Meet the bakers: Who are the new Great British Bake Off contestants?

The contestants for the new series of The Great British Bake Off have been announced. Among the bakers introduced in this year’s series are a scientist, an accountant and a retired flight attendant. The show is set to return on 26 September , with Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith reprising their roles as judges. The hosting team has seen a shake-up this year as This Morning star Alison Hammond takes over from Matt Lucas , who quit after the 2022 series. She’ll join Noel Fielding who returns for his sixth year on the show. Here’s a rundown of all the contestants set to appear on this year’s Bake Off… ‘The Great British Bake Off’ hosts Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith Abbi, 27 Veg grower and delivery driver from Cumbria Yorkshire-born Abbi learnt to bake from her mum. She then became fascinated by baking throughout history, particularly in the Victorian era. Now, she forages and grows many of her own ingredients. ‘I am very creative and love making actual real-life places and scenes out of cake, but I would struggle with making something very neat and chic,’ she said. Amos, 43 Deli and grocery manager from North London Hospitality professional Amos grew up in Nottingham with his sister and his mum, inspired him with her baking ability. He now lives in North London in a converted church, which he says compares with his baking style: ‘traditional with a modern twist’. Cristy, 33 Mum and PA from East London Mum of four Cristy draws inspiration from her Israeli heritage and her husband’s Jamaican roots for her bakes. She can also solve a Rubik’s cub in under four minutes! ‘Alison and Noel were one of the best parts about the tent they are both so lovely and funny,’ she teased. ‘Seeing them bounce off each other and having a laugh all the time… They are the perfect duo.’ Dan, 42 Civil engineering resource planner from Cheshire Dan’s interest in cooking was sparked by a trip to South America in 2007. It was his mother-in-law who taught him how to make the perfect shortcrust pastry. Since then, Dan has been a fanatic for pies and pastries. ‘My strengths are my flavour combos,’ Dan said; ‘My weakness…overthinking bakes and doing too much!’ Dana, 25 Database administrator from Essex 25-year-old Dana has been baking seriously for around nine years when she identified a gap in her family’s traditionally Indian culinary repertoire. To avoid taking over her mum’s kitchen, she would take the bus to her dad’s house in order to experiment. Her style is ‘rustic and homely’ – think semi-naked cakes with neat lines and piping. Flavour-wise, she has a penchant for spices associated with her Indian heritage. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Josh, 27 Post-doctoral research associate from Leicestershire The Bake Off tent would not be complete without a scientist of some description. Chemist Josh loves to experiment in the kitchen and has a fascination with old baking books. A keen rugby player, Josh invigorates his teammates with baked treats. He dreams of owning his own artisan bakery eventually. Keith, 60 Chartered accountant from Hampshire Keith’s childhood was filled with memories of baking apple pies and fairy cakes, a skill he learned from his mother. Her love for traditional Maltese dishes also left a lasting impression on him. Since those formative years, Keith has never stopped baking. Sue, his partner, has become accustomed to waking up to the aroma of freshly baked bread. They share their home with their poodle, Maisie, just steps away from the sea. Matty, 28 PE and science teacher from Cambridgeshire Matty watches online patisserie videos before bed. He continually strives to match the enchantment of the very first bake that captured his imagination: a teddy-bear cake lovingly crafted by his late nan for his fourth birthday. Now the family’s go-to baker, he maintains a list of cake requests for upcoming celebrations. He describes his style as a blend of rustic charm and precision, with a penchant for traditional flavours like chocolate, citrus, and nuts. His next big task? Crafting his own wedding cake for fiancee Lara. Nicky, 52 Retired cabin crew and volunteer from West Midlands Nicky says her baking style is like a pair of ‘comfy old slippers’ – whatever that means. Her top picks are still pastries, but she also delights in baking bread and creating fun birthday cakes for her niece and grandchildren. Beyond the kitchen, Nicky volunteers with a pet-therapy charity alongside her dog, Bracken, and has been an avid skier since the tender age of three. Rowan, 21 Student from West Yorkshire English Literature student Rowan lives by the motto ‘Go big, or go home,’ a philosophy he applies to his baking endeavours. His earliest baking memories revolve around scones, pork pies, shortbread, and jam tarts, which he considers Northern delicacies. Much like his impressive cocktail-making skills, Rowan showcases his grand and opulent side through his bakes, leaving his university friends in awe. For his 21st birthday, he even crafted a towering three-tier, 12-layer extravaganza of a cake. Saku, 50 Intelligence analyst from Herefordshire Sri Lankan-born Saku infuses her heritage’s traditional flavours into her baking, especially the curry spices, which she believes create exceptional pie fillings. She also generously incorporates cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg into her sweet creations. Despite not having an oven in her family home in Sri Lanka until the age of 18, Saku discovered her passion for baking when she moved to the UK with her husband in 2003. It truly blossomed when she became a mother, as she started crafting homemade treats for her children’s lunchboxes, inspired by snacks she saw in the supermarket. Tasha, 27 Participation officer from Bristol Tasha’s fondest childhood baking memory involves savouring the sugar icing from fairy cakes made with her mom and grandma. In secondary school, she started baking for friends and received encouragement from her Food Technology teacher to pursue it as a hobby. Tasha’s approach to baking mirrors her fearless outlook on life. She uses it as a means of creative expression, often tackling challenging designs with remarkable success. Beyond baking, she enjoys attending West End shows and has a deep passion for globetrotting. The Great British Bake Off airs on 26 September on Channel 4 at 9pm.