It won’t be long before those immortal words ‘Ready, steady, bake!’ start ringing through households across the country – The Great British Bake off is back.

As always with GBBO, expect the odd soggy bottom, lashings of lamination and an inordinate amount of baking tray wafting.

Featuring contestants tackling tried-and-tested recipes for the Signature Challenge, a blind taste test in the technical challenge and, of course, showcasing their favourite bakes in the Showstopper Challenge, the contest really pushes the amateur bakers’ skills to the limit.

Each week one participant is eliminated from the programme until the final sees the remaining three go head-to-head, battling it out to be crowned winner.

The Great British Bake Off London contestants

With just over a week to go, the contestants heading into the Bake Off tent have been revealed including five from the capital.

Abdul

Age: 29

Day job: Electronics Engineer

Raised in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents, Abdul is the middle of three children – and the one who got into trouble for pulling apart the electronic devices around the house!

All’s well that ends well, though, and he is now an electronics engineer, dividing his time between London and Cambridge.

A keen salsa dancer, and a self-confessed space nerd, his interest in baking began when he and his graduate colleagues baked for each other to brighten up their daily coffee breaks.

He applies his precision thinking to the chemistry of creating bakes.

Matcha is among his favourite flavours.

Maxy

Age: 29

Day job: Architectural Assistant

Swedish-born Maxy studied fine art and went on to achieve a Masters degree in Architecture, pausing her final qualifications to raise her two daughters, Tyra and Talia.

She has DIY-ed every corner of her flat – from laying the flooring and resurfacing the balcony to painting the walls and hanging her own artwork.

She began baking five years ago, with the arrival of her first daughter, and uses her strong artistic skills to create beautifully decorated celebration cakes.

Her favourite flavours link to her Scandinavian upbringing – the sweet and delicate spice of cardamom and saffron buns and cinnamon rolls.

Sandro

Age: 30

Day job: Nanny

Sandro was born in Angola, but fled the Angolan war with his mum when he was two, settling then in London.

Passionate about fitness, Sandro is a keen boxer and has a background in ballet and breakdance too!

When Sandro was 21 his father passed away and he turned to baking as a form of therapy. Now, he lives and breathes it, and is often found rustling up bakes in a relaxed vibe with the telly on, or running virtual baking classes for children with autism.

He likes to infuse his bakes with flavours from his Angolan heritage – the spice of paprika paired with tangy cheese, and sweet bakes smothered in sticky dulce de leche.

Syabira

Age: 32

Day job: Cardiovascular Research Associate

Malaysian-born Syabira is one of seven children. She moved to the UK in 2013 to study for her PhD and is now happily settled in London with her boyfriend, Bradley.

She loves gaming and often spends evenings playing an online World-War-II simulation game, which she credits with teaching her about leadership in the real world.

Syabira started baking relatively recently – in 2017 – with a red velvet cake, which reminded her of the treats she shared with her friends back home.

She is all for giving Malaysian flavour twists to British classics – chicken rendang cornish pasties are a particular favourite.

Will

Age: 45

Day job: Former Charity Director

One of three children, Will grew up just outside Bristol, before leaving for university in Liverpool.

Now he lives in London with his wife, three children and a cat called Tiggy.

When he’s not hanging out with his kids, Will loves DIY and carpentry, which indulges his background in architecture, and cooking up new and exciting dishes in the kitchen.

His passion for baking began when he was two, when his mum would give him her pastry trimmings to turn into little jam tarts.

Intrigued by the technical side of baking, he is a particular fan of using yeast – and not just in bread!

His favourite flavours are salted caramel and paprika, though not at the same time.

The Great British Bake Off season 13 contestants

Joining Carole in the marquee are the remaining 11 hopefuls – they hail from far and wide, but all have a passion for a springy sponge.

  • Carole, 59, a supermarket cashier from Dorset
  • Dawn, 60, an IT manager from Bedfordshire
  • James, 25, a nuclear scientist from Cumbria
  • Janusz, 34, a PA to head teacher from East Sussex
  • Kevin, 33, a music teacher from Lanarkshire
  • Maisam, 18, a student and sales assistant from Greater Manchester
  • Rebs, 23, a masters student from County Antrim

:: Great British Bake Off Season 13 begins on Tuesday, September 13 at 8pm on Channel 4.