Who are the Great British Bake Off 2019 contestants?
The Great British Bake Off is back for 2019 – we meet the budding bakers hoping to be crowned the winner of the show’s 10th anniversary year.
The contestants for The Great British Bake Off have been revealed ahead of its return to Channel 4 on Tuesday 27 August.
This year's cast of 13 are younger than ever, with more than half in their 20s. The line-up includes a geography teacher, veterinary surgeon and a lorry driver all keen to display their baking brilliance to judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. Read on to learn more about this year's contestants, and hear our predictions for the ones to watch!
Inspired to get baking? Our bakes & cakes hub is packed full of delicious cakes, pastries and bread that you can try at home, or try our top 5 easy bakes for kids to get the whole family involved.
Who are the GBBO contestants?
Priya
Age: 34
Occupation: Marketing consultantBio: Priya, from Leicester, went 'baking bonkers' seven years ago when she received a stand mixer as a wedding gift. She lives in Leicester with her husband and two sons. She's a self-confessed perfectionist and recently started experimenting with vegan baking; she loves tropical, fruity flavours.
Our prediction: Priya's expertise in veganism and less traditional baking will prove to be a real strength.
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Learn more about Priya.
Rosie
Age: 28
Occupation: Veterinary surgeonBio: Rosie lives in rural Somerset with her childhood-sweetheart husband and many animals. Working as a vet, she loves to bake patisserie for the practice nurses. Her baking is inspired by her rural surroundings, from the orchards next door to the fresh eggs laid by her ducks and chickens.
Our prediction: Rosie not only sounds like the most wholesome person ever, but her busy job implies she's good at multitasking. If she's already mastered patisserie, the baking world could be her oyster.
Learn more about Rosie.
Steph
Age: 28
Occupation: Shop assistantBio: Steph is a self-taught baker with a passion for homemade loaves, especially sourdough bread. She enjoys the challenge of making bakes that are a little healthier – adding vegetables and lowering the refined sugar content wherever she can. She lives in Chester with her mum.
Our prediction: Bread week will certainly be Steph's time to shine – hopefully she'll impress master breadmaker Paul. We love that her sourdough starter is called 'Sammy'.
Learn more about Steph.
Alice
Age: 28
Occupation: Geography teacherBio: At 15-years-old, while recovering from a back operation for scoliosis and no longer able to do sport, Alice turned her hand to baking. She grew up in Essex and has lived abroad in New Zealand – she now teaches geography and loves to use cake in her lessons. Her baking style is intricate and delicate, and always aims to deliver the 'wow' factor.
Our prediction: It sounds like Alice's geography cakes, which demonstrate everything from coastal erosion to volcanic activity, are ambitious and creative – just what you need in the GBBO tent. We hope we can see one of these in a showstopper round!
Learn more about Alice.
Amelia
Age: 24
Occupation: Fashion designerBio: Amelia has watched the show since series one and has been baking for 19 years, learning from her mum and grandma. She grew up in Halifax and studied in Leeds and Leicester – she likes to draw on her northern roots to inspire her baking, believing freshly farmed ingredients make all the difference.
Our prediction: She's young, but with a lifetime of baking behind her she's not to be underestimated! Describing herself as a 'positive person' who is 'happy most days', we think her jolly demeanour will help to keep her calm under pressure.
Learn more about Amelia.
Dan
Age: 31
Occupation: Support workerBio: Dan is a self-taught baker from Rotherham who started baking at 21 to impress his then-girlfriend (now wife). His favourite part of the baking process is decoration and he loves producing awe-inspiring bakes. He made his own wedding cake and says the thing he is most proud of making is a towering croquembouche.
Our prediction: Mastering the art of choux pastry and wedding cakes already, Dan sounds like he could be a formidable contestant in the tent this year.
Learn more about Dan.
David
Age: 36
Occupation: International health advisorBio: David grew up in rural Yorkshire where his mum (who baked all the time – the family never ate a shop-bought loaf at home) inspired him to start baking. His culinary repertoire is broad, but his strength lies in bread. He prefers robust flavours to fanciful icing and good, solid bakes.
Our prediction: Another bread expert for the tent, David sounds like he has flavour and technique at the heart of his baking.
Learn more about David.
Helena
Age: 40
Occupation: Project managerBio: Helena spent much of her childhood watching her Spanish grandmother cook, but it was her experience as an exchange student in Las Vegas that first inspired her to bake. She likes to use American flavours such as pumpkin, pecans, maple and cinnamon, and has a passion for all things Halloween.
Our prediction: Helena has the potential to be a more gothic version of last year's colourful Kim-Joy, as she loves to decorate her cakes in a whimsical but 'witchy' style.
Learn more about Helena.
Henry
Age: 20
Occupation: StudentBio: A long-time fan of the show, Henry loves to bake for his friends, family and university housemates. His baking is elegant and composed of delicate, carefully combined flavours – and he isn't afraid of adding a little booze.
Our prediction: Henry's cake ideas sound indulgent and celebratory, which can only be music to the ears of Prue.
Learn more about Henry.
Jamie
Age: 20
Occupation: Part-time waiterBio: Born and raised with his twin brother in Surrey, Jamie is preparing to head to university to study sports science. He loves all things sporty, and enjoys technically difficult bakes such as croquembouche and croissants.
Our prediction: His panache for patisserie should bode well for the technical challenges, and we think his love for tennis might be an influence in the showstopper round.
Learn more about Jamie.
Michael
Age: 26
Occupation: Theatre manager/fitness instructorBio: Michael works as a manager for a prestigious theatre company in Stratford-upon-Avon, although he originally hails from Newcastle and moved to Scotland at the age of seven. In his baking, though, he is especially inspired by the flavours of his Indian heritage. Michael has attempted pretty much every discipline in baking, but his strengths lie in cakes and pastry.
Our prediction: Hopefully Michael’s theatrical background will bring a dynamic element to his cake decorating.
Learn more about Michael.
Michelle
Age: 35
Occupation: Print shop administratorBio: Based in Wales, Michelle bakes almost every other day and loves to use seasonal vegetables from the garden in her bakes. She grew up on a farm and now lives in the seaside town of Tenby with her husband and teenage son.
Our prediction: Michelle seems grounded, down-to-earth and well versed in her specialities of rustic cakes and homemade breads.
Learn more about Michelle.
Phil
Age: 56
Occupation: HGV driver
Bio: Phil lives in Rainham with his wife and two daughters and has worked as a driver since the age of 17. He started baking bread in his home economics class at school, but six years ago started experimenting with focaccia, brioche and even pastry. He loves motorbikes and always turns up to bike meetings with bakes.
Our prediction: If he can safely transport a cake on the back of a motorbike, then Phil must be a safe pair of hands.
Learn more about Phil.
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