Junior Bake Off is a British television baking competition in which young bakers aged 9 to 12 tackle a series of challenges involving baking cakes, biscuits, bread, and pastries, competing to be crowned Junior Bake Off Champion.
The series debuted in 2011 as a spin-off from The Great British Bake Off and is also produced by Love Productions. Four series of Junior Bake Off were broadcast on CBBC from 2011 to 2016. Following its parent series' departure from the BBC in 2017, Junior Bake Off resumed with a fifth series in 2019 on Channel 4, with comedian Harry Hill as presenter and Prue Leith and Liam Charles as judges. The fifth series concluded on 22 November 2019. The show returned for a sixth series on 11 January 2021. Junior Bake Off returned Monday 10 January 2022 for its seventh series and concluded on 28 January 2022. Junior Bake Off returned on 16 January 2023 for its eighth series and concluded on 3 February 2023. On 10 January it was announced that Junior Bake Off has been renewed for its eleventh series to air in 2026.[1][2][3][4]
Format
Each series of Junior Bake Off typically includes 15 episodes. While The Great British Bake Off features three challenges per episode (signature, technical, and showstopper), Junior Bake Off includes only the technical and showstopper challenges. In the first four series, aired on CBBC from 2011 to 2016, the format featured 40 young bakers aged 9 to 12 years old divided into 10 qualifying rounds or heats.[5] Each episode featured only four bakers, with one winner each episode and the other three eliminated. The winning baker from each heat were brought back for 'Finals Week' (divided into two semi-finals, followed by two finals, and then one grand final) which determined the winner.
The format was altered in 2019 when the series moved to Channel 4. The episodes were increased from 30 minutes to one hour, the number of bakers halved to 20 (16 from series 6), and the upper age range of the contestants increased from 12 to 15 (changed back to 12 from series 8[6]).[7] Instead of only four bakers taking part in each qualifying round, the bakers are divided into two groups of 10 each, with five eliminated from one group during the first five episodes, and five eliminated from the second group during the second five episodes.[8] The remaining five bakers from each group are combined in the week-long finals, resulting in quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.[9] The 'Star Baker' award, given to the judges' favourite baker in each episode, was not included in the CBBC version of the show but is a part of the Channel 4 format.
A second series began on 11 November 2013 on CBBC.[11] Chef James Martin replaced Hollywood as judge.
Heat A
Airdate: 11 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Alexandre
12
Hertfordshire
Eliminated
Anna
11
Kent
Eliminated
Brinta
12
London
Eliminated
Griffin
11
Wrexham, North Wales
Top 10
Heat B
Airdate: 12 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Ann
12
Bristol
Eliminated
Ben
11
Wales
Eliminated
Ellie
11
Edinburgh
Top 10
Finn
10
North Yorkshire
Eliminated
Heat C
Airdate: 13 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Ben
10
North Yorkshire
Eliminated
Emma
11
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Top 10
George
11
Shropshire
Eliminated
Megan
11
Midlands
Eliminated
Heat D
Airdate: 14 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Charlie
10
Northampton
Eliminated
Ellie
10
Manchester
Eliminated
Joseph
10
Oldham
Eliminated
Ruby
11
Devon
Top 10
Heat E
Airdate: 15 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Abhimanyu
11
Warwickshire
Eliminated
Alex
10
Lincolnshire
Eliminated
Emily
12
South Lanarkshire
Top 10
Jojo
11
London
Eliminated
Heat F
Airdate: 18 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Cameron
12
Kent
Eliminated
Elizabeth
11
Bristol
Eliminated
Katie
11
Belfast
Eliminated
Monty
12
Cheshire
Top 10
Heat G
Airdate: 19 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Aaminah
12
Middlesex
Eliminated
Alfie
10
Norfolk
Eliminated
Archie
11
County Down, Northern Ireland
Top 10
Esther
9
Cheshire
Eliminated
Heat H
Airdate: 20 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Harrison
12
East Sussex
Eliminated
Harry
10
Hampshire
Top 10
Isabelle
12
Lancashire
Eliminated
Rosie
11
Essex
Eliminated
Heat I
Airdate: 21 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Charlie
11
Norfolk
Eliminated
Louis
10
Cambridge
Eliminated
Ruby
12
Cheshire
Eliminated
Zainab
10
Hertfordshire
Top 10
Heat J
Airdate: 22 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
James
11
Coventry
Eliminated
Kavern
9
London
Top 10
Lily-Grace
12
Middlesex
Eliminated
Missy
11
Birmingham
Eliminated
Top 10 semi-finals A
Airdate: 25 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Ellie
11
Edinburgh
Eliminated
Emily
12
South Lanarkshire
Eliminated
Emma
11
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Top 4
Griffin
11
Wrexham, North Wales
Eliminated
Ruby
11
Devon
Top 4
Top 10 semi-finals B
Airdate: 26 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Archie
11
County Down, Northern Ireland
Eliminated
Harry
10
Hampshire
Top 4
Kavern
9
London
Eliminated
Monty
12
Cheshire
Eliminated
Zainab
10
Hertfordshire
Top 4
Top 4 finals
Airdate: 26 November 2013
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Harry
10
Hampshire
Won
Emma
11
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Runner-up
Ruby
11
Devon
Runner-up
Zainab
10
Hertfordshire
Runner-up
Series 3 (2015)
A third series began airing on 2 November 2015 on CBBC, with Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes replacing Craze as hosts. Allegra McEvedy and Graham Hornigold took over from Berry and Martin as judges.[12]
Heat A
Airdate: 2 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Alyth
11
Lanarkshire, Scotland
Top 10
Harrison Brown
10
Worcestershire
Eliminated
Kiah
11
London
Eliminated
Matthew
9
Derbyshire
Eliminated
Heat B
Airdate: 3 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Farhaan
10
London
Eliminated
Hannah
11
Conwy, North Wales
Eliminated
Olivia Millburn
10
Northumberland
Top 10
Tom
12
London
Eliminated
Heat C
Airdate: 4 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Grainne
12
Belfast
Eliminated
Isaac Greenhill
11
York
Top 10
Matilda
10
Surrey
Eliminated
Will
11
Hertfordshire
Eliminated
Heat D
Airdate: 5 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Euan Buckley
12
West Lothian
Top 10
Lucy
11
Kent
Eliminated
Peter
10
Sheffield
Eliminated
Sienna
11
Stratford-upon-Avon
Eliminated
Heat E
Airdate: 6 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Alex
12
Manchester
Eliminated
Hafsa
12
Wembley
Eliminated
James
12
Gosport
Eliminated
Megan Lewis
12
Rhondda Valley
Top 10
Heat F
Airdate: 9 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Alice
11
Dorset
Top 10
Corey
11
Forth Valley
Eliminated
Finlay
10
Northumberland
Eliminated
Sufia
10
West Yorkshire
Eliminated
Heat G
Airdate: 10 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Alfie
11
Swindon
Eliminated
Andrea
10
Middlesex
Eliminated
Freddie Patmore
12
Newcastle
Top 10
Lucy
12
Liverpool
Eliminated
Heat H
Airdate: 11 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Ben
12
Sutton Coldfield
Eliminated
Darcey Harkness
12
Belfast
Top 10
Isabel
11
Hove
Eliminated
Will
9
Cardiff
Eliminated
Heat I
Airdate: 12 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Amari Koryang
11
Birmingham
Top 10
Ben
12
Leeds
Eliminated
Khushi
10
Hertfordshire
Eliminated
Oscar
9
Maidenhead
Eliminated
Heat J
Airdate: 13 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Ben
10
Tyne and Wear
Eliminated
Grace
11
Oxfordshire
Eliminated
Purdey Burton
12
London
Top 10
Tom
11
East Sussex
Eliminated
Top 10 quarterfinals A
Airdate: 16 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Alyth
11
Lanarkshire, Scotland
Top 6
Darcey
12
Belfast
Eliminated
Euan
12
West Lothian
Top 6
Freddie
12
Newcastle
Top 6
Olivia
10
Northumberland
Eliminated
Top 10 quarterfinals B
Airdate: 17 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Alice
11
Dorset
Top 6
Amari
11
Birmingham
Top 6
Isaac
11
York
Eliminated
Megan
12
Rhondda Valley
Top 6
Purdey
12
London
Eliminated
Top 6 semifinals
Airdate: 18 November 2015
Finals
Airdate: 19–20 November 2015
Baker
Age
Hometown
Result
Amari
11
Birmingham
Won
Alyth
11
Lanarkshire, Scotland
Runner-up
Euan
12
West Lothian
Runner-up
Megan
12
Rhondda Valley
Runner-up
Alice
11
Dorset
Eliminated
Freddie
12
Newcastle
Eliminated
Viewership ratings for series three (2015)
Episode No.
Airdate
Total viewers
CBBC Channel Weekly Ranking
1
2 November 2015
677,000
1
2
3 November 2015
662,000
2
3
4 November 2015
658,000
5
4
5 November 2015
672,000
4
5
6 November 2015
673,000
1
6
9 November 2015
647,000
5
7
10 November 2015
632,000
2
8
11 November 2015
658,000
2
9
12 November 2015
660,000
9
10
13 November 2015
671,000
6
11
16 November 2015
668,000
8
12
17 November 2015
672,000
4
13
18 November 2015
673,000
1
14
19 November 2015
669,000
2
15
20 November 2015
678,000
1
Series 4 (2016)
The fourth series began on 7 November 2016 on CBBC.[13]Allegra McEvedy returns as judge with Nadiya Hussain replacing Graham Hornigold. Presenters Sam & Mark returned to host.
The seventh series originally aired on 10–28 January 2022 on Channel 4, with 16 contestants competing to be crowned the winner of the seventh series. Comedian Harry Hill and bakers Liam Charles and Ravneet Gill returned as host and judges respectively. From episodes 1–3, Paul Hollywood stood in for Charles.[17] The bakers were divided into two groups of 8, with four eliminated from each group over five days of competition. The remaining four bakers from each group were combined in the week-long finals, culminating in a "super-difficult showdown" episode that determined the winner.[18] Kezia won the 2022 series.[19][non-primary source needed]
The eighth series of Junior Bake Off began airing on 16 January 2023 on Channel 4. For the fourth series in a row, Harry Hill presented the series, which was judged by Ravneet Gill and Liam Charles. Amelia won the competition and Thomas, Mya and Annabel B were runners up.
The ninth series of Junior Bake Off began airing on 2 January 2024 on Channel 4. For the fifth series in a row, Harry Hill presented the series, which was judged by Ravneet Gill and Liam Charles. Tilly won the competition and Max, Annabelle and Ilham were runners up.
The tenth series of Junior Bake Off began airing on 6 January 2025 and ended on 24 January 2025 on Channel 4. For the sixth series in a row, Harry Hill presented the series, with returning judges Ravneet Gill and Liam Charles. Austin won the competition and Lola, Ronnie and Deji were runners up.
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