Bake Off tent ready to cook up another storm
It's become a staple of British summertime and has helped to inspire a new generation of home bakers.
The Great British Bake Off tent returns to Channel 4 tonight with 13 amateur bakers hoping to wow judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood with their cakes and bakes.
And the line-up for the new series is the youngest in the show’s history following an increase in applications from Millennials.
Among this year's hopefuls, who have an average age of 31 instead of the usual 40, are a geography teacher, a fashion designer, a HGV driver and a veterinary surgeon.
It's a sign of the unwavering popularity of the competition that has become a national phenomenon thanks to the mouth-watering treats and British humour which are both on show in abundance.
GBBO, which began in 2010 on BBC Two, is also credited with encouraging younger people to don their aprons and get baking.
Supermarkets always report a huge spike in sales of home baking goods as a new series gets under with people feeling inspired to try recreating the same recipes in their own kitchens.
Award-winning cake maker Paz Heer, of Essington, believes the show has a made a "big difference" to the world of baking and has inspired more young people to give it a go.
"It does get people baking and talking about baking and it gets young people baking which is amazing. We get people calling us asking for advice. You never used to see young people talk about baking let alone actually baking. A lot more young people are interested in it now," says the 38-year-old, who runs AB Cakes in Wolverhampton.
He believes another benefit of the show is that it demonstrates that bakers can be free to experiment and don't have to stick to tradition.
"It shows that you can experiment with different flavours like elderflower. A lot of young people wouldn't have known what elderflower was before it was on the Great British Bake Off so it teaches them about what they can do.
"It shows you can be fun and creative, which is good to see, and it shows what you can do with baking," says Paz, who recently won the Best Event Cake Specialist award at the SME News Enterprise Awards.
Baker Crystal Owen, who opened Crystal's Cupcakes in Dawley, Telford, five years ago but had been making cakes at home for many years before that, also believes it's led to an increased interest in baking.
"The amount of requests I've had from people wanting to be an apprentice, work in the shop or just volunteer because they are interested in baking has definitely increased," says the 34-year-old.
Crystal says the shop has also benefited from GBBO's popularity due to customers calling in to pick up sweet treats to enjoy while watching the latest episode.
"We did a late-night opening which was the same night as it was on TV and it was crazy, everybody would call in for cakes," she adds.
"I like the creativity of baking and being able to come up with new flavours," says Crystal whose popular creations include millionaires shortbread, chocolate marzipan and cherry bakewell.
Over the years GBBO has featured contestants from across the Midlands including grandmother Diane Beard, of Alkington near Whitchurch.
Retired air steward Terry Hartill from Dudley competed in the last series and left the tent in the fifth week of the contest.
Last year's finale attracted a record 7.5 million viewers, as mild mannered, research scientist Rahul Mandal took home the baking trophy.
Becoming the first man to win the competition in six years, Rahul competed for the winning spot with Kim Joy Hewlett and Ruby Bhogal.
The new series is again expected to attract a similar sized audience and contestants include Steph, a 28-year-old shop assistant from Chester, Priya, a 34-year-old marketing consultant from Leicester and print shop administrator Michelle, 35, from Tenby in Wales.
Also in the tent will be theatre manager and fitness instructor Michael, 26, from Stratford-upon-Avon, and 20-year-old part-time waiter and sports science student Jamie from Surrey.
They will be competing across a series of challenges where they will be tasked with baking cakes, biscuits and breads among other tasty creations in a bid to be named Bake Off champion.
And fans up and down the country will be glued to the action waiting to see who will create a delicious masterpiece and who will just end up with a soggy bottom.
*The new series of The Great British Bake Off will begin on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight.
