NHS worker and menswear designer among Great British Bake Off contestants

An NHS worker and menswear designer are among the bakers who will compete in this year’s series of The Great British Bake Off.

The contestants will be competing to impress judges Dame Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood across a series of challenges where they will be tasked with baking cakes, biscuits and breads, among other tasty creations, in a bid to be named Bake Off champion.

This year’s 12 bakers include car mechanic Andy, retail assistant Dylan, palliative care assistant Nelly, paediatric nurse Georgie, and senior category manager Gill.

Among the other bakers are former nail technician Hazel, who is the group’s oldest baker at 71, and dentistry student Sumayah, who, at the age of 19, is the youngest contestant competing this year.

The teenager from Lancashire is currently on her gap year and is an entirely self-taught baker who once made a one metre-tall macaron tower for her aunt’s mehndi wedding celebration.

Hazel, who lives in Kent and has four children and 10 grandchildren, said her weakness is baking biscuits while her strength is making beautiful cakes.

Also in the mix this year is qualified midwife and published author Illiyin from Norfolk, John from the West Midlands – who works in the NHS, and Mike from Wiltshire who is a fourth-generation farmer and was shortlisted for Young Farmer of the Year at the 2024 National Arable and Grassland Awards.

Alongside these contestants are a couple of bakers who applied to the show years after emigrating to the UK.

Christiaan, who is originally from The Netherlands, moved to the UK seven years ago to work for a leading fashion brand while Jeff, who now lives in West Yorkshire, is originally from the Bronx in New York but moved to the UK in 1979.

Georgie, from Carmarthenshire in Wales, said she has had many different influences in the kitchen from a young age, which she believes is a strength when baking.

The 34-year-old also reflected on what it is like to have ADHD and how it can both be a strength and weakness when in the kitchen.

“My ADHD does affect my everyday life and most definitely baking”, she said.

“When I can hyperfocus on a bake I can do it to the best of my ability in a short space of time.

“On the flip side this can also cause me to rush and make mistakes! Another weakness I feel is that I am quite heavy-handed, so can struggle with intricate designs.”

Both Gill and Andy explained the news they had made it onto the show came at quite difficult times in their lives.

Gill, 53, from Lancashire, said she had just attended a funeral when the call came in.

“I heard my phone vibrating in my bag”, she said.

“I couldn’t call back straight away but I ended up pulling over to the side of the road on my drive home as I couldn’t wait any longer.

Andy, 44, from Essex, said the show “probably came at the worst ever time” as his father-in-law was on end-of-life treatment while his mother-in-law was suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Speaking about the call he received, he said: “I was en route to see him at the time. I pulled over and just screamed of joy, what an absolute dream.”

The new series of The Great British Bake Off, hosted by Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding, starts on Tuesday September 24 at 8pm on Channel 4.