What You Missed On The Great British Bake Off This Week

It’s back: Britain’s favourite baking show returns to screens this autumn, with a fresh batch of bakers ready to take on the tent (and all its various challenges). Landing back on screens on Tuesday 22 September at 8pm, the Channel 4 hit promises yet another series of tricky bakes, toppling cakes and a Paul Hollywood handshake or two. And now, we have our first look at this year’s bakers. Here’s everything you need to know about The Great British Bake Off season 17.

The Great British Bake Off Season 17: Everything We Know So Far

What’s Coming Next Week?

Up next, another Bake Off classic: Pastry Week. The bakers will be put to the test with savoury pies and a Polish choux dessert, as well as a ‘decorative pie pandemonium’ Showstopper. We can’t wait.

Week 5 Recap (20 October)

What Was The Theme?

Following a rather rocky Bread Week, it was time for the bakers to redeem themselves in the eyes of the judges – and what better way to do it than with Dessert Week? This time around, the bakers were tasked with whipping up some classic (and utterly beloved) British puddings, including a staggered-start self-saucing Signature, a bread-and-butter pudding Technical and what might be our favourite Showstopper yet: a retro trolley of desserts spanning everything from strawberry trifle to pineapple upside down cake.

As expected, with so many classics on the menu, this week ended up becoming a battle of the generations, with some of the older bakers in the tent having an edge. (What we learnt this week: a surprising amount of young bakers have never made bread-and-butter pudding before.)

Who Won Star Baker?

One baker rose to the occasion and managed to snag Star Baker this week: Connie. Consistent across the board, the self-named ‘cake lady’ wowed the judges with her chocolate orange self-saucing puds (which earned her a Hollywood Handshake), placed second in the Technical and served up an impressive spread of retro desserts on her Showstopper trolley.

Who Went Home?

Sadly, it was Yannis’ turn to leave the tent. After struggling last week, the baker was sent home after failing to impress once again. Speaking to Channel 4 on his exit, he said: ‘Thank you, it has been a pleasure. I grew up watching this programme and being here for five weeks is surreal. I will be very proud of that and it’s been absolutely wonderful.’

Week 4 Recap (13 October)

What Was The Theme?

This week’s theme was a Paul Hollywood favourite and a Bake Off classic: Bread Week. The episode kicked off with a cheesy garlic bread, in which bakers could opt for a bread-style of their choosing. Unfortunately for the bakers, many found themselves stumbling at the first hurdle with underbaked dough and lacklustre garlic breath abound.

From there, it was – in Paul Hollywood’s words – ‘the worst Technical in Bake Off history’. Tasked with cooking up roast grape and blue cheese flatbreads in just under an hour, it seemed many bakers missed the key word: ‘flat’. Fat and cloudy, the breads were universally underbaked, with Gabe and Clara’s being the only edible ones of the bunch. You may think the one-hour time constraint was cruel, but Paul insisted he could make them in much less time. With the bakers keen to redeem themselves, they pulled out all the stops for the Showstopper, which saw them kneading together celebration breads made-up of an enriched dough.

Who Won Star Baker?

Cinching Star Baker for the second time was Tom. Though he struggled like everyone else in the Technical, he took on Paul’s Chelsea bun feedback from the Signature and implemented into his Showstopper: a Christmas-themed gonk featuring multiple types of bread.

Who Went Home?

Though Yannis had resigned himself to defeat after a difficult week, it was Molly who left the tent, having struggled with the strength of her flavours throughout the episode. Following the decision, Molly said: ‘I’m sad to be leaving the tent but it think it’s my time, it’s the right decision […] I wanted to do Biscuit Week and Bread Week, and I got to do both. It’s been a really wonderful experience and I’m really proud of myself.’ Nikki also exited the tent early this week, having to leave soon after the Signature challenge due to a family emergency.

Week 3 Recap (6 October)

What Was The Theme?

In a first for Bake Off, the theme this week was Audience Choice, with challenges decided by UK viewers. Speaking on the announcement earlier this year, when Channel 4 was scouting challenge suggestions, Hollywood explained, ‘We want to give our brilliant viewers the chance to help shape the show, and see their ideas come to life in the tent. People often come up to me in the street with challenges they wish they could see on the show, well now is the perfect opportunity!’ 

The week kicked off with a Signature cheesecake challenge with a twist; the bakers had to make their sweet treats alongside a family member. (This had some mixed reactions from the show’s hosts. ‘This is going to be amazing, Noel,’ Alison cheered. Shaking his head, Noel replied: ‘This is going to be carnage.’) The fun didn’t end there, though. Next up was a ‘up to interpretation’ Technical, followed by a wearable Showstopper.

 

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What Was The Technical Challenge?

Another first for the tent, this week’s Technical was more of an open-ended challenge for the contestants. Rather than be given a recipe, bakers were handed a box of mystery ingredients and were asked to bake something of their choice.

Missing out on a weekly recipe? Fear not, Paul and Nigella have listed their example bakes (they were after a creative bake that didn’t feel to simple or ambitious) on the official Bake Off website: an apple tart and toasted marshmallow and raspberry cake, respectively.

Who Won Star Baker?

We have a new Star Baker in the tent: Clara took home the top gong this week, impressing the judges with her ‘Honky Tonk’ cheesecake (which featured a punchy blend of peach and bourbon), a third-place Technical and a handbag Showstopper.

Who Went Home?

We bid a fond farewell to Shannon this week. The baker had a bit of a rough time: in the Signature, the judges criticising the salt levels in her cheesecake, she came last place in the Technical (‘It’s just fallen a bit flat,’ said the judges of her lemon drizzle cake), and her fairy wings Showstopper left the judges feeling underwhelmed. ‘Shannon’s, for four and a half hours, a biscuit with royal icing, charming though it was, you’ve got to do something that is a bit of a showstopper for a showstopper,’ explained Nigella.

But her time on Bake Off has been a great one. ‘It’s so hard to put into words what this has meant to me,’ Shannon said, following her elimination. ‘I have become myself if anything, and I have let go of any persona of who I wish I was. I have just really been me and it has been life-changing… I don’t want to say goodbye to anyone.’

Week 2 Recap (29 September)

What Was The Theme?

Moving from cakes to biscuits, this week the bakers were tasked with whipping up a batch of cookies, tackling a nostalgic Technical and creating an artsy mosaic Showstopper. But how did the cookie crumble?

What Was The Technical Challenge?

This week’s Technical featured a sweet treat many of us will love and remember: iced gems. Set by Paul Hollywood, this recipe asked the bakers to make tiny biscuit dics with a rainbow icing swirl on the top (an imperative note: separate your colours in the piping bag before going in). While the bakers didn’t have the recipe to hand, the official Bake Off website says that Paul’s homemade iced gems ‘pair buttery orange shortbread with crisp rosettes of rainbow-coloured royal icing as a playful twist on this nostalgic classic. Bright citrus flavour and vibrant colours make them perfect for parties, afternoon tea, or simply adding a cheerful touch to your weekend cuppa.’ You can find out how to make them here.

Who Won Star Baker?

There were a lot of impressive bakes this week, but only one person came out on top: Tom. However, the path to victory was a rocky one. Following an impressive Signature and a high-ranking Technical, Tom struggled to get his Showstopper finished in the time provided – resulting in a half-decorated biscuit Burn Book from Mean Girls. But despite the lack of decoration, he impressed the judges with his flavours, earning him the title of this week’s Star Baker.

Who Went Home?

Despite no one heading home in the first episode, only one baker left the tent this week. After failing to impress the judges with a Signature (a non-vegan bake she couldn’t taste, resulting in a ‘powdery’ texture), a low-ranking Technical and a ‘messy’ mosaic Showstopper, Danni became the first baker of the series to be sent home.

Speaking on her time in the tent, Danni said, ‘‘Thank you so much, it’s been so lovely, it has! Oh my goodness I am really happy that I was the first one out because I know everyone in there has more skills than me. But I think I’ve learned something about myself, which is that in the right circumstances I can make quite a few friends. Finding love in a group of strangers – that’s just beautiful.’

Week 1 Recap (22 September)

What Was The Theme?

Each week on Bake Off, the bakers are tasked with challenges that centre on a specific theme. (Think bread, chocolate, cake or area-specific cuisines.) As always, each season begins with Cake Week. As Channel 4 outlines: ‘The bakers make stout cakes and self-portrait Showstoppers. Who’ll face leaving first?’

What Was The Technical Challenge?

Each week, Paul and Nigella will set the bakers a Technical Challenge. They’ll be going in blind; no prep time, just a surprise recipe set by the judges. (Or, in the case of Week 1, a picture of what they want the bakers to make). Kicking off the new series with a tricky challenge, new judge Nigella set the bakers with the task of making a coffee and walnut layered cake – without a recipe. Instead, the only guidance they were given was a classic Bake Off illustration of the cake in question. Can’t be too difficult, right? If you fancy giving it a whirl (with the recipe this time), you can check out the steps here.

Who Won Star Baker?

Our first Star Baker of the season has been crowned: Mo. While the youngest on the show this year, he impressed the judges with his self-portrait Showstopper and his peanut and caramel chocolate stout cake.

Who Went Home?

It was a tough call –many bakers kicked off the season with a bang (and a blunder or two). Molly dropped her cake in the first round and came last in the Technical, but redeemed herself when it came to the Showstopper. Danni similarly had it rough, with both her stout cake and Showstopper piece collapsing in the final moments of each challenge. Shannon was also on the judges’ radar to leave the tent, but her stepping down from the Showstopper due to illness meant that no bakers were sent home this week.

What Is The Great British Bake Off?

The Great British Bake Off sees a line-up of amateur bakers compete for the chance to be crowned Bake Off Champion. Each week, the bakers return to the famous white tent in a bid to earn the judges’ approval through a series of challenges: first up is the Signature (a test of the bakers’ creative flair), followed by the Technical (a high-pressure, skill-based task) and ending with the Showstopper (a chance to go all out). One baker is then crowned Star Baker by the judges, while another is eliminated. This goes on each week until there are three bakers left, who battle it out in the final.

Who Are The Judges Of Bake Off?

Earlier this year, Channel 4 announced that TV chef Nigella Lawson would be joining The Great British Bake Off as its newest judge. She replaces Prue Leith, who steps down from the prestigious gig after nine years, and joins long-time judge Paul Hollywood. Leith has starred on Bake Off since 2017, when she took over from Mary Berry. 

But Nigella has been welcomed warmly by the Bake Off family. Speaking at a special screening of the new series, co-host Alison Hammond said: ‘It’s quite a daunting moment when you first walk into that tent, so we made sure [Nigella] was okay and asked if there was anything she needed. But it turned out she didn’t need anything, really – she just walked straight in front of the cameras like she’d been doing it for years. She’s magical, isn’t she? Our queen.’

When asked what kind of judging style she’ll bring to the tent, Nigella said she aims for firm but fair. ‘I always try to look for the positive, because you don’t ever want criticism to be something that makes people feel inadequate, or that hampers rather than encourages,’ she explained. ‘It’s important to let someone know what they’re doing well, and what needs to be a bit better. All you have to go on is your honest reactions – you can’t do anything except be honest. What’s fascinating to me is seeing, over the course of the series, how people learn – making mistakes isn’t what matters, it’s learning from them.

‘The thing I love is that Paul and I carry on talking about it after we’ve tasted something – what we liked, what we didn’t, where we think it could be different,’ she added. ‘There’s never a sense of, the “camera’s off, so that’s it.” You get so involved that you can’t just switch off. Sometimes I agonise quite a bit, because you’re weighing up whether someone’s done well on one front but fallen down on another. It matters, so you have to be sure you’ve really thought it through.’

‘It’s constructive criticism,’ Paul added. ‘If you’re constantly saying that’s great, that’s great, that’s great, you don’t actually get any better. They all go on a journey – by the end they’re much more rounded bakers, because you can hear it: their timings improve, their finish, their polish.’ He also mentioned that the Bake Off core four have their own group chat where they keep each other up to speed: ‘Even away from filming, if one of us vents on the WhatsApp group, suddenly everybody’s on it, and the other three just pile in. It’s amazing.’

The bakers were also excited to meet Bake Off‘s new judge. ‘There were a lot of Nigella fans, let’s put it that way,’ laughed Hammond. ‘There was that added pressure, on top of already being a fan of Paul’s, of having this iconic woman in the tent too. Anything she said, they hung on her every word.’

‘I think one week Nigella said she liked more salt, and the next week all the bakers were adding loads of the stuff into their bakes,’ added Noel.

Who Are The Hosts?

While things are being shaken up over at the judges table, our hosting duo remain the same: Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding return as the comedic hosts of Great British Bake Off.

Who Are The Bakers For Great British Bake Off 2026?

Each year, 12 bakers enter the tent, hoping to win the title of Britain’s Best Baker. This year’s contestants include: