves the challenge of making her bakes healthier by adding more fruit and vegetables, and taking note of nutritional facts.
The Great British Bake Off kicks off next Tuesday, August 27 at 8pm on Channel 4.
