Is this the most eclectic batch of Bake Off hopefuls yet? The Dalai Lama's photographer, a Lithuanian bodybuilding mother-of-two and a prison officer are among 12 set to battle it out in the kitchen
- The 12 contestants were whittled down from around 16,000 entries
- They will still be baking for judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry
- The new sixth series begins on Wednesday 5th August at 8pm on BBC1
Take one Lithuanian bodybuilder, mix with The Dalai Lama's photographer and add a burly prison officer.
The Great British Bake Off is back - and producers are clearly hoping these rather unconventional ingredients will serve up a television treat when the sixth series of the cookery show begins next week.
The 12 contestants featured on this year’s show are among the most eclectic in the programme’s history.
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Serving up a slice of the action: The new series of The Great British Bake Off begins on Wednesday 5th August at 8pm on BBC1
Viewers will be introduced to father-of-three Paul, who has worked as a prison governor for eight years, but who is now hoping to impress the judges with his ‘intricate sugar work’.
The 49-year-old, who lives in Wales, said he decided to appear on the show in a bid ‘to show that men like me, stereotyped by our jobs, do and can love baking and that it is a skill and talent to be proud of.’
Alongside him competing for the title of star baker will be 32-year-old Lithuanian bodybuilder Ugne, London-based firefighter Mat, 37, and 41-year-old Ian, who works as a personal photographer for the Dalai Lama when he visits the UK.
The oldest contestant on this year’s series is 66-year-old Marie, who has admitted that she struggled to even boil an egg when she first started several years ago.
Since moving to Paris she says she fell in love with baking and now specialising in ‘elaborate, show-stopping decorations’.
The show’s judges have come up with 30 different challenges for the contestants to attempt.
MEET THIS YEAR'S 12 CONTESTANTS:
THE GIRLS - UGNE
Name: Ugne
Age: 32
Who is she? While baking is her main hobby, Ugne is also a bodybuilder.
Originally from Lithuania, Ugne lives in Essex with her partner and their two children.
NADIYA
Name: Nadiya
Age: 30
Who is she? The daughter of a restaurant owner, Nadiya has been baking for ten years after learning at school.
She is now a full-time mother.
FLORA
Name: Flora
Age:19
Who is she? This year’s youngest contestant, Flora comes from a family of bakers and works as an assistant in an art gallery.
On a gap year before a History of Art degree.
MARIE
Name: Marie
Age: 66
Who is she? Marie was entered for The Great British Bake Off by her daughter, but her children claim she couldn’t even boil an egg when they were growing up.The turning point came in her thirties when Marie moved to Paris with her family.
DORRET
Name: Dorret
Age: 53
Who is she? An accountant who has been baking for 40 years, Dorret says she is a ‘foodie’ who regularly visits Michelin star restaurants for inspiration.
Her dream is to go to the Cordon Bleu school in Paris.
SANDY
Name: Sandy
Age: 49
Who is she? A child welfare officer who lives and works near Bradford. Speaking of her style, she says: ‘It might not be glamorous but it’s tasty.’
She runs a cookery club where she teaches children from deprived backgrounds how to bake.
The first episode of the new series will be broadcast next Wednesday, and will see the contestants tasked with baking a Madeira cake, re-inventing the classic 1970s Black Forest gateau as well as a pre-war favourite, the frosted walnut cake.
The contestants will once again be baking for judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry.
The 12 hopefuls were whittled down from around 16,000 entries who all completed lengthy application forms. They had to undergo interviews and auditions with the programme’s producers, and even take part in a baking screen test to prove they were up to the challenge of appearing on the show.
Piece of cake: Paul Hollywood, Sue Perkins, Mel Giedroyc and Mary Berry are all returning to front the show
Producers have now revealed the extraordinary amount of ingredients used by the rivals during their time on the show.
A total of 1,600 eggs were used, along with more than 150 kilos of sugar, 100 kilos of butter, 50 litres of cream, 26 kilos of nuts and nearly 20 different types of flour, including Almond, Hazelnut and Quinoa.
They also made their way through 30 different varieties of fruit, including barberries and goji berries, and a substantial amount of edible glitter.
However, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood yesterday revealed that socialising between the contestants was strictly forbidden.
Paul, 49, said yesterday: ‘They’re the bakers; we’re the judges. We’ve never, ever throughout the whole six series, been in the same hotel, we’ve never had a meal together.’
Speaking about the contestants, Mary added: ‘It’s terribly important that we don’t get involved with them. We meet them as they walk into the tent, we talk to them in the tent, and that is shared with the viewer. I don’t want to see them out of the tent at all.’
THE BOYS - STU
Name: Stu
Age: 35
Who is he? A professional singer who lives in Surrey with his wife and two children. He was inspired to bake after helping his parents in the kitchen of their restaurant. He particularly likes experimenting with Middle Eastern spices.
IAN
Name: Ian
Age: 41
Who is he? A travel photographer who is the Dalai Lama’s personal snapper when he visits the UK. He is a househusband who started baking just six years ago.
TAMAL
Name: Tamal
Age: 29
Who is he? A trainee anaesthetist working at a Manchester hospital. He was taught to bake by his older sister who asked him to make her wedding cake.
ALVIN
Name: Alvin
Age: 37
Who is he? Originally from the Philippines, Alvin works as a nurse in Berkshire. He bakes at least four times a week, describes himself as a perfectionist who once baked bread every day until he got it right.
MAT
Name: Mat
Age: 37
Who is he? Mat began baking three years ago in between shifts as a London firefighter. Calling himself a ‘competent amateur', Mat has now mastered biscuits, bread, pastries and pies.
PAUL
Name: Paul
Age: 49
Who is he? A former Coldstream Guard who performed ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace, Paul now works as a prison governor. The father-of-three enjoys learning intricate skills like sugar-work to make his bakes beautiful.
Ready, steady, go! The 12 hopefuls will take part in over 30 different culinary challenges
‘Without doubt they are far more skilled. In the very first Bake Off, nobody knew what they were letting themselves in for. Now contestants realise that they had better pull their socks up and practise, so they know what they’re doing.’
Paul added: ‘Some of them are almost professional when they walk in. But most of them are just bloody good amateurs who, with a bit of training, could probably earn money from it, which is what they go on to do. Crucially they’re not formally trained, they learnt in their own kitchen.’
It was two years ago that the programme was moved from BBC2 to a new slot on BBC One.
Dream team: Paul and Mary helped select the top bakers from around the 16,000 entries
Fresh batch: This year's crop of contestants include 19-year-old gap year student Flora (third from right) and 66-year-old Marie (centre, in blue)
Last year’s final drew an audience of 13.5million, almost double the audience for the previous year’s fourth series final, when 7.4 million watched Frances Quinn triumph on BBC2.
Nancy Birtwhistle, a 60-year-old grandmother from Lincolnshire, scooped the coveted title in 2014.
The new series begins on Wednesday 5th August at 8pm on BBC1.
Prime time contest: The Great British Bake Off will once again air on BBC1 at 8pm every Wednesday
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3176613/Meet-eclectic-batch-Great-British-Bake-contestants-ever.html#ixzz3hAikaLLp
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