- Channel 4 has unveiled the 12 home-bakers competing in the eleventh season of The Great British Bake Off, due to hit screens on September 22
- The upcoming series took place at a private location in Essex after five years of filming at Welford Park in Berkshire, with all cast and crew undergoing regular COVID-19 testing in an isolation bubble
- This year’s edition will see Matt Lucas make his debut as he replaces Sandi Toksvig to host alongside comedian Noel Fielding and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith
- The popular show had been scheduled to go into production back in April, but kicked off in July once lockdown restrictions eased
- One of 12 hopefuls will take home the desirable title of Bake Off champion, won last year by David Atherton
- Do you know any of this year’s Bake Off contestants? Get in touch by emailing tips@dailymail.com
Channel 4 has unveiled the 12 home-bakers competing in the eleventh season of The Great British Bake Off, due to hit screens on September 22. ADVERTISEMENT
The new batch of hopefuls boasts are as diverse as ever, with the line-up including a pantomime producer, a radiographer, an armoured guard, and an amputee who uses baking as a form of therapy.
This year’s edition will see Matt Lucas make his debut as he replaces Sandi Toksvig to host alongside comedian Noel Fielding and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
The upcoming series took place at a private location in Essex after five years of filming at Welford Park in Berkshire, with all cast and crew members undergoing regular COVID-19 testing in an isolation bubble amid the pandemic.
Producers said they drew up a list of safety rules ‘longer than the Bible’ before filming started in Essex. Executive producer Letty Kavanagh insisted even packets of flour were cleaned several times.
Before entering the ‘biosphere’, the contestants had to quarantine for nine days and then give two negative results from coronavirus tests. They were tested again at the venue. Anything coming in and out of the Bake Off bubble, including luggage and food deliveries, had to be deep-cleaned.
Why Bake Off? Dave first tried his hand at baking once he left home, after years of relying on his mother’s food. Now living with his girlfriend in Hampshire, his kitchen is filled with Bake Off-inspired appliances and his strengths lie in bread.
What’s he got to say? ‘I’m very pleased. It felt like a long build up and that there were many hurdles to overcome first.
‘My strengths are the ability to learn from mistakes, take criticism and use it to improve, while my weaknesses would be feeling overwhelmed when mess builds up and struggling with some baking jargon…. And French words!’
Fun fact: Dave splits his time between work, DIY projects and looking after his pets when he isn’t cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
Age: 39
Occupation: Accountant
Why Bake Off? Born in Benin, Hermine moved to London in nearly 20 years ago to pursue further education. She made her first cake at the tender age of eight after helping her mother bake for large family events.
The French influence in Benin has instilled in Hermine a love of high-end pâtissérie.
What’s she got to say? ‘I thought it might not go ahead so to finally get into the tent that first morning was surreal. I could not believe I made it in.
‘My strength is my understanding of how ingredients work together and how to get flavours right. My weakness is the ability to get a clean neat finish under time pressure.’
Occupation: Digital manager
Why Bake Off? Laura started baking as a child and returned to the art a few years ago. The Kent native credits working under pressure for being a strong hopeful in the competition.
When it comes to her masterpieces, she focuses on mastering ‘pretty and dainty’ decorations.
What’s she got to say? ‘I was really excited about the whole experience but I think I was especially excited to meet Matt Lucas.
‘I saw him in Les Mis last year and he was incredible. I was very star-struck when I first saw him and made a bit of a fool out of myself. I think my first words to him were “OMG I LOVE YOU.”‘
Interesting fact: Laura volunteers at the Samaritans in her spare time
LINDA
Age: 61
Occupation: Retirement living team leader
Why Bake Off? Linda picked up the hobby from a young age, after frequently visiting her aunt’s dairy farm.
As a lover of the countryside, she believes her strengths lie in home-comfort cooking and only uses homegrown produce in her cooking.
What’s she got to say? ‘I’ll never lose that magical feeling I had when I first walked into the tent and that will stay with me as one of my moments’.
Interesting fact: At 61, Linda is this year’s oldest contestant
LORIEA
Age: 27
Occupation: Diagnostic radiographer
Why Bake Off? The Durham-based chef infuses Caribbean flavours into her food, having lived in Jamaica for 15 years.
She learnt how to bake from her grandmother and is used to working well under pressure.
What’s she got to say? ‘What stands out the most is the close bond we had made already, as well as how supportive we all were to each other, despite coming from various backgrounds.
‘Basically, it was like catching up with long lost friends.’
Interesting fact: Loriea moved to the UK when she was 15 and started baking 10 years earlier with help from her grandmother+34
ROWAN
Age: 55
Occupation: Music teacher
Why Bake Off? Rowan from Worcestershire is completely self-taught and specialises in French pâtissérie. The teacher also enjoys updating Georgian-inspired recipes with his own take on the 18th-century and enjoys decorating his masterpieces with flowers from his garden.
What’s he got to say? ‘It was very exciting and seemed unreal after all the uncertainty and the vast amount of preparatory work.
‘My strengths are ambition in ideas and design. My weakness is over-ambition and no interest in timings!’
Interesting fact: Rowan swims a mile in the mornings and enjoys spending time at the British Library +34
Spontaneous: An improviser by nature, Sura particularly enjoys balancing fragrant and floral flavours
SURA
Age: 31
Occupation: Pharmacy dispenser
Why Bake Off? Sura from London pays homage to her Turkish, Iraqi, Iranian, Syrian and Indian heritage by experimenting with a wide range of seasoning in her cooking.
What’s she got to say? ‘I was looking forward to meeting Prue the most.
‘I have watched her for many years on TV and I just loved her passion for food and flavours and her immense knowledge on it all. ‘She inspired a lot of my baking in my early 20s.’
Interesting fact: Sura’s passions lie in exploring her love of travel, architecture and design. +34
Cooking up a storm: Mark began experimenting with baking during his time at university
MARK
Age: 32
Occupation: Project manager
Why Bake Off? Northern Irish contestant Mark began experimenting with baking during his time at university.
As a project manager for public health research programmes, he tends to experiment with flavours of Africa and Asia after visiting the continents for work.
What’s he got to say? ‘I think I am quite a versatile baker and always up for a challenge.
‘My biggest weakness is baking to a time limit – at home I spend hours (and sometimes days!) baking something as a way of de-stressing, so I wasn’t sure how I would deal with that in the tent!’
Interesting fact: Mark inspired by his Irish heritage, African and Asian flavours which he finds on health research programmes.
