Black Country Bake Off star pens heartfelt letter to show's fans

The 56-year-old Dudley baker was sent home from the popular Channel 4 show during week five – spice week – during the season's first double elimination.

But he was on the minds, and in the hearts, of the nation when he sent in a letter saying a 'massive thank you' to everyone who had supported him.

The retired air steward does not use social media, so the Bake Off team shared his letter on its Twitter account the day the final aired.

He had written: "I would like to express a massive thank you to everybody who has supported me and my family over the last few months. We are so overwhelmed by the huge response we have received and I am particularly grateful for all your kind words online and on social media.

"It has been a difficult time since the loss of my wife and when my daughter applied for the show on my behalf we never could have expected the wonderful reaction that we have experienced and continue to receive.

"In the tent it was tough and difficult at times (a melting Eiffel Tower for example) I thank you all for seeing the vision! But it has been so very enjoyable and I have made some wonderful lifelong friends. I am very excited for the future and again would like to say a huge thank you to everyone for their love and encouragement."

This isn't the first time Terry has pulled on the nation's heartstrings. He fought back tears after exiting the show weeks before - opening up about the loss of his late wife Joanna.

Originally from Dudley, Terry learned to bake as a small child with his grandmother while his father taught him how to bake bread and make pastry when he was only 10-years-old.

The finale of the Great British Bake Off attracted a record 7.5 million viewers on Tuesday evening 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 contestants were evenly matched as each had won the elusive Star Baker prize twice.

The final episode saw them bake iced doughnuts in the signature challenge, pitta breads and fire-roasted three dips using an outdoor campfire, and a showstopping landscape dessert.

Disaster struck as the 32 degree heat shattered one of Rahul's glass storage containers - meaning he was given 15 minutes extra time after most of his ingredients had to be thrown away.

But it was his show-stopper, a 200-piece recreation of a Victorian garden, that won the judges over.

After receiving the trophy Rahul said: "I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. I just feel I need to talk with my mum."