It’s time to turn on the ovens and make room in your calendar for the next few Tuesday evenings, as The Great British Bake Off returns to our screens for its 14th season.
Yes, it’s just a matter of days until 12 new contenders enter that renowned tent to conquer those tough technicals and slay us with their showstoppers – all in the hopes of being declared 2023 champion and joining that historic hall of fame.
Although the event appears to be running as normal, there are some changes this year, including the introduction of a new presenter.
When does everything start, and what can you expect? Here’s what you should know…
When does The Great British Bake Off start?
The good news for Bake Off fans is that the new series will premiere on Channel 4 on Tuesday, September 26th.
The show begins at 8 p.m. and lasts an hour and a half before the new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins begins at 9.30 p.m.
If you miss it, you may watch it later on Channel 4’s on-demand service 4od.
The first week of the new series begins with Cake Week, in which the bakers will be faced with creating a vertical layer cake and a chocolate cake technique, followed by a showstopper with an architectural theme.
However, for one baker, the adventure will finish before it has ever begun, with the first elimination taking place at the end of the episode.
Who are the Bake Off presenters?
Noel Fielding is back as host, but this time he’s accompanied by new co-host Alison Hammond.
Alison was announced as the show’s new co-host in March, following the resignation of Noel’s former co-host Matt Lucas.
Playing a roving reporter, she said: ‘Breaking news, Alison Hammond is joining the team of the Great British Bake Off. Alison, have you got any words whatsoever?’
Responding to her own question, she added: ‘Well, d’ya know what? I’m just absolutely thrilled, I’m gonna be meeting the bakers very soon and joining the Great British Bake Off.
‘I’m so very excited! As you can see, all my colleagues are absolutely speechless… Yep, yep, just speechless. We’re so very happy and we can’t wait to get started.’
She wrote alongside the video: ‘It’s OFFICIAL!!! It’s happening The Great British Bake off ! Let’s have it ! The cake that is 😂#GBBO 2023’
The former Big Brother participant and This Morning host is the show’s first non-white host or judge in its 14-year existence.
However, this is not Alison’s first encounter with the Bake Off tent, since she also competed in the Stand Up To Cancer special in 2020.
Who are the Bake Off judges this year?
We’ll be welcome Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith back to the tent as judges once more.
Prue has expressed her delight at Alison Hammond’s addition to the show.
‘I think it’ll be fantastic, not only because of her character and her personality, but I like the fact she’s a woman,’ she previously told metro.co.uk.
‘I love Matt Lucas and I’m sure we’ll be friends for life, but the fact is, when there were three men and me, because there were numbers of them, they just got sillier and sillier and I never understand the jokes.
‘They can go into hysterics about the word sausage. They’re like four years old. So, I’m looking forward to having a woman around.
Who are the Bake Off contestants?
Here’s who’ll be baking up a storm in the tent this year…
- Abbi, 27, vegetable grower and delivery driver from Cumbria
- Amos, 43, deli and grocery manager from North London
- Cristy, 33, PA from East London
- Dan, 42, civil engineering resource planner from Cheshire
- Dana, 25, database administrator from Essex
- Josh, 27, post-doctoral research associate from Leicestershire
- Keith, 60, chartered accountant from Hampshire
- Matty, 28, PE and science teacher from Cambridgeshire
- Nicky, 52, retired cabin crew and volunteer from West Midlands
- Rowan, 21, student from West Yorkshire
- Saku, 50, intelligence analyst from Herefordshire
- Tasha, 27, participation officer from Bristol
This year’s line-up includes the show’s first ever deaf contestant, Tasha, who will be joined on the show by her BSL interpreter Daryl.
To communicate with her, the Bake Off contestants have also learnt sign language.
She had a signer, so we all learnt a bit of sign language,” Leith said. “Paul was terrific and he learnt a lot. I just about managed to learn how to say ‘good luck’ and ‘well done’.
The Great British Bake Off begins on Tuesday September 26 on Channel 4 at 8pm.
