Junior Bake Off winner ‘stunned’ after lifting trophy

The winner of Junior Bake Off 2019 has said he was “too stunned to cry” after being crowned.

Fin, 13, from Manchester, won the coveted title during Friday night’s final on Channel 4.

The Great British Bake Off’s junior spin-off saw 20 nine to 15-year-olds compete in a range of cooking challenges.

Fin, who started baking with his grandmother and taught himself further using YouTube videos, rose to the challenge during two heats and a finals week.

He said: “It was probably the most surreal thing that has ever happened to me.

“The pause between announcing ‘and the winner is…’ to saying my name seemed to go on for ages.

“My legs were shaking so much, and when I heard it was me, my legs collapsed with the sheer exhaustion of it all.

“I was so overwhelmed as all the other bakers ran over to hug me. I pulled myself together and took the trophy from (judge) Liam.

“My sister shed a little happy tear, my mum was in shock, and I was too when I heard my name, I think I was too stunned to cry.

“It was one of the best days of my life.”

Harry Hill hosted the show while judges Prue Leith and former Bake Off contestant Liam Charles were tasked with choosing this year’s winner.

The four finalists’ last chance to impress came with the last Showstopper, a cake in the form of the Junior Bake Off trophy.

Charles said: “His Showstopper was pretty much faultless, and that was his best cake of the series… He absolutely smashed it.”

Leith added: “Fin absolutely deserved to win. He pushed himself as hard as he could and all his cakes were just absolutely wonderful.”