The Great British Bake Off is a British television baking competition to find Britain's best amateur baker. The show premiered in 2010, and aired its fourteenth series in 2023. From series two onwards, Judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry (through 2016) or Prue Leith (since 2017) have awarded "Star Baker" to the contestant deemed to have most excelled that particular week.
Numerous bakers have received the accolade on more than one occasion. For example, Ruby Tandoh in series four won the Star Baker title three times. Richard Burr currently holds the title record, winning five times (of a possible nine). [1] [2] Each series winner has usually received the Star Baker award at some point, but the accolade holds no influence on the outcome.
Baker | Age (on show debut) | Finish | Series | No. of times won star baker | Week the award was won |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abdul Rehman Sharif | 29 | Runner-up | 13 | 1 | Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Alice Fevronia | 28 | Runner-up | 10 | 2 | Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Andrew Smyth | 25 | Runner-up | 7 | 2 | Week 7 (Desserts), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Benjamina Ebuehi | 23 | 5th | 7 | 1 | Week 4 (Batter) |
Brendan Lynch | 63 | Runner-up | 3 | 2 | Week 4 (Desserts), Week 6 (Puddings) |
Briony Williams | 33 | 4th | 9 | 1 | Week 6 (Pastry) |
Candice Brown | 31 | Winner | 7 | 3 | Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 5 (Pastry), Week 8 (Tudor) |
Chetna Makan | 35 | 4th | 5 | 1 | Week 6 (European Cakes) |
Chigs Parmar | 40 | Runner-up | 12 | 2 | Week 4 (Desserts), Week 8 (Free-from) |
Christine Wallace | 66 | 5th | 4 | 2 | Week 3 (Desserts), Week 5 (Biscuits & Traybakes) |
Crystelle Pereira | 26 | Runner-up | 12 | 2 | Week 6 (Pastry), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Cristy Sharp | 33 | 5th | 14 | 1 | Week 5 (Pastry) |
Danielle "Danny" Brydon | 45 | 4th | 3 | 1 | Week 7 (Sweet Dough) |
Dan Beasley-Harling | 36 | 7th | 9 | 1 | Week 4 (Desserts) |
Dan Hunter | 42 | Runner-up | 14 | 2 | Week 1 (Cake), Week 7 (Desserts) |
Dave Friday | 30 | Runner-up | 11 | 1 | Week 2 (Biscuits) |
Frances Quinn | 31 | Winner | 4 | 1 | Week 7 (Pastry) |
Giuseppe Dell'Anno | 45 | Winner | 12 | 2 | Week 3 (Bread), Week 5 (German) |
Henry Bird | 20 | 5th | 10 | 1 | Week 7 (Festivals) |
Hermine | 39 | 4th | 11 | 2 | Week 7 (The '80s), Week 8 (Desserts) |
Holly Bell | 31 | Runner-up | 2 | 2 | Week 1 (Cakes), Week 4 (Biscuits) |
Ian Cumming | 41 | Runner-up | 6 | 3 | Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 3 (Bread), Week 4 (Desserts) |
James Morton | 21 | Runner-up | 3 | 3 | Week 3 (Tarts), Week 8 (Biscuits), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Jane Beedle | 61 | Runner-up | 7 | 1 | Week 1 (Cake) |
Janet Basu | 63 | 4th | 2 | 1 | Week 5 (Pies) |
Janusz Domagala | 34 | 4th | 13 | 2 | Week 1 (Cake), Week 3 (Bread) |
Jason White | 19 | 6th | 2 | 2 | Week 2 (Tarts), Week 4 (Biscuits) |
Joanne Wheatley | 41 | Winner | 2 | 1 | Week 6 (Desserts) |
John Whaite | 23 | Winner | 3 | 1 | Week 2 (Bread) |
Josh Smalley | 27 | Runner-up | 14 | 2 | Week 6 (Botanical), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Julia Chernogorova | 21 | 7th | 8 | 1 | Week 3 (Bread) |
Jürgen Krauss | 56 | 4th | 12 | 3 | Week 1 (Cake), Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 7 (Caramel) |
Kate Henry | 41 | 6th | 5 | 1 | Week 5 (Pies & Tarts) |
Kate Lyon | 29 | Runner-up | 8 | 1 | Week 4 (Caramel) |
Kimberley Wilson | 30 | Runner-up | 4 | 2 | Week 4 (Pies & Tarts), Week 9 (French Week) |
Kim-Joy | 27 | Runner-up | 9 | 2 | Week 5 (Spice), Week 7 (Vegan) |
Laura Adlington | 31 | Runner-up | 11 | 1 | Week 5 (Pastry) |
Liam Charles | 19 | 5th | 8 | 1 | Week 6 (Pastry) |
Lottie Bedlow | 31 | 6th | 11 | 1 | Week 6 (Japanese) |
Luis Troyano | 42 | Runner-up | 5 | 1 | Week 3 (Bread) |
Marc Elliot | 51 | 5th | 11 | 1 | Week 3 (Bread) |
Marie Campbell | 66 | 11th | 6 | 1 | Week 1 (Cake) |
Mark Lutton | 32 | 7th | 11 | 1 | Week 4 (Chocolate) |
Manon Lagrève | 26 | 5th | 9 | 1 | Week 1 (Biscuits) |
Mat Riley | 37 | 6th | 6 | 1 | Week 6 (Pastry) |
Matty Edgell | 28 | Winner | 14 | 2 | Week 4 (Chocolate), Week 8 (Party) |
Maxy Maligisa | 29 | 5th | 13 | 2 | Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 4 (Mexico) |
Michael Chakraverty | 26 | 6th | 10 | 1 | Week 3 (Bread) |
Michelle Evans-Fecci | 35 | 8th | 10 | 1 | Week 1 (Cake) |
Nadiya Hussain | 30 | Winner | 6 | 3 | Week 5 (Alternative Ingredients), Week 8 (Patisserie), Week 9 (Chocolate) |
Nancy Birtwhistle | 60 | Winner | 5 | 1 | Week 1 (Cakes) |
Peter Sawkins | 20 | Winner | 11 | 2 | Week 1 (Cake), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Rahul Mandal | 30 | Winner | 9 | 2 | Week 2 (Cakes), Week 3 (Bread) |
Richard Burr | 38 | Runner-up | 5 | 5 | Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 4 (Desserts), Week 7 (Pastry), Week 8 (Advanced Dough), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Robert Smart | 54 | 8th | 4 | 1 | Week 1 (Cakes) |
Ruby Tandoh | 20 | Runner-up | 4 | 3 | Week 2 (Bread), Week 6 (Sweet Dough), Week 8 (Alternative Ingredients) |
Ruby Bhogal | 29 | Runner-up | 9 | 2 | Week 8 (Danish), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Ryan Chong | 38 | 6th | 3 | 1 | Week 5 (Pies) |
Sandro Farmhouse | 30 | Runner-up | 13 | 1 | Week 5 (Desserts) |
Sophie Faldo | 33 | Winner | 8 | 2 | Week 5 (Puddings), Week 9 (Patisserie) |
Stacey Hart | 42 | 4th | 8 | 1 | Week 8 (Forgotten Bakes) |
Steph Blackwell | 28 | Runner-up | 10 | 4 | Week 4 (Dairy), Week 5 (The Roaring Twenties), Week 6 (Desserts), Week 8 (Pastry) |
Steven Carter-Bailey | 34 | Runner-up | 8 | 3 | Week 1 (Cake), Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 7 (Italian) |
Syabira Yusoff | 32 | Winner | 13 | 3 | Week 6 (Halloween), Week 7 (Custard), Week 8 (Pastry) |
Tamal Ray | 29 | Runner-up | 6 | 1 | Week 7 (Victorian) |
Tasha Stones | 27 | 4th | 14 | 2 | Week 2 (Biscuits), Week 3 (Bread) |
Tom Gilliford | 26 | 6th | 7 | 2 | Week 3 (Bread), Week 6 (Botanical) |
Victoria Chester | 50 | 10th | 3 | 1 | Week 1 (Cakes) |
Yasmin Limbert | 43 | 5th | 2 | 1 | Week 3 (Bread) |
Notes
The Great British Bake Off is a British television baking competition, produced by Love Productions, in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, attempting to impress two judges with their baking skills. One contestant is eliminated in each round, and the winner is selected from the three contestants who reach the final.
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.
John Robert Whaite is an English baker who won the third series of The Great British Bake Off in 2012. He works as a chef, television presenter, and author.
The first series of The Great British Bake Off first aired on BBC Two on 17 August 2010. Ten home bakers took part in a bake-off to test their baking skills as they battled to be designated the best amateur baker. Each week the programme bakers participated in three challenges in a particular discipline, with some being eliminated at the end of each episode. The rounds of the competition took place in various locations across the UK following a theme, for example, the episode on puddings took place in Bakewell, bread baking would take place near Sandwich. This first series had a voiceover by Stephen Noonan; for the subsequent series this role was taken by the on-screen presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. The competition was won by Edd Kimber.
The second series of The Great British Bake Off started 14 August 2011 with twelve amateur bakers. Unlike series one, the competition was held in a single location – the grounds of Valentines Mansion, a 17th-century mansion house in Redbridge. In addition to their on-screen presenting, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins also took over the narration, which had been done by Stephen Noonan for the previous series. Series two also introduced the "star baker" award for the most impressive performer each week.
The third series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on Tuesday 14 August 2012. The series was filmed at Harptree Court in East Harptree, Somerset.
The American Baking Competition is a reality competition television series that aired on CBS from May 29 to July 10, 2013. It was an adaptation of The Great British Bake Off. The series aimed to find the best amateur baker in the United States. The series was hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and judged by Marcela Valladolid and Paul Hollywood. The competition was won by Brian Emmett.
The fourth series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on 20 August 2013. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins again presented the show and Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood returned as judges. As with series three, the competition was held at Harptree Court in East Harptree, Somerset.
The Great Irish Bake Off was an Irish reality TV cooking series. The show was based on the successful BBC show The Great British Bake Off. The show was produced by Sideline Productions for the TV3 Group. It premiered on TV3 Ireland on 19 September 2013, broadcasting for three seasons.
James Patrick Bowie Morton is a Scottish doctor, baker, author and reality television contestant, based in Glasgow, who rose to fame when he became the runner up on the third series of The Great British Bake Off.
The fifth series of The Great British Bake Off first aired on 6 August 2014, with twelve contestants. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins presented the show and Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood returned as judges. Twelve contestants competed in this series, and the competition was held in Welford Park in Berkshire. The series was won by Nancy Birtwhistle, with Luis Troyano and Richard Burr finishing as runners-up.
The sixth series of The Great British Bake Off first aired on 5 August 2015, with twelve contestants competing to be the series 6 winner. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins presented the show, and Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood returned as judges. The competition was held in the ground of Welford Park, Berkshire for a second year. The series was won by Nadiya Hussain, with Tamal Ray and Ian Cumming finishing as runners-up.
The seventh series of The Great British Bake Off aired from 24 August 2016, with twelve contestants competing to be crowned the series 7 winner.
The eighth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 29 August 2017, with this being the first of The Great British Bake Off to be broadcast on Channel 4, after the production company Love Productions moved the show from BBC One. It is the first series for new hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, and new judge Prue Leith.
The ninth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 28 August 2018, with this being the second series to be broadcast on Channel 4. The series is presented by Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, with judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. This series saw a few changes to the usual format: the first episode being Biscuit Week, the documentary inserts were dropped, and the finale included the competitors doing a technical challenge outside the tent for the first time.
The tenth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 27 August 2019. It was presented by returning hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, and judged by returning judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
The eleventh series of The Great British Bake Off began on 22 September 2020. It was presented by returning host Noel Fielding and new host Matt Lucas, who replaced Sandi Toksvig, and was judged by returning judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The first three episodes were extended to 90 minutes instead of the usual 75 minutes. The bakers were announced on 15 September 2020.
The thirteenth series of The Great British Bake Off began on 13 September 2022. It is again presented by Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas and judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The bakers competing in the series were announced on 2 September 2022. The series was filmed at Welford Park, an estate near Newbury, Berkshire which was previously used for the programme from 2014 to 2019.