The Great British Bake Off series 3

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The Great British Bake Off
Series 3
The Great British Bake Off (series 3) main cast and bakers.png
Promotional photo of the main cast and contestants of the third series
Starring
No. of episodes10
Release
Original network BBC Two
Original release14 August (2012-08-14) –
16 October 2012 (2012-10-16)
Series chronology
← Previous
Series 2
Next →
Series 4

The third series of The Great British Bake Off began airing on Tuesday 14 August 2012. [1] The series was filmed at Harptree Court in East Harptree, Somerset.

Seven thousand applied for the competition and twelve contestants were chosen. [2] The competition was won by John Whaite. [3]

The third series was broadcast as the fifth season on PBS in the United States.

Bakers

BakerAgeOccupationHometownLinks
Brendan Lynch63 Recruitment consultant Sutton Coldfield [4]
Cathryn Dresser27Shop assistant Pease Pottage, West Sussex [5]
Danny Bryden45 Intensive care consultant Sheffield [6]
James Morton 21Medical student Hillswick, Shetland Islands [7]
John Whaite 22Law student Wigan [8]
Manisha Parmar27 Nursery nurse Leicester
Natasha Stringer36 Midwife Tamworth, Staffordshire
Peter Maloney43 Sales manager Windsor, Berkshire
Ryan Chong38Photographer Bristol [9]
Sarah-Jane Willis28Vicar's wife Bewbush, West Sussex [5]
Stuart Marston-Smith26 PE teacher Lichfield, Staffordshire [10]
Victoria Chester50CEO of the charity Plantlife Somerset [11]

Results summary

Elimination chart
Baker123456 78910
JohnSAFESBSAFESAFESAFELOWLOWHIGHLOWWINNER
BrendanSAFEHIGHLOWSBHIGHSBHIGHSAFEHIGHRunner-up
JamesSAFEHIGHSBSAFESAFELOWLOWSBSB
DannySAFESAFESAFEHIGHLOWHIGHSBLOWOUT
CathrynHIGHSAFESAFESAFESAFESAFELOWOUT
RyanSAFESAFESAFELOWSBSAFEOUT
Sarah-JaneSAFESAFESAFESAFELOWLOWOUT
ManishaSAFESAFESAFELOWOUT
StuartLOWLOWHIGHOUT
VictoriaSBLOWOUT
PeterSAFEOUT
NatashaOUT

[1] There was no elimination the sixth week after John sustained a major injury to his finger and could not complete the last bake. The judges determined it would be unfair to eliminate anyone and instead, two bakers were eliminated the next week.

Colour key:

  Baker got through to the next round
  Baker was eliminated
  Baker was one of the judges' least favourite bakers that week, but was not eliminated.
  Baker was the Star Baker
  Baker was one of the judges' favourite bakers that week, but did not win star baker
  Baker was the series runner-up
  Baker was the series winner

Episodes

Episode 1: Cakes

The contestants were required to make an upside-down cake for their signature bake: they were given 2 hours to make a sponge topped with fruits of their choice. For the technical bake, Paul set the bakers the challenge of making 4 rum babas with cream in the middle and sliced fruits on top, to be completed in 3 hours. For the showstopper, the bakers were given the task of making a cake in 5 hours, that would reveal a hidden design when sliced open.

* Unseen in the episode

Episode 2: Bread

For the signature bake, the bakers were required to make 12 flatbreads, 6 with yeast and 6 without, in 2+1⁄2 hours. For the technical challenge, they had to make an eight-strand plaited (braided) loaf in two hours, using a recipe from Paul. For the showstopper bake, the bakers were given four hours to make 24 bagels: 12 sweet and 12 savoury.

Episode 3: Tarts

The classic tarte tatin, either sweet or savory, was set as the signature challenge, to be finished in 2+1⁄2 hours. Baking a treacle tart in 2 hours was set as the technical challenge by Mary Berry, with the requirement that the pastry lattice on top be woven. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to make a large designer fruit tart, fit for a window display, in less than 3 hours.

Episode 4: Desserts

The bakers were given 3 hours to make a torte without conventional wheat flour as the signature bake. The torte had to be more than 20 cm in diameter. Mary set crème caramel as the technical challenge, to be finished in 23⁄4 hours. A four-layered meringue dessert was the showstopper challenge.

Episode 5: Pies

The signature bake was Wellington, which Paul specified should be at least 8 inches long and completely covered with pastry. The bakers were given 3 hours for the challenge. The technical challenge was to make a hand-raised pie in 21⁄4 hours. This was to be made with a hot water crust and moulded using a dolly. The pie was left to set overnight and judged the next day. For the showstopper challenge, the bakers were required to bake a family-sized sweet American-style pie in 31⁄2 hours.

Episode 6: Puddings

The bakers were challenged to make, in 2 hours, 2 different flavoured sponge puddings with different accompaniments, 6 of each. Mary set the Queen of Puddings as the technical challenge. For the showstopper, the bakers were required to make in 3+1⁄2 hours one large strudel, either with sweet or savoury fillings.

  1. ↑ John sustained a deep wound on his finger on the blade of the food processor and had to leave the tent to receive medical attention. He was unable to complete his Showstopper Challenge. As a result, the judges decided it would be unfair to eliminate a baker this week.

Episode 7: Sweet Dough

For the signature bake, the bakers were set to bake 24 buns made from an enriched dough with yeast in 3 hours. The buns should be all of the same size and evenly baked. For the technical bake, the bakers were challenged to make 10 jam doughnuts, using Paul Hollywood's recipe, in 21⁄2 hours. They should be consistent in size, shape, jam distribution, and colour. For the showstopper, the bakers each made a celebratory enriched-dough loaf. This challenge started straight after the technical bake, so that the dough could be proofed overnight if necessary.

  1. ↑ Two bakers were eliminated this week as there was no elimination the previous week following John's injury.

Episode 8: Biscuits

The bakers were given 2 hours to make 48 crackers or crisp breads for their signature bake. They should be thin, evenly baked and crack when snapped in two. For the technical challenge, the bakers were asked to make six chocolate teacakes in 2 hours using Paul Hollywood's recipe, a task made more difficult because the high temperature that day would not allow the chocolate to cool. For the showstopper bake, the bakers were challenged to make a gingerbread structure, which should not be a gingerbread house, in 4 hours.

Episode 9: Pâtisserie (Semifinal)

For the first pâtisserie test, the bakers were required to make 3 types of petits fours, 12 of each. These should be small (each a single mouthful), exquisite and perfect. Mary set the bakers to make a Fraisier cake for the technical challenge to be done in 21⁄2 hours. Choux pastry gateau was set as the showstopper.

Episode 10: Final

The finalists were set the task of making a savoury pithivier in 21⁄2 hours. Paul and Mary's technical challenge required 25 fondant fancies to be done in 21⁄2hours. For the final showstopper, the finalists were required to make, in 4 hours, a chiffon cake based on the theme of their personal highlights of 2012. All the bakes were served at a special summer fête held on the ground of Harptree Court.

Extras and special episodes

Four additional episodes were broadcast after the final. Episode 11 was a masterclass by Paul and Mary where they demonstrated how to make the technical challenges they set – treacle tarts, rum babas, creme caramels, the hand-raised pie, and the eight-strand plaited loaf. Episode 12 revisited the bakers from series two to catch up on what these contestants had been doing after the show ended. Another masterclass was shown in episode 13 where Paul and Mary showed how to make Queen of Puddings, jam doughnuts, tempered chocolate teacakes, Fraisier cakes and fondant fancies. In episode 14, Paul and Mary showed which signature bakes they would have chosen if they were in the bakers' shoes (including sponge puddings, flat breads and sweet buns). Two further episodes of Masterclass were shown, one before Christmas and another before Easter.

Post-show career

John Whaite gained a first-class degree from the University of Manchester after sitting his law exams while filming Bake Off, but he rejected a career in law and opted to take classes at Le Cordon Bleu and pursue a career in baking.[ citation needed ] His book John Whaite Bakes: Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood was published on 25 April 2013. [14] His second book, John Whaite Bakes at Home, was published on 27 March 2014. [15] He first set up a chocolate shop The Hungry Dog Artisan Chocolates, [16] and opened a cookery school on his family's dairy farm in Lancashire. [17] He also appeared as a resident chef on the ITV show Lorraine, [18] [19] and wrote a column on food for The Daily Telegraph . [20] In 2016, Whaite presented with Rosemary Shrager a daytime cookery competitive show Chopping Block on ITV. [21] In 2018, after six years of directing his attention on writing cookbooks, leading baking classes, and making television appearances, Whaite decided to refocus on law. [22]

James Morton aimed for a career in medicine but has written a book on bread, titled Brilliant Bread, published on 29 August 2013. [23] [24] He writes a baking column for the Scottish newspaper Sunday Mail . [25] His second book, How Baking Works: ...And what to do if it doesn't, was published on 12 March 2015. [26]

Brendan Lynch is teaching cookery classes. [27] [28] [29]

Cathryn Dresser and Sarah-Jane Willis teamed up to open a stall at Horsham Market. [30] [31] Dresser wrote a baking book for children and parents titled Let's Bake, published on 22 May 2014. [32] and ran The Little Handcross Bakery [33] in Handcross, West Sussex between September 2014 and May 2015.

Ratings

The final of this series had a record overnight figure of 6.5 million viewers, beating every other programme in other channels in its time slot. [34]

Official episode viewing figures are from BARB. [35]

Episode
no.		AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking		Nightly ranking
114 August 20123.8517
221 August 20124.605
328 August 20124.53
44 September 20124.714
511 September 20124.613
618 September 20124.82
725 September 20125.104
82 October 20125.35
99 October 20125.70
1016 October 20126.743

Specials

The Great British Bake Off Masterclass
Episode
no.		AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
122 October 20122.565
224 October 20122.198
325 October 20122.336
The Great British Bake Off Revisited
Episode
no.		AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
23 October 20122.764
The Great British Bake Off, Christmas Masterclass
Episode
no.		AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
18 December 20123.482
The Great British Bake Off, Easter Masterclass
Episode
no.		AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
26 March 20132.763

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References

  1. ↑ Food on BBC Two, 26 April 2012
  2. ↑ "'Sir' beat 7,000 hopefuls to join baking dozen". Lichfield Mercury. 9 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Vicky Frost (16 October 2012). "Great British Bake Off: John Whaite is surprise winner". The Guardian.
  4. ↑ Brendan Lynch. "Brendan".
  5. 1 2 "Bake with Cat".
  6. ↑ Danny Bryden. "Baking as Therapy". Archived from the original on 16 May 2013.
  7. ↑ James Morton. "James Morton – the one that bakes". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "John Whaite".
  9. ↑ Ryan Chong. "Bakology – Home of Baking from Ryan Chong".
  10. ↑ Stuart Marston-Smith. "Layered".
  11. ↑ "Plantlife". Plantlife International.
  12. ↑ @brendanbakes (24 August 2012). "One more St Paddy's Day cake photo added" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ↑ "Behind the Hidden Designs- what you didn't see on episode 1 of GBBO". 15 August 2012.
  14. ↑ Sophia Moir (26 April 2013). "John Whaite: How baking helps me battle depression – EXCLUSIVE". Yahoo Lifestyle.
  15. ↑ Josh Willacy (27 March 2014). "The winner bakes it all: Great British Bake Off ace John Whaite reveals guilty secrets and making mum jealous". Mancunian Matters.
  16. ↑ Debashine Thangevelo (10 July 2014). "Whaite's victory tastes extra sweet". Tonight.
  17. ↑ Jess Denham (7 October 2014). "Great British Bake Off 2014: What past winners are doing now from Edd Kimber to last year's Frances Quinn" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Helena Kealey (5 August 2014). "Bake Off: the winners reveal their secrets". The Daily Telegraph.
  19. ↑ "John Whaite". ITV.
  20. ↑ "John Whaite". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015.
  21. ↑ "Chopping Block". 24 March 2016.
  22. ↑ "Former Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite returning to law "to devote myself to something utterly important"". inews.co.uk. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  23. ↑ Heather Greenaway (20 January 2013). "Great British Bake Off star James Morton: Cooking is great.. but my real dream is to be a doctor". Daily Record.
  24. ↑ "James and the World Bread Awards". Edinburgh Foody. 19 July 2013.
  25. ↑ "Jame Mortan". Daily Record and Sunday Mail.
  26. ↑ Pippa Bailey Monday (5 October 2015). "Great British Bake Off: 10 best cookbooks" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
  27. ↑ Giulia Rhodes (24 March 2013). "Baking an end to the lonely days". Daily Express. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  28. ↑ James Brindle (25 October 2012). "Bake off finalist to join Seasoned Cookery School". Uttoxeter Advertiser.
  29. ↑ Roz Laws (2 August 2014). "Whatever happened to the 'Great British Bake Off' bakers from the Midlands?". Birmingham Mail.
  30. ↑ "Crawley Bake Off stars set up own business". The Argus. 23 October 2012.
  31. ↑ "TV Bake-off stars team up to run market stall". Crawley and Horley Observer. 31 October 2012.
  32. ↑ Anna James (20 May 2014). "REVIEW: LET'S BAKE BY CATHRYN DRESSER". We Love This Book.
  33. ↑ "Hectic life of a mother and celebrity baker".
  34. ↑ John Plunkett (17 October 2012). "Great British Bake Off: 6.5m watch John Whaite rise to the top". The Guardian.
  35. ↑ "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board . Retrieved 16 September 2015.
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