Meet the Great British Bake Off 2016 contestants
HURRAH! The Great British Bake Off is back...
Now in it's seventh series, the show is back with a brand new line-up of amateur baking enthusiasts. As we patiently for the new series, we are introduced to the twelve new contestants. From the baking banker and the aerospace engineer, to the PE teacher and pastry-loving Pastor, here's everything you need to know about this year's bakers…
Sidenote: We're not loving the gender-dough in these promo pictures. C'mon, get with the 21st century, bake off bosses...
Tom
Age 26
Tom is from Rochdale but has lived in London since moving there for University. He works as a Project Engagement Manager for The Royal Society of Arts and lives with his wife Kate. Tom is never shy when it comes to trying out new things in the kitchen, despite a busy work life he always makes time for baking and loves using unexpected ingredients. Tom recently lost 30 kilos but still lives by the motto “have your cake and it eat”.
Val
Age 66
Val lives in Yeovil with her husband Ian and is a former Primary School Head Teacher. She began baking at the age of 15 and has now been doing it for over 50 years. Although she likes searching the internet for new recipes, Val is a self-proclaimed queen of traditional baking as she says she can make the classic treats with her eyes closed. She loves incorporating her baking into her teaching as she still works as a substitute teacher twice a week and hopes to inspire the children to grow a passion for it just like she did.
Andrew
Age 25
Andrew is from Northern Ireland but currently lives in Derby with some friends. He works as an aerospace engineer for Rolls-Royce but was introduced to baking by his mum and grandmother. Using his precious family recipes, Andrew loves baking and incorporating different designs to make his treats look beautiful.
Benjamina
Age 23
Benjamina is an Economics graduate from South London and currently works as a Teaching Assistant. She started baking at the age of 14 and has developed a real passion for it. Benjamina likes mixing classic and modern flavours in her baking and takes pride in the presentation. She is a perfectionist and often receives feedback from her twin sister and her family who help her improve and row as a baker.
Candice
Age 31
Candice is a North Londoner who grew up in the pubs her parents ran. However, she now lives in Bedfordshire with her boyfriend, Liam, and their dog. She has a career in pastoral care and teaches P.E at a secondary school. Her passion for baking comes from her beloved Nan and she now enjoys baking at home in her PJs.
Jane
Age 61
Jane is from Beckenham where she lives with her husband, Ray, and two kids Amy and Henry who are at university. Jane’s passion for baking comes from her grandfather who owned a bakery in Hastings, naturally her father took a liking to it too and Jane watched him bake from the age of six. She wakes up every morning to make fresh bread in her kitchen, but dedicates her weekends to baking traditional cakes, pastries and biscuits.
Kate
Age 37
Kate is a farmer’s daughter from Norfolk and has two children. As a qualified nurse, Kate loves nurturing others. Her passion for baking developed when she was a child, and she now enjoys every day family baking. When baking, she loves using seasonal fruits from her parents’ farm.
Lee
Age 67
Lee is a builder turned Pastor and currently works at a local church in Bolton where he lives. He started baking in 1984 after being forced to take time off work due to a back injury and has loved it ever since. Lee has two children and is a grandfather of four. He loves traditional flavours such as cherry and vanilla and tends to stick classics when baking.
Louise
Age 46
Louise is a Welsh hairdresser currently living in Cardiff with her fiancé Simon. He love for baking began 10 years ago when she baked for a charity cake sale at work. Louise loves decorating her cakes with extravagant designs when baking and also enjoys experimenting with different flavours when baking bread. Aside from baking, she likes being outdoors and has completed a number of mountain walks.
Michael
Age: 20
Michael is a Politics and Economics student from London. His family are from Cyprus and his heritage has strong influence on his baking as he had been making Greek Pastries with his Nan from a young age. Despite living in a house of students in Durham, Michael finds the time to bake cakes – usually in the early mornings or late hours of the night when the kitchen isn’t so busy. He likes using different flavours and adding ingredients that wouldn’t traditionally be used together.
Rav
Age 28
Rav is from a tight knit family and lives in Kent with his parents. He studied Criminology at university and is now working at City University London where he supports students. Rav’s passion for baking was inspired by his sister and he now loves being adventurous with a use of unusual ingredients when he is baking. He also enjoys vegan baking and is influenced by far eastern cuisine.
Selais
Age 30
Selais is originally from Ghana and moved to the UK with his family 15 years ago. He currently lives in London with his girlfriend and works as a Client Service Associate at a financial company. Despite working long hours, he manages to find time to bake and tends to shock his colleagues with his baking bug. Aside from baking, Selais enjoys travelling and taking part in he and his friends’ own “Sunday Motorbike Club”. He is an avid charity supporter and takes part in a number of challenges and activities to raise money for them every year.
