As a new series of Bake Off starts this week, here's a look at all the past winners and what they're up to now
Key Highlights :
The Great British Bake Off is back for its 14th series and fans are already excited to see what this year’s contestants have in store. Hosted by Alison Hammond, with judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, the show has been running since 2010 and has seen a number of different bakers take the crown. To celebrate the start of the new series, let’s take a look at all the past winners and what they’re up to now.
Series One - Edd Kimber
Edd Kimber was the first ever winner of Bake Off in 2010 and he has since gone on to have a successful career. He has been on TV, worked in top restaurants and written for a magazine. He has written six cookbooks and is now teaching baking classes to people all over the world.
Series Two - Joanne Wheatley
Joanne Wheatley was crowned the winner in 2011 and has since written two cookbooks and started her own home cooking school. She is now retired and living in Lisbon, Portugal with her husband and their French bulldogs Olive and Otis.
Series Three - John Whaite
John Whaite became the youngest ever winner of Bake Off in 2012 and has since become one of the biggest names to come out of the show. He has written several cookbooks and appeared on TV shows, as well as having a regular cooking slot on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch. In 2021, he made history as part of the first same-sex male partnership on BBC Strictly Come Dancing, where he finished as a runner-up.
Series Four - Frances Quinn
Frances Quinn won the show in 2013 and went on to break a Guinness World Record for baking the biggest jaffa cake. She has published her first cookbook and now regularly shares her partnerships with food brands and recipes.
Series Five - Nancy Birtwhistle
Nancy Birtwhistle triumphed over finalists Richard Burr and Luis Troyano in 2014 and says that winning Bake Off changed her life. She has written hundreds of recipes which she shares on her website and is a Sunday Times UK Top 10 bestselling author, with her fourth cookbook coming out in 2023.
Series Six - Nadiya Hussain
Nadiya Hussain won series six of Bake Off in 2015 and has since become one of the show’s biggest stars. She has written cookbooks, children’s books and her own memoir, as well as starring in her own shows, including The Big Family Cooking Showdown, Nadiya’s American Adventure and Nadiya Bakes.
Series Seven - Candice Brown
Candice Brown stormed to victory in 2016 and has since opened a pub with her brother called The Green Man. In 2018, she became the first Bake Off winner to compete on ITV’s Dancing on Ice.
Series Eight - Sophie Faldo
Sophie Faldo was the first winner of Bake Off after it moved to Channel 4 in 2017 and has since started her own business making wedding cakes. She also teaches both online and in-person baking classes.
Series Nine - Dr Rahul Mandal
Dr Rahul Mandal has continued his baking as well as balancing his job at the University of Sheffield. He has published a cookbook and in 2021, he created the world’s first 100-ingredient cake.
Series Ten - David Atherton
David Atherton won the show in 2019 and has since written two cookbooks. He also has a podcast alongside his co-star Michael Chakraverty, where they provide “insights, opinions and a light dusting of shade.”
Series Eleven - Peter Sawkins
Peter Sawkins became the youngest ever winner of Bake Off in 2020 and returned to his degree in finance and accounting at the University of Edinburgh. He has written two baking books and hopes to pursue a career in baking full time.
Series Twelve - Giuseppe Dell’Anno
Giuseppe Dell’Anno was the show’s first Italian winner in 2021 and credits his work and precision for his success in the tent. He has published his first cookbook, Giuseppe’s Italian Bakes, which includes his family’s most treasured recipes.
Series Thirteen - Syabira Yusoff
Syabira Yusoff wowed the judges in the tent last year and has since been busy sharing baking recipes and tips on her Instagram account. She is also planning to publish a cookbook and create a YouTube channel.
The Great British Bake Off has been a hit since it first aired on the BBC in 2010 and has since seen a number of different bakers take the crown. With the 2023 series set to begin, one of the contestants will be crowned the winner of series 14. But for now, let’s take a look at what the past winners have been up to since their victory in the tent.
