Great British Bake Off: Meet all of the new contestants for the 2022 series
The Great British Bake Off is returning to Channel 4 on Tuesday 13 September for even more Hollywood handshakes, stunning showstoppers, and soggy bottoms - but who will be taking part?
MORE: GBBO judge Prue Leith reveals her secret to staying sprightly at 82
12 new talented amateur bakers will be stepping foot inside the iconic white Bake Off tent this year to try their hands at impressing judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, as well as presenters Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas. Get to know them here…
WATCH: GBBO 2021 stars Lizzie and Freya get tattoos to commemorate their time on the show
Abdul
Abdul is a 29-year-old electronics engineer living in London but originally raised in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents. His keen 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 and matcha is among his favourite flavours, so watch out for that in his creations!
Carole
Carole, 59, is a supermarket cashier hailing from Dorset. Born and bred in the West Country, Carole loves the outdoors and even hosts segment on a local radio show called 'Compost Carole', during which she shares her gardening know-how with listeners.
She began her dedicated baking journey with a first birthday cake for her eldest granddaughter Maisie and since then, she has refined her skills, using YouTube to teach herself the finer techniques of decoration. Her favourite flavours are fruity and punchy.
MORE: Bake Off star Crystelle Pereira's tasty five-day menu for quick after-school dinners
Dawn
IT manager Dawn is 60 and lives in Bedfordshire and is a mother to three, stepmother to two, and gran/stepgran to four, meaning that birthday cakes are often the order of the day!
Dawn loves the challenge of an illusion cake, favouring whacky and intricate designs that allow her to express her creative talent. She prides herself on her steady hand and attention to detail, especially when it comes to the intricacy required for lace patterns on biscuits. Her favourite flavours are lemon, salted caramel and anything nutty.
James
James is a 25-year-old nuclear scientist from Cumbria - and a self-proclaimed proud kilt wearer. He grew up in Glasgow but moved to England after university.
He enjoys the technical side of baking but is in his element when he makes his bakes his own, with his signature 'child-friendly horror' style, inspired by his love of slasher movies. His favourite flavours are anything autumnal, such as mixed spice, apples and caramel.
Janusz
Janusz, 34, grew up in Poland and moved to East Sussex in the UK 10 years ago and now works as a personal assistant to a head teacher. Apart from baking, Janusz's passions include internet culture, watching drag and collecting movie props.
He was inspired to bake by his mother, who always baked on a Saturday, a tradition Janusz continued when he moved away from home to go to university. His favourite flavours are ginger and chocolate and he loves working Polish ingredients into British staples.
MORE: The Great British Bake Off lands huge US star for new celebrity series - find out who it is here!
Kevin
33-year-old music teacher Kevin comes from Lanarkshire and he loves spending time with his nearest and dearest, which includes his family's much-loved pets. While Kevin is principally a saxophonist, he is also accomplished at the flute, the piano and the clarinet too.
He began baking when he was 17, and his ethos in the kitchen is to use the best seasonal ingredients and to spend time refining his technique – with these in hand, he believes the presentation will take care of itself. He loves interesting combinations of fruits, herbs, nuts and spices.
Maisam
The youngest contestant in this year's line-up, 18-year-old student and sales assistant Maisam, has a strong creative steak and is pentalingual - meaning she speaks a whopping five languages! Originally from Libya, Maisam has lived in the UK since she was nine and currently resides in Greater Manchester and aims to take that up to seven languages before she turns 20.
She has been baking since she was about 13 years old, and she loves the science required to get a bake right – often trying something multiple times until it is perfect. Her favourite flavours are inspired by her Mediterranean heritage.
Maxy
Maxy is a 29-year-old Swedish-born architectural assistant living in London. As you would expect, 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.
MORE: See The Great British Bake Off presenters at the start of their careers
Rebs
Rebs, 23, is Master's student from Country Antrim. She spent her childhood in the countryside in Northern Ireland and loves everything to do with Irish culture – she can Irish dance and play the tin whistle. She reignited her love for baking as a way to unwind from the stress of a busy life in the tech world.
Flavour is paramount for her, and she has more recently started to play around with Middle Eastern ingredients – in a nod to her boyfriend, Jack's Turkish family heritage.
Sandro
30-year-old Sandro comes from London and works as a nanny, although he was born in Angola, but had to flee because the Angolan war with his mum when he was two. 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.
Syabira
Malaysian-born Syabira, 32, is a cardiovascular research associate from London. She moved to the UK in 2013 to study for her PhD and is now happily settled in London with her boyfriend, Bradley.
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
Will is a 45-year-old former charity director living in London with his wife, three children and a cat called Tiggy. When he's not hanging out with his kids, Will loves 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.
Like this story? Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
