Who Won The Great British Bake Off Series 16?

Britain’s favourite baking show has just rounded off its 16th series. Having whittled down the contestants from 12 to three, the last bakers standing battled it out for the coveted Bake Off cake stand. Preparing for a summer fête, in spite of the stormy weather, here’s a recap of everything that went down in the final of The Great British Bake Off. 

Alison Hammond, Noel Fielding, Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. (Channel 4)

What Happened In Great British Bake Off Series 16, Episode 10?

The Bake Off finale kicked off with a British classic in the form of an iced bun Signature Challenge. Traditionally soft sweet bread buns with a white or pink sugar glaze, the dough they’re made from is imperceptible from that of hotdogs – a fact Tom used to his advantage to create a piña colada-flavoured sausage creation. Despite his creativity, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Cracking under the pressure of the final, Tom mistakenly sprinkled in citric acid instead of salt, wreaking havoc on his rise. As ever, the judges sung the praises of Aaron’s creative flavours, though his dough was described as a little bit tough, while Jasmine remained pretty much perfect. 

The Technical Challenge saw the bakers confront a tower of Madeleines, complete with a lemon curd filling, pink ombre chocolate decor and a surprisingly fiddly bow to complete. Despite her consistent prowess, this technical saw Jasmine drop to last place for the first time due to her underbaked Madeleines. Aaron just missed out on his last chance at topping the Technical, while Tom’s solid flavours and textures put him at first despite his misinterpretation of the ombre design.

The last ever Showstopper for this batch of bakers saw the final three create the largest cakes in Bake Off history: a 1.2m long table-top centerpiece. With thunder rumbling and rain crashing down, Aaron (and his bowl) buckled under the pressure, with the cracked glass forcing him to begin his bake all over again. Unimpressed with his design choices, the judges described the final product as messy, overbaked and lacking a key ‘hero flavour’ (Paul’s new favourite phrase). Describing her technical failure as a ‘kick up the bum’, Jasmine played it safe in the Showstopper by using the judges’ favourite flavours from her previous bakes. Despite the approval she received, the judges’ comments paled in comparison to those they bestowed on Tom, with Paul and Prue insisting there was nothing more he could have done to improve his cake. With Tom left with just enough praise to hope for a possible win, the fate of the bakers was now left entirely in the hands of the judges. 

Who Won The Series?

Unfortunately for Aaron, it was plain that his failure in the Showstopper had knocked him out of the running. Where Jasmine’s win had once seemed certain, her failure in the Technical, and Tom’s success in the last two challenges left the conclusion unclear. Despite Paul’s insistence in previous series that the winner is judged on the final alone (leaving previous five-time Star Baker winner Richard Burr without the crown), it seemed that Jasmine’s consistency, and Tom’s Signature failure, just pushed her over the edge as she was announced the winner. 

Paul and Prue

When Will The Next Season Start?

While we don’t know the exact start date for Series 17 of Bake Off, it has been confirmed that Paul and Prue will be returning to our screens in September 2026. Want to test your luck in the tent? Applications for the next season are open now until 1pm on Monday 15 December. You can apply at applyforbakeoff.co.uk

The cast of The Great British Bake Off Series 16: Hassan, Leighton, Aaron, Tom, Lesley, Pui Man, Nataliia, Iain, Toby, Jessika, Jasmine & Nadia. (Channel 4)

What Else Have I Missed? Series 16 So Far

Episode 9: Patisserie Week

Star Baker: Jasmine

Who Left? Toby

The Semi Final saw Jasmine continue her winning streak as she joined former contestant Richard Burr as the only bakers to clinch Star Baker five times in Bake Off history. The Signature saw the bakers whip up some cream horns (while the hosts whipped up some puns), complete with rough puff pastry and a flavourful filling. Jasmine and Aaron came out on top, while Tom and Toby struggled to perfect their flavours. In the Technical, the bakers were tasked with producing an intricate French framboisier: a layered raspberry cake crafted with genoise sponge, pistachio crème mousseline and topped with a sugar dome. While Paul was disappointed in all the designs, the ranking from worst to best went: Toby, Aaron, Tom and Jasmine. 

And finally, the Showstopper: a macaron centrepiece, made-up of a plethora of the chewy French biscuits. The bakers certainly pulled out all the stops: with a tasty Christmas tree from Jasmine, a whimsical sloth from Aaron, a crate of lemons by Toby and an ambitious free-hanging beehive by Tom. Despite Paul’s disappointment in Tom’s Showstopper, it was Toby who left the tent, while Jasmine clinched the Star Baker crown once again.

Episode 8: Dessert Week

Star Baker: Jasmine

Who Left? Iain

The Quarter Final saw last woman standing Jasmine conquer all four men in the tent, becoming just the third baker in Bake Off history to clinch Star Baker four times in one series. Before that, we watched the bakers tackle a mouthwatering Signature: a highly decorated Basque cheesecake complete with a wobbly, creamy centre, a classic burned top and delightful decorations. Jasmine and Aaron performed best, while Toby, Iain and Tom struggled. In the Technical, Prue asked the bakers to whip up six identical gluten-free orange and cardamom upside-down puddings (learn how to make your own here), which saw the ranking thus: Aaron, Jasmin, Toby, Iain and Tom.

And finally, the Showstopper: a ‘sensational, celebratory freestanding trifle’, incorporating jelly, custard and a sponge cake. Tom and Aaron struggled with flavours and textures respectively, while Toby’s wonky freestanding creation tasted better than it looked. Jasmine whipped up a stonker while Iain struggled once again, sealing his fate as the eighth baker to leave the tent.

Episode 7: Meringue Week

Star Baker: Toby

Who Left? Leslie

A brand-new challenge in the Bake Off tent brought brand-new stresses. We saw contestants knee-deep in egg whites as they grappled with sticky Signatures, sinking soufflés and a Showstopper that even the most seasoned baker would raise their eyebrows at… Does anybody actually know what vacherin glacé is? The Signature was mini meringue tarts, with all six bakers opting for a fruity filling and Toby coming out on top with a Hollywood Handshake. Then a raspberry soufflé Technical with a staggered start saw struggles across the board, with Iain ultimately faring best.

Next, the much-anticipated Showstopper Challenge: a vacherin glacé (aka a French ice cream cake), with Iain breaking pretty protocol and crafting a bin in a callback to series 5 when another Iain from Belfast presented his melted ice cream cake in the trash, an incident popularly known among fans as ‘bin-gate’ (sadly the judges weren’t impressed by the flavours). Toby, though, came out on top with his pineapple and coconut flavoured ice cream cake which won him an invite to enjoy a piña colada poolside with Paul.

Episode 6: Pastry Week

Star Baker: Jasmine

Who Left? Nataliia

Week 6 saw the bakers contending with what Prue dubbed the ‘most important’ week in the Bake Off calendar: Pastry Week. The episode opened with a savoury pastry plait Signature Challenge, with Aaron’s Jamaican ‘platty’ earning him a Hollywood Handshake – and the honour of replacing Paul’s jacket potato lunch. This was followed by a hot water crust gala pie (that’s boiled eggs encased in meat for those of you under 50), which saw Aaron unexpectedly flake under the pressure while Jasmine continued to secure her upper-crust spot. 

The Showstopper demanded the bakers create ‘an intricately sculpted tart’ (with Alison, Noel and even Prue strutting their stuff in demonstration). Jasmine bagged her third Star Baker of the series in spite of a dry tart filling, while Nataliia’s swan sculpture failed to glide her to safety, singing her swan song as the sixth baker to leave the tent. 

Episode 5: Chocolate Week

Star Baker: Aaron

Who Left? Nadia

Sweet, sweet Chocolate Week was as messy as ever – but not quite so melty as previous years thanks to rainy (not scorching) weather. From a Signature chocolate mousse cups (earning Tom a Hollywood Handshake) to a special white chocolate tart under the ominous gingham blanket, our batch of bakers were certainly put through their paces with Nadia.

The final challenge? A spectacular fondue display. Cue piping bags, hot knives and quick-freeze sprays galore in an epic building sequence which saw Jasmine earn a Hollywood Handshake and Aaron finally seal his fate as Star Baker. At the other end of the scale, this was the final nail in Nadia’s coffin, while Toby escaped elimination by the skin of his teeth.

Episode 4: School Week

Star Baker: Jasmine

Who Left? Jessika

Week 4 brought us our very first School Week. Yes, you read that right – top marks for you! Amid nostalgic jokes about our bakers being sent to detention for their shoddy creations, it all kicked off with the humble flapjack in the Signature Challenge, followed by School Cake in the Technical, with Aaron the runner up and Jasmine coming out on top.

Heading into the Showstopper, Nadia, Jessika and Nataliia were scrambling, but it was ultimately Jessika who was let down by her summer fete stall display. On the flipside Jasmine bagged her second consecutive Star Baker title, with Tom trailing just behind.

Episode 3: Bread Week

Star Baker: Jasmine

Who Left? Pui Man

As is tradition, Week 3 brought us Bread Week – a week many bakers dread each year, thanks to it being Paul Hollywood’s speciality. The Signature saw the bakers rustle up flavoursome savoury monkey bread (Jessika and Iain fared best), followed by the Technical, set by Paul: glazed ring doughnuts. Pui Man came last in the challenge while Jasmine was crowned winner, setting us up for the Showstopper.

Pui Man, Aaron and Nataliia were struggling, while Jasmine, Nadia and Iain were performing best. The Showstopper challenged the bakers to create a celebratory sweet bread with a minimum of three tiers, with Jasmine ultimately clinching the crown and Pui Man’s coconut and glacé cherry tiered bread sadly not quite enough to offset her disappointing performances in the Signature and the Technical.

Episode 2: Biscuit Week

Star Baker: Tom

Who Left? Leighton

The first day of Biscuit Week saw this series’ bakers tackling slice-and-bake biscuits and chocolate-caramel hobnobs. After a tent-ful of decent Signature bakes, many of the contestants struggled with the Technical Challenge, with Pui Man, Leighton and Lesley at the bottom of the leaderboard. Toby, though, won for the second week in a row – thanks to his ‘perfect hobnobs’ according to Prue and Paul.

For their Showstopper, the bakers were tasked with creating highly decorated biscuit time capsule filled with five edible mementos. Tom impressed the judges with a beautiful recreation of his grandmother’s cottage – earning himself a coveted Hollywood handshake as well as Star Baker. But with Pui Man just scraping her way out of the danger zone with an intricate Hong Kong-inspired bake in honour of her parents, it was Leighton who ended up leaving the tent.

Episode 1: Cake Week

Star Baker: Nataliia

Who Left? Hassan

Is it really a Great British Bake Off opener without some kind of quirky, cinematic skit? This series opened with Alison Hammond, Noel Fielding and a bearded (yes, really) Prue Leith driving a safari buggy through the gates of ‘Jurassic Bake’ to meet a dino-clad Paul Hollywood.

But after that skit, the dramatics were far from over: we had bleeped-out swears, collapsed Swiss rolls, a blind Technical Challenge (Fancy putting yourself to the test? Here’s the recipe for Paul Hollywood’s Fondant Fancies) and more than one gloopy Showstopper as the bakers attempted to craft a ‘landscape cake’ (although Iain did manage to pull it back in the end). 

Alison Hammond, Noel Fielding, Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. (Channel 4)

Bake Off Themes 2025

Every episode of Bake Off is governed by a theme, which changes every week. Some themes are consistent and appear every year; think Cake Week, Biscuit Week, Bread Week, Chocolate Week and Pastry Week. But there are also more surprising themes introduced by the producers each year, including in recent series things like Botanicals Week, Vegan Week, Autumn Week, Tudor Week and the regrettable Mexican Week. Frequent returners are themes like Halloween Week and Dessert Week, with the latter making a return in the later stages of 2025.

The themes for The Great British Bake Off series 16 are as follows:

• Episode 1 (2 September): Cake Week
• Episode 2 (9 September): Biscuit Week
• Episode 3 (16 September): Bread Week
• Episode 4 (23 September): Back To School Week
• Episode 5 (30 September): Chocolate Week
• Episode 6 (7 October): Pastry Week
• Episode 7 (14 October): Meringue Week
• Episode 8 (21 October): Dessert Week
• Episode 9 (28 October): Patisserie Week
• Episode 10 (4 November): Series finale, usually a garden party or picnic theme

The contestants from Great British Bake Off series 16, Channel 4 / Love Productions

Where To Watch The Great British Bake Off

Catch up with The Great British Bake Off series 16 at channel4.com